Program Director, Alpha - $150,000/year USD

Crossover; Surprise (AZ); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Alpha seeks a Program Director to shepherd K-3 learning cohorts, coaching Guides and students to measurable outcomes on-site in Austin, TX or Scottsdale, AZ. You will drive performance, develop scalable playbooks, and lead workshops in life skills for young learners.

Requirements include a Bachelor's degree in Education or related field and at least five years of leadership with education teams, plus a willingness to reject conventional methods for higher standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Psychology, Business, or related field.
• Experience leading a team of five or more with measurable outcomes.
• Proven ability to scale programs and drive performance.

Responsibilities

• Guide teachers and students through performance metrics and coaching toward quantifiable targets.
• Lead weekly life-skill sessions for K-3 learners (public speaking, concentration, teamwork, perseverance).
• Conduct one-on-one and small-group sessions linking goals to academic achievement.
• Develop and iterate playbooks to codify effective practices for scale.
• Prepare Guides to execute playbooks and maintain quality as the team grows.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Performance coaching

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education or related field

Job description

• On-site at an Alpha campus in Austin, TX or Scottsdale (Phoenix), AZ — we provide relocation assistance
• $150,000 annual salary
• Full-time position

Traditional elementary schools reduce expectations when students fall behind. You do the opposite. You are convinced that six-year-olds can achieve far more than conventional classrooms demand, and you have demonstrated this with evidence repeatedly.

Alpha operates using a two-hour learning framework. Adaptive technology handles morning academics, freeing your schedule for the interventions that truly transform young lives: inspiring motivation, teaching essential life skills, delivering targeted coaching, and enforcing accountability. You directly manage a cohort of K-3 learners while simultaneously coaching the Guides—Alpha's term for the adults who mentor and inspire students—who drive their day-to-day development. You remain actively engaged on the floor daily rather than directing from a removed office.

Your typical day alternates among three core activities. You analyze performance metrics and Coachbot data to identify students and Guides falling behind. You conduct focused coaching sessions that equip people with clear, actionable next steps rather than generalized praise. And you lead engaging workshops for groups of five- to nine-year-olds covering topics like public speaking, sustained attention, or constructive feedback exchange.

When you identify effective methods, you document them. The frameworks you create set the benchmark for all other Guides, extending your influence from a single cohort to the entire grade level. Demonstrating your ability to replicate that quality at scale is your pathway to expanded leadership responsibility.

If you see lowering standards as compassion, this role is not for you. If you see raising them as a form of respect, we want your application.

What You Will Be Doing

• Guiding Guides and students through performance metrics, live observation, and direct input, then enforcing accountability to quantifiable targets for both groups


• Leading one-hour interactive sessions for K-3 learners focused on life competencies including public speaking, concentration, teamwork, perseverance, personal responsibility, and constructive feedback


• Conducting one-on-one and small-group sessions that tie each child's ambitions and curiosities to tangible academic achievement


• Developing and iterating on playbooks that codify your most effective practices into consistent systems others can replicate reliably


• Preparing Guides to execute those playbooks and demonstrating exemplary facilitation so quality standards remain intact as the team expands

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Teaching academic content directly or presenting traditional lessons; adaptive software handles instruction while you focus on human development


• Reducing standards when students encounter difficulty


• Managing remotely as instructional coaches and school administrators typically do; you remain embedded with your cohort each day


• Taking responsibility for campus-wide budgets, operational logistics, or parent communications; a Campus Lead handles those functions so you concentrate on student and Guide results


• Advocating for conventional teaching practices or implementing a standard K-12 curriculum

Program Director Key Responsibilities

Fulfill Alpha's three core commitments to every K-3 learner: they develop a passion for school, progress at twice the typical rate, and acquire outstanding life skills and self-reliance.

Basic Requirements

• Available to work on-site at an Alpha campus in Austin, TX or Scottsdale (Phoenix), AZ; we provide relocation assistance


• Bachelor's degree in Education, Psychology, Business, Organizational Leadership, Child Development, or related discipline


• Minimum 5 years of professional experience working with elementary-age children (approximately ages 5 to 9)


• Demonstrated leadership of a team of 5 or more individuals, with hiring and termination authority tied to performance results


• Proven experience creating, launching, or substantially scaling a program, team, school, or initiative from inception rather than managing an established operation


• Willing to work in an educational environment that rejects conventional teaching approaches


• Legal authorization to work in the United States

Nice-to-have Requirements

• Master's degree in a relevant discipline


• Demonstrated success leveraging data, dashboards, or analytical tools to identify issues and achieve quantifiable gains


• Prior experience coaching or supervising adults to reach concrete performance targets, rather than solely executing tasks independently


• Professional history in youth development, camp leadership, competitive athletics coaching, private tutoring, or enrichment programs where motivating participants was essential


• Proven ability and confidence facilitating presentations or leading discussions with large groups of young children

About Alpha

Alpha reimagines the school day around faster learning, stronger mentorship, and more time for students to build real-world skills.

Roles with real student impact:

Alpha hires teachers (guides), operators, admissions experts, school & curriculum leaders, and remote team members.

Education work that pays like it matters:

Alpha offers six-figure roles for people ready to help build a radically better school experience.

A culture built for builders:

Alpha is fast-moving, ambitious, and student focused. It’s for people who want to improve the system, not maintain it.

Alpha is where you can do the most meaningful work of your career.

There is so much to cover for this exciting role, and space here is limited.

Working with us

This is a full-time, W2 employee position with immediate access to benefits (https://support.crossover.com/article/7581-w2-benefits-u-s-paychex-paid-only). All roles are year-long positions. The compensation level for this role is $150,000 USD/year. The payment period is weekly. Consult www.crossover.com/help-and-faqs for more details on this topic.

Crossover Job Code: LJ-5150-US-Surprise-ProgramDirecto.005