Director, EngageKY Kentucky College Coaches

Position Title:
Director, EngageKY Kentucky College Coaches
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Position Type:
Fixed Term (Fixed Term)
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About the Role:
The Program Director (PD) for the Kentucky College Coaches program leads a team of two program managers, a statewide team of Field Support Specialists (FSS) each covering a distinct region of Kentucky and supporting AmeriCorps coaches. The PD sets the tone for how the KCC team works together, follows AmeriCorps guidelines, grant and university regulations, and relationship-builder for the KCC program. This includes managing key partnerships, overseeing federal grant compliance, stewarding the program budget, and representing EngageKY at state and national convenings
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EngageKY is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven Program Director for Kentucky College Coaches (KCC) to lead a statewide college-access and service program designed to help Kentucky students navigate their paths to college, persistence, and career success.
The Program Director provides strategic and operational leadership for a complex, statewide program that includes two program managers, six Field Support Specialists, 60–90 college coaches, and approximately 110 peer leaders.
This role sets the tone for team culture, ensures high-quality and consistent program implementation, stewards grant resources, and builds strong relationships with key partners across Kentucky and beyond.
The ideal candidate is a thoughtful leader who can balance people, partnerships, budgets, compliance, and program performance while keeping students and community impact at the center of the work.
What You’ll Do
Lead Teams and Build a Strong Culture
Provide leadership and oversight to two program managers supporting Field Support Specialists, college coaches, and peer leaders.
Ensure Field Support Specialists are well-supported, appropriately trained, and consistently delivering high-quality support across the state.
Establish clear expectations, accountability, professional development, and a strong sense of belonging across the KCC team.
Lead regular team meetings, one-on-ones, and professional development opportunities.
Partner with EngageKY’s training team to ensure KCC training and events are engaging, values-aligned, and high quality.
Involve staff in program decisions and create opportunities for team members to contribute ideas and solutions.
Engage program alumni and peer leaders in meaningful ways that strengthen the KCC community and mission.
Manage Grants, Budgets, and Compliance
Oversee the KCC program budget with diligence, transparency, and strategic focus.
Develop spending projections and strategies to ensure effective and timely use of grant funds.
Lead the development and submission of budget amendments as needed.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, organizational, and grant requirements.
Monitor grant requirements, reporting timelines, and program obligations to maintain strong standing with funders and partners.
Build Partnerships and Represent KCC Externally
Work closely with the Executive Director to develop and sustain a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).
Support relationships and ongoing communication with Kentucky’s AmeriCorps oversight body.
Collaborate with the Executive Director and Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) on program evaluation, reporting, and data-informed decision-making.
Represent EngageKY and KCC at state and national conferences, coalitions, and partner organizations.
Develop relationships with organizations working in college access, student persistence, career readiness, service, and related areas.
Serve as a trusted ambassador and spokesperson for the KCC program and its impact.
Drive Program Quality and Performance
Provide statewide oversight of program implementation, ensuring activities are delivered consistently, effectively, and in alignment with program goals and AmeriCorps requirements.
Establish and monitor program performance measures.
Use data and evaluation findings to identify trends, address challenges, and improve outcomes.
Monitor implementation across sites and teams, identifying gaps and working with program managers to develop corrective actions.
Coordinate with KHEAA, KYSTATS, and other partners to collect, analyze, and communicate program performance data.
Lead continuous-improvement efforts that strengthen the experience of Field Support Specialists, coaches, and students and expand KCC’s statewide impact.
Champion Program Visibility and Advocacy
Serve as a compelling spokesperson for KCC, clearly communicating its mission, impact, and value to diverse audiences.
Deliver engaging presentations at state and national conferences, organizations, and convenings.
Build awareness of KCC through relationship-building, public communication, and collaborative engagement.
Share and champion the program’s story, highlighting the contributions of coaches, peer leaders, staff, partners, and students.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a leader who brings a combination of strategic thinking, operational excellence, relationship-building, and a genuine commitment to student success and community impact.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required.
5–7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in nonprofit, government, higher education, community engagement, workforce development, or a related field.
At least 3 years of experience managing programs, grants, or contracts, preferably in a multi-site or partnership-based environment.
Experience with federal or state grant administration, including budgeting, reporting, performance measures, compliance, and monitoring.
Experience supervising professional staff and/or coordinating distributed teams.
Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, and community organizations.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with volunteer management, service-learning, civic engagement, workforce development, or national/community service.
Familiarity with AmeriCorps requirements, federal grant regulations, member management, and state service commissions.
Experience leading complex, statewide or multi-site programs.
Experience using data, evaluation, and performance measures to improve program outcomes.
Skills and Attributes for Success
The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to:
Lead and continuously improve a complex, statewide program.
Build high-performing teams through clear expectations, coaching, accountability, and professional development.
Manage budgets, grants, compliance requirements, and financial resources effectively.
Use data and evaluation to understand impact and guide decisions.
Build productive relationships across organizations, sectors, and levels of leadership.
Lead through influence, collaboration, and strong relationships—not just formal authority.
Anticipate challenges, navigate complexity, make sound decisions, and take action.
Adapt to changing priorities, funding requirements, and program needs while identifying opportunities for improvement.
Communicate with clarity and confidence in both written and public settings.
Demonstrate a deep commitment to service, student success, community impact, belonging, and developing others.
Why Join EngageKY?
At EngageKY, we believe that meaningful change happens when people are equipped, connected, and empowered to make a difference. As Program Director for Kentucky College Coaches, you’ll have the opportunity to lead a talented statewide team, strengthen partnerships across Kentucky, and help create pathways to college and career success for students.
If you are a strategic and people-centered leader who thrives at the intersection of mission, relationships, operations, and impact, we’d love to hear from you.
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Posted Salary:
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