• Job Description

  Req#: 197813

  Job Details

  Job Location: Baltimore - Baltimore, MD

  Position Type: Full Time

  Salary Range: Undisclosed

  Description

  Higher Achievement, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit organization partnering with middle school scholars as they pursue their ambitions, is seeking a Learning Director at the Baltimore Affiliate. An ideal candidate is an engaging leader in an upbeat after school environment, can work extremely consistently and collaboratively with internal staff, school leadership, families, and external stakeholders, and is able to build connection and reliability through fun, safe and consistent structures for scholars!

  Summary & Timeline: The Learning Director hired will have the privilege of leading our Highlandtown Achievement Center for the 2025-2026 Afterschool Academy year at Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, MD.

  General Summary of Duties: Learning Director, reporting to the Director of Program Operations, ensures Higher Achievement scholars achieve academic and social emotional learning (SEL) goals and outcomes, working towards our anchor indicator of preparation for and placement in college preparatory programs. The Learning Director has the incredible opportunity and responsibility of ensuring that all of the components of our program model and all of the supporting staff and volunteers are effectively driving towards academic gains, social and emotional development and preparation for high school.

  Job Details:

  • Start Date: anticipated to start August 11, 2025 for Paid Training.
  • Supervisor: Director of Program Operations
  • Directly Manages: 1-3 Part Time Staff and Volunteers
  • Indirectly Manages: n/a
  • Works closely with: Senior Manager of Volunteers and Curriculum, the Mentor and Volunteer Manager and Program Support Fellows

  • Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt
  • Duration: Indefinite,
  • Location/Office Status: Hybrid. Baltimore, MD. In-person for all center operational hours, for two in-office days and for mission critical activities and relationship building events.
  • Schedule/Hours: Works Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend availability is required.
    • During Afterschool Academy program, on center days (3 days a week) works on average 11:00 am to 7:00 pm schedule; on non-center days, works a standard business schedule, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm and Friday hours are 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
    • During the summer, works on average Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm and Friday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. All hours are excluding an up to 30 min lunch break (optional).
  • Travel: Candidate must have the ability to travel between main office and Achievement Center(s) on a daily basis via reliable transportation and attend events in the location area on a regular basis. Occasional weekend availability is required, as well as availability for one annual three-day overnight college trip each summer.
  • Compensation: $61,495.38 annual salary
  • Benefits:
    • Medical, dental, life insurance, long and short-term disability insurances,
    • Vision, critical illness and accident insurances- employee paid
    • Paid holidays each calendar year
    • Paid Annual Breaks and Early Closures Fridays
    • Paid annual leave per fiscal year that can be used for vacation, sick, or personal days
    • 403 (b) retirement plan
    • Tuition Advancement funds and Professional Development funds

  To Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately with resume with a priority deadline of July 7th, 2025, 12 midnight. The position will remain open until all spots are filled.

  What You’ll Do! Key Duties and Responsibilities

  Scholar and Family Support

  • Ensure scholars are meeting academic and social and emotional learning (SEL) targets that prepare them for college-preparatory high school programs. This includes ensuring scholars maintain A/B’s; or improve their grades in core courses. maintain or improve SEL indicators, and successfully apply to college preparatory programs their eighth-grade year
  • Use data to provide ongoing assessment of scholars’ performance, including in-depth academic evaluations and evaluations of scholar attendance, participation, and social development; make recommendations for programmatic changes based on data when appropriate
  • Support scholar recruitment efforts led by the DPO and retain a pre-determined scholar roster
  • Maintain consistent communication on scholars’ academic and SEL progress, and attendance with parents, host school staff and volunteers
  • Facilitate orientations for scholars and parents
  • Ensure scholar information such as attendance, grades, behavior, parent communication and contact information is stored accurately on Salesforce

  
  Staff and Volunteer Management

  • Effectively manage the team of staff and volunteers that together meet the academic and SEL needs of all scholars
  • Ensure programming is of high quality by providing instructional and SEL coaching to staff and volunteers. This includes conducting regular observations and sharing constructive feedback to volunteers and staff on a regular basis
  • Develop a strong understanding of the district clearance process and support staff and volunteers as they complete the necessary requirements
  • Directly manage between one and two full-time employees' year- round, the Learning Coordinator(s) and an AmeriCorps Achievement Fellow (depending on the location), and implement Higher Achievement management practices
  • Based on scholar rosters, manage part-time staff and volunteers, where applicable, including recruitment, hiring, training, coaching, performance management, and compliance

