POSITION SUMMARY
The Site Director (SD) leads 12 Plus’ work at one of three newly-launching partner high schools in southwest Pennsylvania. As the on-the-ground leader for their school, the SD builds direct relationships with school administration and counseling staff, manages up to 1 direct report in the first year of that partnership, and implements the 12 Plus model with thoughtful local adaptation to a new community.
Because this is a launch year for the region, the Site Director plays a foundational role in shaping what the 12 Plus partnership looks like at their school — establishing trust with school stakeholders, integrating programming into a new school calendar, and helping the organization learn what works and what needs to adapt as 12 Plus builds its presence in southwest PA.
The ideal candidate is:
- A relationship-builder who can establish trust quickly with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and students in a community where 12 Plus is brand-new
- An experienced, adaptable, and innovative program manager, who is comfortable with adjusting existing programming and services to new variables in a new region.
- A student-centered advisor with familiarity across the full range of postsecondary pathways, including college, trade programs, industry certifications, and workforce development opportunities
- A team manager with a track record of supporting and developing junior staff toward measurable outcomes
- A clear communicator who can serve as the public face of 12 Plus within their school community
*** Please note: The specific partner high schools will be shared during the interview process, but all 3 are located within a 1 hour drive of downtown Pittsburgh.***
RESPONSIBILITIES & RESULTS
School Partnership & Liaison (25%)
- Serve as 12 Plus’ primary point of contact at the partner school, building visibility, credibility, and trust with school administration, counselors, teachers, and students
- Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with school administration with the support of the Impact Director (Southwest Pennsylvania), recognizing that this is a brand-new partnership requiring particular care in its first year
- Meet and manage school expectations as agreed upon in beginning, mid-, and end-of-year meetings with school administration and/or the counseling team — including attending school staff meetings as determined, setting and meeting deliverables and deadlines, and providing consistent updates and accountability
- Work with school counselors and school staff to coordinate tasks relating to student post-secondary success, such as transcript uploads, Common App recommendations, Naviance, and similar systems
- Help integrate 12 Plus into school routines, schedules, and culture from the ground up, partnering with the Impact Director to determine what to standardize across the region versus tailor locally
Program Implementation (25%)
- Lead implementation of the 12 Plus curriculum (Learning Objectives and Core Elements) at the school, tailored to school capacity and student interests and needs. Examples of Core Elements include College & Career Readiness senior workshops, school-wide events such as College Fairs, and touchpoints or workshops with underclassmen.
- With the Impact Director and Director of Programming, set prioritized programming goals for the site at the start of each year and review them throughout the school year
- Draft and maintain a site Programming Calendar outlining the site’s plan for delivering workshops, events (College Week, Career Fair, FAFSA Night, etc.), and outreach programming
- Schedule, coordinate, and communicate with teachers and counselors to integrate programming into the school schedule
- Build awareness of and connections to local postsecondary workforce development programs — including trade programs, industry certifications, and other non-college pathways — so students have meaningful, region-relevant options
- With the Impact Director, review, report, and document program materials and progress
Student Advising (20%)
- Provide direct postsecondary advising to a reduced cohort of seniors, relative to other direct service team members
- Support and advocate for the holistic needs of students, including socio-emotional and academic, as it pertains to high school graduation and future post-secondary success
- Support the college and career aspirations and attainment of students, being mindful of the senior class as a whole
Site Team Management (15%)
- Lead the site team (Fellows and/or College & Career Coordinators) to meet programmatic, advising, and metric goals as set forth with the Impact Director, balancing organizational mission with school-specific needs and expectations
- Plan and delegate tasks to site team members to ensure 12 Plus advising and program expectations are being met
- Conduct official site team evaluations, provide ongoing feedback, and support direct reports through 1:1s and team meetings
- With the Impact Director, ensure continued site team training and professional development throughout the year
- Manage and maintain site logistics, including budget, time off, and metrics
- Support the team through the unique challenges of launching in a new school — clarifying roles, protocols, and norms that may not yet be fully defined
HQ Member & Regional Launch Partner (15%)
- Interface between the school site and the rest of HQ — advocating for student, programming, and team needs; communicating important school updates, events, and developments; ensuring the site team captures major student, school, or team success stories; and facilitating Development team site visits for funders and partners
- Maintain high quality and accuracy in student and programming data within tracking tools to assess student needs, drive site-level decision making, and address organization-wide needs
- Communicate and collaborate with other Site Directors and HQ members to build a community of practice, network of support, and shared institutional knowledge
- As one of the first Site Directors in southwest PA, contribute proactively to expansion learning — flagging what is working, what is not, and where 12 Plus should adjust its approach as it scales the region
- Support hiring and training of new Fellows and College & Career Coordinators in the region
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
To be eligible for consideration, applicants should have:
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree required; additional degrees or experience in education, nonprofit, counseling, or social services a plus
- At least 2 years of experience working with high school students, ideally in advising, teaching, or direct service
- Experience supervising or mentoring junior staff or peers preferred
- Familiarity with postsecondary application processes and pathways — college, trade programs, workforce development opportunities, FAFSA, and financial aid
Skills and Knowledge
- Strong communication skills, written and verbal, across diverse audiences including students, families, school staff, and community partners
- Comfort with data tracking tools, metrics reporting, and using data to drive site-level decisions
- Ability to manage competing priorities with limited supervision and balance individual student needs with site-wide goals
Personal Attributes
- Comfort with ambiguity and capacity to operate in a launch environment where systems, expectations, and routines are still being defined
- A relationship-builder who establishes trust quickly with people across roles and backgrounds
- Flexible mindset toward an ever-changing education ecosystem balanced with strong execution discipline
Additional Requirements
- Personal transportation and ability to travel within the region as needed
- Availability to travel to organizational headquarters in Philadelphia, PA for required training and reporting (5-10 days per year)
ORGANIZATION VALUES
12 Plus team members:
- Seek excellence, holding ourselves and our students to high expectations and demonstrating accountability in all that we do.
- Are always learning, approaching our work with curiosity and a growth mindset, continuously seeking feedback and opportunities to improve.
- Drive results that matter, staying focused on impact, purpose, and measurable outcomes that create meaningful change for our students and community.
- Draw on collective strength, building strong relationships rooted in trust, and collaborating with partners and teammates to advance shared goals.
You’ll thrive in this role if you:
- Are excited about being one of the first 12 Plus staff in a new region
- Are motivated by ambitious, measurable outcomes for underserved students
- Take pride in the unglamorous work of building systems and routines that did not exist before
- Operate with humility, patience, and a learning mindset in a new community
- Bring both “builder” and “operator” energy to school site leadership
Pay: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
