Program Director

Strive Recruitment; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

STRIVE Recruitment Inc. is seeking an experienced Program Director to oversee planning, execution, and growth of educational programs, camps, and ongoing offerings.

You will ensure operational excellence, drive enrollment growth, and deliver exceptional participant and family experiences. You will collaborate with instructors, administrative teams, and leadership to optimize processes, manage budgets, and lead a high-performing program staff across multiple locations during spring and summer

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in program management, operations, or a comparable leadership role.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to oversee multiple programs and timelines.
• Experience coordinating teams, supporting employee development, and maintaining high operational standards.
• Strong budgeting, financial performance, resource allocation, and operational efficiency understanding.
• Ability to analyze enrollment trends, participant feedback, and performance data to drive improvements.
• Experience supporting marketing initiatives, partnerships, or enrollment growth.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end planning, coordination, and delivery of all programs, camps, and ongoing offerings.
• Monitor enrollment trends and develop strategies to increase enrollment and repeat participation.
• Maintain high satisfaction among parents, instructors, and participants; implement improvements.
• Oversee program-level financial performance, including revenue, profitability, and budgets.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, evaluation, and retention of instructors and staff.
• Introduce new programs, pilot initiatives, and expanded offerings; manage curriculum updates.

Skills

Program management

Operational leadership

Budgeting & financial oversight

Enrollment growth

People management

Communication skills

Tools

CRM software

Budgeting software

Job description

About Us

STRIVE is a specialist recruitment firm offering proactive recruitment solutions in the areas of Accounting & Finance, Corporate Administration, Manufacturing Operations, and Technology. STRIVE supports various clients from small to medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 500 organizations for their permanent, contract, and temporary recruitment needs.

The Role

Our client is seeking an experienced and highly organized Program Director to oversee the planning, execution, and continued growth of its educational programs, camps, and ongoing offerings.

This position will play a key role in ensuring operational excellence, driving enrollment growth, maintaining exceptional participant and family experiences, and supporting the organization's long-term success.

The successful candidate will bring a combination of operational leadership, strategic thinking, financial oversight, and people management experience. They will work collaboratively with instructors, administrative teams, and organizational leadership to deliver high-quality programming while identifying opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and sustainable growth.

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Operations

• Oversee the end-to-end planning, coordination, and delivery of all programs, camps, and ongoing offerings.
• Ensure programs launch and operate efficiently while maintaining consistent quality and execution standards.
• Manage enrollment capacity, waitlists, program schedules, and completion rates.
• Develop and improve operational processes to streamline administrative functions and enhance efficiency.
• Establish and maintain clear program standards, schedules, and operational procedures.
• Coordinate the purchasing, organization, and replenishment of program materials while monitoring inventory, spending, and budgets.
• Provide in-person operational support across multiple program locations during spring and summer programming.

Enrollment, Marketing & Growth

• Monitor enrollment trends across programs and seasonal offerings to identify growth opportunities.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase enrollment, improve conversion rates, and encourage repeat family participation.
• Collaborate on marketing initiatives, including program positioning, messaging, and launch timelines.
• Leverage CRM data, waitlists, and enrollment trends to inform program expansion and new offerings.
• Support lead generation through community outreach, strategic partnerships, and referrals.
• Coordinate and distribute monthly newsletters to subscribers.
• Evaluate referral performance and repeat enrollment patterns to improve engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with administrative and leadership teams on speaking engagements, partnerships, and other initiatives.

Program Quality & Participant Experience

• Maintain high standards of satisfaction among parents, instructors, and program participants.
• Review post-program feedback and implement improvements to enhance program delivery.
• Ensure instructors receive the training, resources, and support necessary to deliver exceptional programming.
• Create a consistent, high-quality experience for families, participants, and community partners.

Financial & Performance Management

• Oversee program-level financial performance, including revenue, profitability, margins, and utilization.
• Balance staffing requirements, pricing strategies, and scheduling to support financial sustainability.
• Collaborate with financial leadership to develop annual budgets, financial projections, and program-level pro formas.
• Monitor operational and financial performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

People Leadership & Development

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, evaluation, and retention of instructors and program staff.
• Provide ongoing leadership and guidance to ensure consistent performance and program delivery.
• Monitor instructor attendance, reliability, and engagement.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and growth-oriented team environment.

Innovation & Program Development

• Lead the introduction of new programs, pilot initiatives, and expanded offerings.
• Oversee curriculum updates and continuous program improvements.
• Evaluate pilot program performance and make recommendations regarding broader implementation.
• Support the integration of digital tools and experiential learning enhancements.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as required while adhering to organizational policies and standards.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in program management, operations, or a comparable leadership role.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple programs, priorities, and timelines simultaneously.
• Experience coordinating teams, supporting employee development, and maintaining high operational standards.
• Strong understanding of budgeting, financial performance, resource allocation, and operational efficiency.
• Ability to analyze enrollment trends, participant feedback, and performance data to drive improvements.
• Experience supporting marketing initiatives, community engagement, partnerships, or enrollment growth.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with families, staff, and external partners.
• A proactive, solutions-oriented approach with strong attention to detail and a commitment to delivering exceptional service.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments while taking ownership of program outcomes.
• Access to a vehicle and the ability to travel between program locations to provide in-person support during spring and summer programming.

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