Site Director - Middle School Program

Breakthrough Houston; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (employee covered)

Dental plan

Vision plan

401(k) with 5% match

Paid time off

Job summary

Breakthrough Houston is seeking a Site Director to oversee day-to-day operations for the school-year and summer programs. You will manage Scholars, Teaching Fellows, AmeriCorps Members, and staff across multiple sites, driving enrollment, engagement, and academic growth.

You will collaborate with campus partners, ensure program quality, and maintain budgets and operations while advancing Breakthrough's mission of equity and access to higher education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum five years of experience in education or other relevant setting.
• Management/supervisory experience in an educational setting.
• Classroom teaching experience.
• Proficiency or strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Responsibilities

• Oversee summer program operations, staff management, and outcomes for Breakthrough Scholars and Teaching Fellows.
• Lead recruitment, enrollment, and program operations to grow a strong cohort of students and staff in Houston.
• Guide and support students and families, connecting them with resources and ensuring program success.
• Collaborate with campus partners to maintain program operations and budgets, transportation, nutrition, and events.
• Promote equitable access and inclusive practices across all program activities.

Skills

People management

Teaching experience

Program leadership

DEI commitment

Spanish preferred

Education

Bachelor's degree

M.A./M.Ed. (preferred)

Professional Teaching Certification

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Start date: As soon as possible (ideally by November 2026)

Location: Houston - Hybrid work model

Reports to: Middle School Program Director

Salary Range: The starting salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000, commensurate with experience. Breakthrough Houston is completing an organization-wide compensation study this fall, and salary bands will be finalized as part of that process.

Benefits: We offer competitive benefits including, but not limited to: employer-sponsored health insurance plans with 100% of employee-only premiums covered by Breakthrough Houston, supplemental benefits (including dental and vision), a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match, and a generous paid time-off policy. Most importantly, we offer the opportunity to work with an amazing, diverse group of kind, dedicated, and fun people!

Our Mission: We equip students who demonstrate remarkable promise and financial need to discover what’s possible, access and attain a college degree, and build lives of choice and purpose.

Equity is central to Breakthrough’s mission, and equity is one of our organization’s core values. We are committed to intentionally creating diverse communities and work to ensure that all identities – particularly Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and those that have been historically marginalized – are represented and supported. We strive to see the identities of the communities we serve reflected across all levels of our team.

Our Background + Our Program:

Founded in 1995 with a handful of teachers and a small class of 7th graders, Breakthrough Houston makes a bold ten year commitment to students - from middle school through college graduation. BTH comprises three fundamental programs for students: the Middle School Program, College Bound Program, and the College Completion Program, and currently serves over 800 students within Houston or at colleges nationwide. BTH provides summer and ongoing school year tuition-free programming that includes both academic college preparatory curriculum and learning opportunities, as well as extended enrichment programming and college access support. With this depth of focus we aim to promote academic success and personal growth to place our students on the path to college completion and career success.

Additionally, our Teacher Training Program identifies and supports current college students who are aspiring teachers through an innovative near peer model during our summer program. We partner these Teaching Fellows with professional educators who provide intensive instructional coaching and mentoring. We support 100+ Teaching Fellows each summer who gain 100+ hours of in-classroom teaching experience.

The Person + The Work:

The Site Director (SD) oversees the day-to-day operations of the school-year and summer program for Scholars, Teaching Fellows, AmeriCorps Members, Instructional Coaches, and Volunteers. The SD is accountable for measurable gains in student enrollment, engagement, academic growth, and social and emotional development, as well as the engagement and growth of our summer Teaching Fellows. Working across Breakthrough Houston teams, the SD ensures every student has a seamless, transformative experience to and through college.

Summer Program Leadership (40%)

Oversees a 6-week summer program for Breakthrough Scholars, from site operations to staff management and development, driving strong academic and social-emotional learning outcomes.

