> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/3099041-director-of-impact-and-innovation](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/3099041-director-of-impact-and-innovation). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Director of Impact and Innovation - **Company:** Reality Changers - **Location:** San Diego, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $68,193.0 - $102,290.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Asana, Knowledge Management, Automation of Marketing, Microsoft Office, Salesforce.Com, Gsuite - **Published:** September 26, 2026 - **Apply:** https://realitychangers.org/careers/director-of-impact-and-innovation/ ## About the Role The Director of Impact and Innovation will be thoroughly committed to Reality Changers mission and goals. Candidates should have demonstrated leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience as well as strong demonstrated success managing multi-layered relationships with community partners and stakeholders., * Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university is required; a master's degree in a relevant field (e.g. education, nonprofit management) is preferred. * Significant program management and development (10 years preferred) * Supervisory experience of teams is required (10 years preferred). * Prior work with young adults a plus KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES Program Leadership and Management: * This individual will have taken a hands-on approach in leading a variety of initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a track record of effectively leading a performance-based and outcome-based program and staff. They will have developed and operationalized strategies that have taken a program or organization to the next stage of growth Team Building and Development: * The successful candidate will have recruited, managed, and developed a strong team of staff, program/project managers. This individual will serve as a "player/coach" to motivate and mentor teams. Exceptional Communication and Influencing Skills: * As a voice/advocate for Reality Changers, you will have strong oral/written communication, presentation, interpersonal and listening skills. * This individual is someone who can clearly articulate the organization's message, be an effective spokesperson and inspire and earn the respect of internal and external stakeholders. * This individual must work collaboratively with internal as well as external partners and other organizations, providing exposure for program impact in a variety of professional outlets. Ideally, this individual will have served as an effective spokesperson at the national level. Additional Requirements: * Unwavering commitment to providing quality programs and demonstrated excellence in organizational leadership and project management with the ability to achieve strategic objectives, and efficiently manage a budget * Strong demonstrated fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders * Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people * Integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed with demonstrated passion for the mission and commitment to working collaboratively with a management team of senior professionals * A team player, who can interrelate and operate effectively with peers and other associates within a collegial, yet demanding, work environment * An individual who is able to handle a variety of constituencies, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a complex environment with multiple priorities * Knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office, G Suite, Zoom, and email systems. Experience in Salesforce and ClickUp is a plus. * Impeccable integrity * Strong attention to detail and good follow through * Strong analytical skills * Strong business acumen * Strong work ethic, * A valid driver's license or reliable transportation to and from site location(s), Reality Changers' headquarters, and related events. * Clear Tuberculosis Test (TB) or ability to obtain medical clearance * A job offer of employment is contingent upon completion of our pre-employment screening process., This job requires the ability to sit, use hands and arms to perform repetitive motions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. It requires moderate dexterity, application of basic skills (calculator, keyboard, hand-eye coordination, etc.) and the ability to bend or stand as necessary. ## Description The Director of Impact and Innovation provides strategic leadership for Reality Changers' programs and advances the success of the students, alumni, and families we serve. Working closely with the President & CEO and Leadership Executive Team, the Director develops and implements program strategies aligned with the organization's business plan and long-term strategic goals. The Director leads program development, innovation and operations, establishes and evaluates short- and long-term program and strategic plan objectives. The Director develops, fosters and strengthens relationships with community partners and stakeholders, and uses data and community insight to drive continuous improvement and innovation. This role focuses on three core areas: program leadership and management, external partnerships, and knowledge management. The Director also builds organizational capacity by\ developing strong leaders and teams and fostering collaboration across programs, the alumni community, schools, and community partners. The Director will effectively collaborate with the Vice President of Development to identify new funding opportunities and will be responsible for leading grant reporting outcomes and impact data to inform funders, donors, partners and the board. This collaboration includes supporting grant writing, site visits with funding partners and collaboration with the Director of Marketing and Communication to effectively share program outcomes and impact through various modalities. This role is designed for a leader who believes deeply in the potential of young people and understands that meaningful programs are built through strong relationships, thoughtful systems, innovation, and authentic