Program Manager, Pre-College Programs & Alumni Engagement

About the Role

The mission of Success Academy is to reimagine public education. From the classroom to the halls of government, this means finding profoundly different approaches to how we structure, implement and support learning. We re-conceive every aspect of school design, from writing rigorous new curricula to drawing regularly on the advances in technology and business that are transforming every sector except education.

Over the past decade, Success Academy has grown faster than any charter network in the nation, building a vibrant network of 59 elementary, middle and high schools. Our over 20,000 children – mostly poor and minority – are out-performing students at top city and suburban schools across New York State. Within the next decade, our goals are even more ambitious, bringing transformational change here and across the country.

Within this mission, the External Programs, Alumni & Scholarships portfolio expands opportunities and support for scholars beyond the school day. This includes delivering transformative experiences such as Summer Experience and Dual Enrollment, ensuring scholarship dollars reach scholars efficiently and equitably, and keeping our growing alumni community connected and supported. As we scale to serve more high schools, scholars, and graduating classes, these programs require disciplined execution, strong data systems, and AI-enabled processes to drive accuracy, efficiency, and visibility across the portfolio.

We are seeking a Program Manager, Pre-College Programs & Alumni Engagement (internally titled Specialist, External Programs, Alumni & Scholarships) to serve as the primary owner of this portfolio end-to-end, driving participation, outcomes, and continuous improvement across external programs, scholarships, and alumni engagement.

Reporting to the Head, College Access & Preparedness and External Programs, the Program Manager will own three interconnected functions end-to-end: Pre-College Programs (Summer Experience and Dual Enrollment), Scholarships, and Alumni Engagement. These functions share the same scholars, partners, and annual cycle, and the Program Manager will manage them as one unified portfolio: setting timelines, managing partners and budgets, tracking outcomes, and ensuring every workstream is completed on time and with fidelity to Success Academy standards.

As part of the broader portfolio strategy, we are evolving our operations to become more AI-enabled, integrated, and efficient, and this role will be a key driver of that work. The Program Manager will redesign workflows across all three functions to better connect scholars, school-based teams, School Leaders, and Network teams, using AI to streamline high-volume work such as triage, communications, data validation, and reporting while maintaining appropriate human judgment and oversight.

This role is ideal for a highly organized program manager who thrives with high autonomy, enjoys owning work end-to-end, and is energized by using data and AI to make complex programs clear, trackable, and scalable.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-College Programs (Summer Experience & Dual Enrollment) Summer Experience includes pre-college programs, service trips, outdoor programs, and study abroad programs. Dual Enrollment includes STEM-focused college courses and local coding and technology programs.

• Own the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Summer Experience and Dual Enrollment programming.
• Drive scholar participation, with targets of 75%+ participation among our scholars.
• Manage scholar selection, enrollment, and onboarding processes across programs with support from school leadership.
• Build and manage strong relationships with colleges and universities, program directors, pre-college and enrichment providers, coding and STEM programs, and other external partners to expand and strengthen Summer Experience and Dual Enrollment offerings.
• Lead informational sessions, workshops, and events to promote participation and guide scholars and families.
• Set and own budgeting processes, including forecasting, purchase orders, and program invoicing for Dual Enrollment and Summer Experience.
• Drive a proactive communications strategy to scholars, families, and school leadership to outline all pre-college timelines and requirements throughout the year.

Scholarships

• Own the end-to-end process for Success Academy-funded scholarships from scholar selection through disbursement and donor impact reporting in partnership with the Advancement (fundraising and donor relations) team.
• Ensure scholarship timelines, eligibility criteria, and award decisions are executed accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain accurate records of applications, awards, and disbursements, and prepare reporting for internal leaders and donors.
• Continuously improve the scholarship experience for scholars, families, and donors.

Alumni Engagement

• Design a new alumni function to manage alumni engagement, mentorship, and career programming that keeps graduates connected to the Success Academy community.
• Develop systems to track alumni outcomes, participation, and engagement over time.
• Create opportunities for alumni to support current scholars through mentorship, panels, and career exposure.

AI Workflow Redesign

• Use AI and automation to streamline high-volume work across Pre-College Programs, Scholarships, and Alumni Engagement, including application triage, communications, data validation, and reporting.
• Redesign workflows so scholars, school-based teams, school leaders, and central-office teams have clear, consistent processes and visibility into program status and next steps.
• Build automated quality checks and escalation points into workflows, automating routine tasks while preserving human judgment for high-stakes decisions.
• Continuously identify opportunities to make processes faster, more accurate, and easier for scholars, families, staff, and external partners to navigate.

Data Reporting & Tracking

• Maintain accurate data systems across all three functions, ensuring integrity, consistency, and usability.
• Manage dashboards and reports that provide visibility into participation, scholarship milestones, alumni engagement, and outcomes.
• Prepare recurring executive-facing updates that summarize progress, risks, trends, and recommended next steps.
• Use data to evaluate program effectiveness and make data-driven decisions to improve and adapt programs.

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all issues and inquiries related to Pre-College Programs, Scholarships, and Alumni Engagement.
• Coordinate with school-based teams, Network teams, Advancement, Data Services, and external partners to ensure timely, accurate completion of deliverables.
• Maintain organized systems of communication and documentation, including playbooks and standard operating procedures, to support alignment across campuses and network teams.
• Respond to ad hoc operational and analytical requests with urgency, accuracy, and strong judgment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3–5 years of experience in program management, operations, education, or a related field.
• Strong execution skills, with a track record of owning programs or workstreams end-to-end and delivering on time.
• Strong data skills, with experience maintaining data systems, building trackers and dashboards, and using data to drive decisions.
• Demonstrated aptitude for AI-enabled workflows and process redesign, with the ability to independently improve how work gets done.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, purchase orders, and invoicing.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with scholars, families, educators, partners, and donors.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and urgency.
• High level of autonomy, accountability, discretion, and judgment.
• Mission-driven, with a commitment to educational equity and strong outcomes for scholars.
• Knowledge of dual enrollment, summer programs, scholarships, or alumni programming preferred.

Attributes

• Thrives with high autonomy and takes full ownership of a broad portfolio from start to finish.
• Enjoys building systems, redesigning processes, and bringing clarity to complex work.
• Uses data, evidence, and AI to drive decisions and improve execution.
• Communicates clearly, directly, and professionally with stakeholders at all levels from scholars and families to executives and donors.
• Proactively flags risks and gaps, and follows through to resolution.
• Brings a strong service orientation and commitment to scholars, alumni, and the teams that support them.

Compensation, Benefits & Perks

At Success Academy, we invest boldly in our Network team with a comprehensive package designed to support your health, financial future, and overall well-being:

• Day-One Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision coverage starting your first day (SA covers 82% of our core medical plan), plus a free One Medical membership and confidential mental health support via EAP/Talkspace.
• Financial Security: 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match, up to $2,400/year in employer HSA contributions, employer-paid life/disability insurance, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility.
• Time to Recharge: Generous paid time off, paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Perks & Stipends: A $50/month cellphone stipend ($600/year), pre-tax commuter benefits, backup family care, and performance-based earning incentives.