Hiring Organization Information
Position Information
About BB2S
Building Blocks 2 Success (BB2S) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering K-12 youth by providing pathways in Robotics, Construction and Design, Semiconductors, and Medical/Healthcare fields. Our mission is to inspire and prepare underrepresented students for careers in STEM while fostering equitable access to opportunities.
Building Blocks 2 Success
Program Director
Job Description
Reports to: Executive Director
Salary: $80,000-$89,000 annually
Benefits: 75% Employer paid medical/dental/vision insurance for employee, sick leave, PTO, retirement (see benefits for full detail)
Hours: Full-time, Exempt, 40 hours, Monday – Friday with occasional weekend or evening events.
Location: Portland, OR
About You
You are a passionate and innovative leader who thrives at the intersection of education, equity, and STEM. With a deep commitment to empowering underrepresented communities, you are driven to create pathways for student success in STEM fields. You excel in building inclusive, mission-driven teams and fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, and growth.
Your approach is strategic yet hands-on, balancing visionary thinking with attention to detail. You are a natural relationship builder who thrives in diverse environments and knows how to cultivate partnerships with educators, community leaders, and stakeholders to amplify impact. You have a proven track record of designing, managing, and scaling programs, and your organizational and analytical skills ensure every project aligns with long-term goals.
You bring expertise in program development, community outreach, and operational leadership, with a talent for developing innovative curriculum and fostering environments where students and staff can excel. Your experience with budgeting, data analysis, and performance metrics empowers you to make informed decisions that drive continuous improvement. Being inspired by the mission of BB2S to create equitable access to STEM opportunities, you are ready to lead with vision, adaptability, and purpose to make a meaningful impact.
Job Summary
The Program Director is responsible for ongoing management and development of BB2S’s STEM programming for youth. This role involves leading ongoing programs, supervising staff, developing new programs, and interacting with customers, students, parents, and funders. The Program Director is a key leader in the organization, partnering with the Executive Director to fulfill BB2S’s mission.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Leadership:
• Work with the Executive Director to create and manage the organization's strategic plan for STEM programs and activities.
• Lead day-to-day program activities, including supervision of direct reports, temporary staff engaged for a specific project, student interns, and lead project teams.
• Hold bi-weekly one-on-one meetings and program team meetings to connect, review program and organizational objectives, and support professional development.
• Build strong mission-based teams applying diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Ensure program goals regarding customer satisfaction, safety, quality, and team member performance are met.
• Direct the implementation of curriculum and instructional strategies that create a clear pathway for student success.
• Build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
Program Development:
• Work collaboratively with education partners and the community to create STEM pathways and opportunities for students.
• Develop proposals for funding activities consistent with the organization’s current goals and strategic plan.
• Represent BB2S at community and regional meetings, conferences, and events.
• Partner and build relationships with leaders and stakeholders in diverse communities.
• Contribute to organizational communications by identifying and communicating “success stories” from BB2S’s work in its communities.
• Attend networking events and participate in public speaking.
Program Operations:
• Manage and report on programmatic trends as well as operations for quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Communicate with customers and/or clients to arrange meetings, confirm program schedules, and discuss program status.
• Develop and maintain evaluation methods to assess program strengths and progress towards goals.
• Prepare, monitor, and adhere to the program budget and operating plan.
Minimum Qualifications:
** We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you’re excited about this position but do not meet all of the qualifications listed below, we still encourage you to apply.**
• A bachelor’s degree in education, STEM, or a related field.
• 3+ years in management roles.
• 5+ total years of experience in nonprofit youth program development, execution, and evaluation, including STEM programming, in an educational setting.
• Proven track record in project management ensuring successful programs, timely grant tracking, and meeting deadlines.
• Established record of collaboration and building effective relationships through community outreach with various stakeholders (community members, program partners, funders, etc.).
• Ability to achieve results consistently, even under challenging circumstances.
• Ability to look ahead to future possibilities and translate them into breakthrough strategies.
• Proven ability and experience of cultural responsiveness and success working effectively with diverse populations as well as communities of color.
• Excellent communication skills, including clear and succinct writing and comfort with a variety of communication settings and styles.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills to make sense of complex, high-quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to solve problems effectively.
• High proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web browsers, internet data mining, and database applications.
Additional Desired Skills & Abilities
• Graduate degree or coursework in education, STEM, or a related field.
Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:
• Work in a diverse and inclusive environment with an equity value; foster a positive workplace culture of collaboration and respect.
• Lift to 15 – 35 pounds as needed.
• Valid Driver’s license and have reliable transportation and auto insurance to travel citywide as needed to visit program sites.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
Building Blocks 2 Success (BB2S) an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.