Program Manager, Pre-College Programs & Alumni Engagement

Success Academy Charter Schools; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellness benefits

Financial security

Time to recharge

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Success Academy Charter Schools in New York City invites a Program Manager, Pre-College Programs & Alumni Engagement to own three interconnected functions end-to-end: Summer Experience, Dual Enrollment, Scholarships, and Alumni Engagement. You will drive participation, outcomes, and donor reporting while integrating AI-enabled workflows and robust data systems across campuses and partners.

The role requires 3–5 years in program management or related fields, strong execution and budgeting skills,

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in program management, operations, education, or a related field.
• Strong execution skills with a track record of owning programs end-to-end.
• Strong data skills with experience maintaining data systems and dashboards.
• Demonstrated aptitude for AI-enabled workflows and process redesign.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, purchase orders, and invoicing.

Responsibilities

• Own Pre-College Programs (Summer Experience and Dual Enrollment) end-to-end and drive participation and outcomes.
• Own Scholarships and Alumni Engagement workstreams, including budgeting, tracking, and donor reporting.
• Redesign workflows to connect scholars, school teams, and central offices with AI-driven processes.
• Maintain data systems and dashboards for participation, milestones, and outcomes.
• Coordinate with school-based teams, Network teams, Advancement, and external partners.

Skills

Program management

Data analysis

Budget management

Communication

AI-enabled workflows

Job description

Program Manager, Pre-College Programs & Alumni Engagement

New York

Thanks for your interest in Success Academy! Running a large, fast-growing, and high-performing network of public charter schools takes a village - families, children, teachers, staff and faculty, advocates, and supporters alike. We are growing fast in New York and expanding to Florida, and we would love to welcome you to our community! We work tirelessly every day to ensure children have access to a fun, rigorous, whole-child education regardless of zip code or economic status. When you join SA, you play a part in giving every student who walks through our doors a fair shot at reaching his or her potential.

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.
• 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.

Requirements:

• 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.

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.

This is a hybrid position based in our NYC Financial District office, requiring on-site work Tuesday through Thursday and remote work on Monday and Friday.

Exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience. This position is not bonus eligible.

Compensation Range

$90,000 - $100,000 USD

Success Academy Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We actively seek applications from people of all backgrounds to strengthen our community and the perspectives needed to flourish in a multicultural world. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

Success Academy Charter Schools does not offer employment-based immigration sponsorship.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set fore ht in Success Academy Charter Schools’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.