Employment Type : Full-Time
About Us and Our Philosophy SMASH Academy, a program that US News and World Report called “Perhaps the most ambitious program to encourage African American and Latino students in STEM fields” is heading into its 15th summer this year. SMASH is an organization committed to eliminating the barriers faced by underrepresented people of color in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and fostering their untapped talent for the advancement of our nation. Founded in 2001, SMASH (www.SMASH.org) is an Oakland-based nonprofit organization that operates the Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH), a year-round STEM-focused academic program that serves underrepresented high school students. In tandem, SMASH conducts research examining inequity in access and opportunity across K-12, higher education, and workplace contexts in order to improve the outcomes for underrepresented students in STEM fields. SMASH Academy is a three-year Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) academic acceleration program for motivated, high school students from underrepresented populations (African-American, Latinx/Hispanic, Southeast Asian and/or Pacific Islander, and Native American), who have demonstrated an aptitude for science and math. When SMASH scholars graduate from SMASH Academy, they are in their senior year of high school and officially become a part of our SMASH Alumni Program. The alumni program includes, but is not limited to: Senior College Preparatory Program, SMASH Rising Internship Preparatory Program, SMASH Alumni Board, SMASH Alumni Summit, Alumni Newsletter. This is a pivotal time for SMASH as we begin building on the success of our education programs, we are embarking on an aggressive expansion strategy to achieve national impact. Working at SMASH is about fast growth, personal commitment and the tenacity to challenge the status quo. This is not for the faint of heart. But if you think you have what it takes to dare to change the face of STEM. Join us. The Opportunity At SMASH, we envision a STEM ecosystem where every scholar, regardless of the zipcode they grew up in, has the opportunity to participate in and thrive in the tech innovation economy. We believe that equipping our scholars with skills to be competitive in STEM fields can transform how we work and, in turn, yield tremendous social impact. Reporting to the Vice President of SMASH Academy, the National Director of Curriculum and Instruction (NDCI) will be responsible for sustaining and improving the transformative educational experience that SMASH Scholars need to pursue STEM and CS majors at selective colleges. In this role, the NDCI will lead and direct a national team of 3 direct reports and over 150 seasonal staff at SMASH sites across the nation. The NDCI provides leadership, vision and strategic direction for SMASH curriculum, facilitation, assessment and training for all facilitators and supervises academic performance of the 800+ scholars served. With SMASH’s current strategy and computer science focus, this person will be critical to the continued innovation and scaling of SMASH curriculum and placing it squarely on the map of national models. SMASH continues to rapidly expand, with plans to grow significantly between 2020 and 2021. The NDCI will oversee the curriculum readiness for SMASH expansion and ensure that the program maintains a high level of operational and academic excellence as it scales. This position requires thinking outside of the box and managing details while keeping the big picture in mind. As we are a national program, you will be supporting the alignment of practices for sites at all our locations. Key responsibilities include but are not limited to those listed below. Responsibilities: Requirements Required Attributes: Additional Experience: Organizational and Cultural Values If you are missing some of the qualifications, but feel you would be amazing at this role, we want to hear from you. Please apply and share why you would excel given the opportunity. Benefits SMASH provides competitive compensation commensurate with experience, and an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life/disability insurance, paid time off, 401k, volunteer time and flexible spending accounts (i.e. parking, transit, medical and dependent care). Our collaborative office is located in Oakland’s dynamic Uptown District. SMASH shares the building with several professional service and nonprofit organizations. We also hold community-building events and have a collegial atmosphere with a shared mission for social justice and educational equity. Statement of Non-Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination/harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination/harassment based on “protected categories,” SMASH also strives to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at SMASH. We value a diverse workforce: people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.