Organization Overview

The mission of the Urban League of Louisiana is to support African Americans and others seeking equity to secure economic parity and self-reliance. Founded in 1938 as the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the organization expanded its footprint to Baton Rouge and changed its name to Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) in 2017. ULLA is one of nearly 100 affiliates of the National Urban League, headquartered in New York. Today, ULLA’s work lives in three Centers of Excellence: Education and Youth Development, Economic Development and Workforce Development and Policy and Social Justice.

Benefiting from a remarkable history and tradition, ULLA has a strong and positive brand coupled with a track record of successfully serving the African American community. Using this as a foundation, ULLA is poised to expand to other cities across the state, making it an integral part of the state’s economic growth and development.

The organization’s structure includes the President and CEO, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance and Operations, Vice President for Education and Youth Development, Vice President for Workforce Development, and Vice President of Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation along with director level positions in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Position Summary

The Project Ready Director is the primary liaison between the program and partner high school staff, faculty and administrators, college and university representatives, program participants and their parents, and other program partners. The Director provides visionary leadership of the Project Ready program and develops and executes work plans to accomplish all goals, objectives, and metrics, as they pertain to program enrollment, academic achievement, college and career readiness, and STEAM.  The Project Ready Director is responsible for program implementation, management of day-to-day operations, supervision and evaluation of program staff, assisting with budget preparation, and maintaining appropriate program records. The Director also performs administrative functions to support the programs, including monitoring and tracking processes such as time sheets and check requisitions, record keeping, data management, budget management, all reporting including mandated compliance reporting. The Director shall embrace the growth mindset and share the Urban League’s belief that all students can succeed given the appropriate support.

Urban League Project Ready is a college and career readiness program operating at Scotlandville Magnet High School in East Baton Rouge, and L.B. Landry High School in New Orleans.  Serving as another level of support for schools, Project Ready assists 9^th -12^th grade students to graduate on time ready for college, work, and life.  The program offers dual enrollment support, academic enrichment and tutoring, ACT Prep, career exploration, college and career readiness, individual education and career plans, college tours, Behind the Business tours, and community service.  In addition, Project Ready has a strategic focus on S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts/agriculture and math).  The Project Ready Curriculum includes three components: Academic Achievement, Social Development, and College Culture and Awareness.  Project Ready helps students develop important skills, attitudes and aptitudes that will aid in their transition from high school and position them for post-secondary success.

Essential Functions

1. Ensure that the Project Ready Program(s) are understood and accepted as an integral part of the partner school(s). The Director shall develop program policies that outline participant expectation and involvement in the program.

2. Design, develop and direct all facets of the Project Ready Program and ensure the program is organized, monitored, and managed to meet program goals and objectives.

3. Define and oversee the recruitment, application process, and student identification and selection methods for Project Ready program.

4.  Establish and maintain close working relationships with college and university representatives, Faculty, staff and administrators of partner schools, community agencies, mentors, the business community and other program partners.

5. Responsible for the preparation and submission of all program reports.

6. Ensures that data is collected for program reporting, evaluation, assessment of program impact, and increasing student outcomes. 

7. Disseminate program information to faculty, staff and students and serve as spokesperson for Project Ready to various stakeholders and media sources.

8. Provide input and make recommendations in administrative and academic policies that affect Project Ready program participants.

9.  Recruit, select, train, supervise, and evaluate program staff, tutors, etc.

10. Serves as Project Ready representative in meetings on and off campus, and actively engages with a range of education and youth development organizations and groups locally, regionally, and nationally.

11.  In collaboration with V.P. of Education and Youth Development, complete program budget projections, manage the program budget and approve all expenditures.

12. Responsible for program enrollment, maintenance of program and participant files, and accuracy in all databases and support systems.

13. In collaboration with program participants, complete individual education and career plans (IECP), and provide comprehensive academic advising to assist students to identify, pursue and realize educational and/or vocational and career goals.

14. Provide assistance with research, writing and preparation of grant funding proposals for the Project Ready Program.

15. Highlights program successes by providing content for Project Ready social media platforms, newsletters, annual reports, success stories, etc.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Director supervises all Project Ready staff, contractors and partnerships.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position, Monday – Friday. Routine weeknight and weekend assignments may be required. Travel within a 60-mile radius of New Orleans is required for this role.

  Qualifications

• ·         B.S. Degree in Education administration, secondary education, counseling, educational leadership, vocational-technical education or a related field is required.  Master’s degree preferred.
• ·         At least 3 years supervisory experience is required
• At least five years of experience in program planning, implementation and administration in youth development or other education equity program, required.
•          A thorough understanding of dual enrollment, career exploration tools, college access and eligibility, academic support services, student assessment, and STEAM programming is required
•          Must be able to communicate effectively through strong written reports and great presentation skills.
•          Comprehensive knowledge of best practices, tools and strategies for providing safety nets and supports to help marginalized students to succeed is essential. 
•          Experience in coordinating teams, demonstrable collaboration skills and experience in providing lead person expertise, required.
•          Grant writing experience, preferred.
• A valid Louisiana driver’s license is required.