  Center Management

  • Ensure the center operates safely, smoothly, and follows Higher Achievement’s program model. This includes creating a center culture that develops a love of learning, builds on Higher Achievement’s social justice pillars, voice, freedom, justice, and solidarity, and is youth-focused
  • Director oversight and responsibility of four core components of programming: Learning Blocks, Community Meeting, Electives and Field Trips
  • Responsible for program quality regarding Learning Blocks, Community Meeting, Electives and Field Trips
  • Plan, lead and facilitate Community Meetings. Learning Coordinators are available to co-lead and assume responsibilities during this portion of the evening as long as it’s planned and agreed upon.
  • Ensure center staff is following scholar safety risk management procedures, including behavior management, scholar transitions, arrival and dismissal
  • Coordinate schedules and logistics between Higher Achievement, host school, and outside partners
  • Maintain oversight of the achievement center’s supplemental budget as it relates to daily expenses and supplies

  Qualifications

  
  

  What You’ll Need! Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Commitment to the mission and work of Higher Achievement
  • Bachelor’s degree or post-secondary certification (related field) required
  • Minimum of three years’ experience working directly with middle school youth in an educational setting required; teaching experience a plus
  • Experience directly managing staff and/or volunteers required
  • Experience in community building, mentoring and youth development strongly preferred
  • Strong skills in planning, organizing, attention to detail, written and oral communication strongly preferred
  • Experience building relationships and/or working with diverse community stakeholders, including families, schools/community partners, and corporate partners, including making public presentations and organizing community outreach efforts preferred
  • Strong skills in technology such as Microsoft Office Suite and Salesforce and data analysis preferred
  • Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred; candidates are fluent in English and strongly prefer applicants able to have conversations with families in Spanish
  • Background & Clearance Check: This position requires a criminal background check prior to hire to include state/local municipalities, school district clearances and grant required checks. All clearance checks are paid by Higher Achievement
  • Covid-19 Vaccinations: While Higher Achievement does not require proof, we are a proud supporter of the Covid-19 vaccination. You will be able to optionally confirm vaccination status and provide documentation of vaccination at the point of offer.
  • Higher Achievement Core Values: Scholar-Centricity, Striving for Excellence, Power of Community, Voice and Inclusion, and Racial Equity
  • Physical Requirements and Work Environment: Work is regularly performed in an office environment. Employee may spend long periods of time sitting, standing, and walking. Employees are required to transfer from one part of the worksite to another and climb stairs. Employees regularly lift, carry, and positions objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Position involves regular use of a computer and keyboard, telephone, and face-to-face communication in small and large group settings with adults; employee must communicate clearly and professionally in these situations. Visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to critical incidents involving students and act in an emergency. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  About Higher Achievement

  Higher Achievement believes that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. We’re passionate about providing opportunities to close the achievement gap for motivated students. We’re committed to students during the critical transition to middle school by providing year-round, multi-year support for students in the 5th – 8th grades. As students prepare to graduate from our program in the 8th grade, we support their transition to successfully advance to high school programs that keep students on track for continuous education. We’re proud to share that 95% of Higher Achievement scholars graduate from high school.

  Founded in 1975 in Washington, DC, as a grassroots effort to create learning opportunities for children, Higher Achievement has impacted the lives of more than 10,000 young people and currently operates Achievement Centers in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, MD, and Richmond, VA. Higher Achievement’s award-winning model of rigorous academic mentoring, individualization of services, and comprehensive academic support is guided by leading research for effective out-of-school time programs. More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org .

  Program Model: Higher Achievement showers our scholars with academic opportunities through a proven year-round program model that includes afterschool programming from September-May or June (depending on center) and summer initiatives such as college trips and summer meetings with all Higher Achievement families. Core programming that takes place within Afterschool Academy consists of Learning Blocks, mentoring, Community Meeting, electives, and field trips.

  • Learning Blocks: Scholars receive academic support, including HW help, HS application prep, or supplemental work aligned to in-school content

  • Mentoring: In small groups of 3-4 scholars, scholars work with a Mentor as they complete our High School Readiness curriculum which focuses on community exploration, learning about high schools, goal setting, and high school application preparation

  • Community Meeting: Scholars engage in activities, challenges, and projects focused on relationship-building and SEL skills

  • Electives: Multiple times a week scholars have the opportunity to participate in enrichment opportunities that vary across sites. Examples of electives are art, yoga, chess, dance, sports, cooking and robotics

  • Field Trips: Field trips are exposure opportunities for scholars and they are offered 3x during the year: fall, spring, and summer (college trip).

  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

  Higher Achievement is a proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an workplace where opportunities are available to all team members and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better we will be.

  To Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately with resume with a priority deadline of July 7, 2025, 12 midnight. The position will remain open until all spots are filled.

• About the company

  Higher Achievement provides a rigorous afterschool and summer academic program that gives youth from at-risk communities their best opportunity to succeed in middle school — and in life.

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