Skateistan: Programs Director

Skateistan is looking for a new Programs Director! We are looking for an education specialist with experience in scaling programs internationally to join our team. The ideal candidate will bring a child-centered lens and experience working in Skateistan’s locations, or similar settings. This is your opportunity to join our award-winning organization and help us in our mission of empowering youth through skateboarding and education.

The Programs Director is responsible for designing programs that support our vision of creating leaders that change the world. The Programs Director is a key contributor to high-level strategic planning. The role is accountable for quality in program design (safety, accessibility, innovation), including Skateistan’s knowledge sharing network (the GoodPush Alliance), Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning activities, Child Protection, and training to facilitate program delivery at the Skate Schools. The position collaborates with the international programs team and Skateistan’s leadership team. 

We recognize that many excellent candidates may not meet every requirement listed below, therefore if you are excited about this position and think you would do a great job and meet some of the requirements, we encourage you to apply!  

Position Core Responsibilities:

Programs Planning

• Develop plans for, and implement new program projects across Skate Schools
• Work closely with other team members to develop plans and procedures for expansion to new locations
• Follow education, sport and development initiatives worldwide to adopt innovative approaches and current best practices
• Ensure educational and sports programs are culturally relevant, challenging for students, accessible for youth of all backgrounds and abilities, and child-centered
• Collaborate with other team members to identify funding needs, create programs-related budgets and contribute to requests for funding as needed

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

• Support the MEL Manager to develop and implement a system of internal monitoring and evaluation that supports the achievement of Skateistan’s policies and objectives
• Support the international programs team to develop community feedback mechanisms to support quality, safe, effective programming
• Ensure the Learning from M&E is applied to improve program design

Team Development

• In collaboration with others, develop training workshops for Skate School staff, to facilitate the local ownership of Programs
• Support the Skate Schools in maintaining and implementing Skateistan’s Child Protection policy
• Work with the General Managers to create long-term staffing plans for Skate Schools
• Develop and deliver formal and informal annual programs training for Skate Schools and Annual Meetings

Desired Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor or Masters Degree in Education, Community Development or related field 
• Five years working directly with youth as a teacher, coach or youth leader. Three years experience implementing programs directly with youth from multiple cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, ideally in one of Skateistan’s locations (Afghanistan, Cambodia, South Africa and Jordan)
• Three years management experience 
• Two years experience with Monitoring and Evaluating educational or non-profit programs

Desired Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
• Excellent time management skills and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently
• Excellent at big picture planning and strategic thinking
• Excellent English, both written and spoken
• Fluency in a language other than English is an asset, especially in one of Skateistan’s Skate School location languages, Spanish, Arabic or French
• Knowledgeable and passionate about skateboarding, youth culture, and international development
• Experience working with one or more of the following learning methods: culture-based, trauma informed, child centered, experiential, accessibility, growth mindset, arts-based, learning through play
• Familiar with theories of sport for development, gender and rights, women’s empowerment, feminist issues and/or anti-oppression work, either from studies or in a professional context

To find out more about the job and apply, click here.