Chief Program Officer

Chief Program Officer - CONFIDENTIAL

Location: Greater Boston Metro Area (with regional travel as needed)
Organization: Confidential Nonprofit Focused on Educational Equity

About the Organization

Purple Unicorn, on behalf of a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing educational equity, is seeking a dynamic leader to join its executive team. The organization partners with school districts to increase the number of underrepresented students excelling in advanced STEM pathways. By engaging students, families, and educators through a comprehensive, research-based model, the organization has helped districts dramatically narrow achievement and opportunity gaps. Alumni have gone on to successful careers in education, STEM industries, and business leadership.

The Opportunity

The nonprofit seeks a Chief Program Officer (CPO) to provide senior leadership as it enters a period of strategic growth. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CPO will lead the organization's programmatic work, oversee the programs team, ensure high-fidelity implementation across partner districts, and contribute directly to scaling and expanding the organization's impact.

The CPO will serve as a critical thought partner to the CEO, offering operational leadership, managing external relationships with district leaders, and ensuring that organizational goals are met with excellence.

This is a unique opportunity for a strategic, equity-driven leader with experience building programs at scale and leading complex, mission-aligned initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Growth and Program Expansion

• Oversee and coach the Programs Team, supporting delivery of training, school support, and major program events.
  
  
• Develop and codify program models, processes, and systems to enable scalable and sustainable growth.
  
  
• Design and manage an accreditation process to ensure partner schools implement the model with fidelity.
  
  
• Collaborate with partnership staff to amplify program successes and strengthen district networks.
  
  

Program Execution and Stakeholder Alignment

• Lead fidelity monitoring efforts to ensure all program components meet organizational standards.
  
  
• Design and deliver stakeholder training programs for school leaders, educators, families, and students.
  
  
• Support district strategic planning to embed equity-focused practices within their mathematics programming.
  
  
• Standardize communications, project management, and reporting processes for internal and external stakeholders.
  
  

Strategic and Executive Leadership

• Serve as a key strategic advisor to the CEO, contributing to planning, operational design, and internal decision-making.
  
  
• Assist in Board communications and ensure high-quality presentation materials for external and internal leadership meetings.
  
  
• Support preparation for major internal and external engagements, ensuring seamless follow-through on organizational priorities.
  
  

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will bring many of the following skills and experiences:

• Deep commitment to educational equity and expanding opportunity for historically marginalized students.
  
  
• 8–12 years of relevant professional experience, ideally with exposure to K-12 school systems, district leadership, or nonprofit program management.
  
  
• Proven ability to cultivate and manage relationships with district and school leaders.
  
  
• Strong project management expertise, with experience leading complex initiatives from strategy through execution.
  
  
• Comfort with systems design, process improvement, and program scaling.
  
  
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
  
  
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, balancing big-picture strategy with attention to operational detail.
  
  
• Analytical skills in interpreting educational data and applying insights to program improvements.
  
  
• A collaborative leadership style combined with initiative, adaptability, and a growth mindset.
  
  
• Professionalism, creativity, humor, and a commitment to high performance.
  
  

Compensation and Benefits

The compensation range for this role is $155,000 to $175,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. A comprehensive benefits package will also be provided.