• Create a joyful, rigorous, and welcoming summer where 135 Breakthrough Scholars feel known, challenged, and celebrated, and leave more confident in who they are and what they can achieve.
• Inspire and develop 30 high school and college students who serve as near-peer teachers (Teaching Fellows) and role models for our Scholars. Launch the summer with a 2-week orientation that builds skills and community, then nurture their growth through ongoing professional development throughout the summer shaped by data.
• Coach and empower 6 Instructional Coaches as they train, observe, and mentor our Teaching Fellows. Equip Coaches with deep knowledge of the Breakthrough curriculum, instructional strategies, and evaluation rubrics to deliver high-quality training and support.
• Partner closely with the summer Dean of Faculty and Dean of Students to build a cohesive site culture where Scholars, Teaching Fellows, and staff thrive together.
• Oversee day-to-day site operations ensuring effective management of budgets, supplies, transportation, nutrition, special events, and other logistical needs.
• Maintain strong relationships with host campus partners to support seamless program operations.

Scholar Success & Support (30%)

Lead the full experience for middle school students during the school year. Build relationships with students and families and connect Scholars to the support they need to succeed.

• Design and lead monthly Saturday sessions that build community with Scholars and surface their needs for the year. Manage staff and volunteers to deliver effective, well-run programming.
• Re-engage Scholars who miss Saturday programming through targeted outreach by phone, text, email, and individual or group meetings.
• Guide Scholars through the high school application process, including ISEE test prep, application submission, and support in weighing their options and making final decisions.
• Proactively identify student needs and coordinate targeted interventions to address personal and academic barriers, serving as a consistent advocate for each Scholar's growth and long-term wellbeing.
• Connect Scholars to essential resources that support their physical and social-emotional wellbeing.

Recruitment, Enrollment, and Operations (30%)

Lead recruitment, enrollment, and operational processes to build and support a strong cohort of Breakthrough Scholars and program staff across Houston.

• Build relationships with school leaders, counselors, and teachers across Houston to identify promising students, and present to school leadership teams to raise awareness of Breakthrough and grow a strong applicant pool.
• Lead student- and family-facing recruitment through information sessions, school visits, and community events, and guide families through the application and admissions process with clear, timely communication.
• Manage the selection process to enroll a new cohort of Scholars, and design and execute New Student Orientation to welcome students and families into Breakthrough's 10-year program.
• Manage hiring and onboarding processes for Teaching Fellows, administrative staff, and other program staff as needed to support program operations and student success.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date student information and records in Salesforce (SF), ensuring data integrity and timely updates to support enrollment, communication, and program operations.
• Support and lead special projects as assigned, contributing to organizational priorities and cross-functional initiatives as needed.

The following skills and competencies are not requirements but are designed to help you determine if this opportunity aligns with your own passion, purpose, skills, and interests:

You believe deeply in the brilliance of all students and in their ability to earn a postsecondary degree

• You believe that our BTH students face real systemic barriers to postsecondary completion and that empowering students and families to own their unique path will help them to overcome those barriers

You are an inspiring and highly effective people manager

• You have a talent for motivating teams and bringing out the best in your people, and coaching your team leadership to do the same
• You believe in supportive accountability - holding a high standard for your team while providing the direct support, coaching, and positive environment that fosters achievement and growth

You value working collaboratively and innovatively

• You constantly strive to learn from and share learnings with your teammates, no matter your current knowledge or experience
• You know when and how to engage other key stakeholders that have the insight and positional authority to help you and others overcome obstacles and seize viable beneficial opportunities in a timely way
• You do not simply execute pre-existing practices; instead, you thoughtfully evaluate our program and identify ways to elevate its effectiveness

Execution is your power move: you get things done!

• You proactively identify needs and are able to build and establish the necessary workflows, and collaborative processes & systems to drive continuous improvement work in service of ambitious outcomes
• You are known for consistent follow through and communication and you know that collaboration and teamwork is a best practice for innovation and you invest people in the projects and plans of you and your team. Because of this, people know they can depend on you, and you are trusted by your colleagues

Qualifications:

• Required:
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum five years of experience in education or other relevant setting
• Management/supervisory experience in an educational setting
• Classroom teaching experience
• An authentic and clear passion for Breakthrough’s mission and an approach to program design and implementation that is aligned to our organization's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and success.
• Preferred:
• M.A. / M.Ed.
• Proficiency in Spanish
• Professional Teaching Certification
• Familiarity with Breakthrough Houston model and Houston-area public schools

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, BTH is committed to providing employment opportunities to all individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

If you have any questions, please reach out to [e-mail].