community voice. The Director will work closely with the CEO and program teams to strengthen the connection between Reality Changers' current programming, alumni community, school and community partnerships, and future program development. The Director of Impact and Innovation reports to the President & CEO, serves on the Leadership Team, and leads the College Town, College Applications, and Alumni Network teams, with program oversight,\ implementation and supervision. BENCHMARKS /GOALS / MEASURES OF SUCCESS: * Provide strategic and dynamic leadership and oversight for the development and implementation of impactful programming. * Drive student participant success across programs (College Town, College Application, Alumni Network), resulting in positive outcomes in participant achievement, retention, and engagement. * Guide College Town toward strong outcomes in academics, college-going identity, leadership, and attendance, preserving the existing program benchmarks. * Guide College Apps Academy toward strong outcomes in college applications, financial aid and scholarships, transition to college, and attendance. * Strengthen college persistence, career development, mentorship, engagement, and connection through the Alumni Network * Design, scale, and evaluate programs by increasing organizational capacity to track programmatic impact. * Collaborate with leadership and key stakeholders on both an internal and external basis to achieve strategic goals. * Develop staff capacity through consistent coaching, professional learning, observation, and feedback. * Increase meaningful opportunities for student and alumni participation and feedback.. * Use quantitative and qualitative data to identify program strengths, gaps, and opportunities for innovation. * Develop, pilot, evaluate, refine, and scale new programs. * Lead participant success, retention, engagement, and belonging across Reality Changers programs. * Effectively partner with institutions of higher education to provide meaningful college-going experiences for program participants. * Establish partnerships with districts and schools across the county to increase program impact, presence and funding., Program Leadership & Management: * Develop and execute program strategies and plans that leverage evidence-based and/or best practices to meet outcomes and impact goals. * Supervise and support all program nights per week at program site, (e.g., opening/closing and facility) * Maintain all site operations, develop process protocols in partnership with the Director of People Operations, and oversee a clean and tidy workspace. * Oversee up-to-date student records and timely recordkeeping are maintained; inclusive of enrollment, attendance, and touchpoints. * Develop and execute an annual program calendar, leading how students and families will receive information. * Develop and monitor the annual programs department plan, establish data-informed goals and performance targets (qualitative and quantitative), ensure accountability for individual and team metrics, and build action plans when improvements are needed. * Ensure partner goals are met and programs are executed with a high degree of excellence within those partnerships. * Evaluate and strengthen program policies and ensure dynamic processes in all phases of the programs * Work closely with the Operations and Finance departments to budget and monitor programmatic operations to ensure sound fiscal and system management. * Coordinate and analyze the appropriate data to inform the programmatic and operational decision making process. * Use existing CRM platforms (SalesForce, Click-Up, etc.) to increase organizational Program efficiency, transparency and collaborative efforts among teams. * Implement the organizational vision as established in the Strategic Plan. * Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence. * Demonstrate consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising tasks, communications, and systems; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the program goals. * Attract, develop, coach, and retain high-performing team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance. * Develop a strong, outcomes- and core-values-focused performance culture and a collective ownership of results within the program team. * Develop an annual professional learning plan tied directly to program goals and observed staff needs. * Work with staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management. * Provide leadership in development of inter-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth. External Relationships: * Collaboratively build and strengthen strategic partnerships and community relationships to advance and increase investment in the organization's mission. * Guide and support the Alumni Network team to maintain, develop, and expand partnerships with universities and school districts. * Collaborate with the Development team to: 1) Advance programmatic and funder relationships with donors and corporate partners; 2) Develop and manage programmatic compliance with grants; 3) Communicate regarding new proposals and grant deliverables; 4) Communicate challenges and successes in fulfilling obligations to partners and funders. * Support revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing programs and growth. * Develop ideas for revenue-producing programming. * Identify and implement growth strategies to achieve Reality Changers long-term vision of impact on youth in our region - this includes program expansion, pilot projects and scale, etc. * Develop an assessment protocol to determine the feasibility and sustainability of programs as well as lead to more relevant, effective and efficient service delivery. * Serve and lead as a representative of Reality Changers at key program and organization-wide events, inclusive but not limited to: 8th-grade recruitment assemblies, program partnerships, community events, and more. This can include speaking engagements. * Collaborates with external partnerships and agencies to help coordinate events and programs. * Meets with various schools and CBOs to explore potential partnerships/needs. * Explores opportunities with outside agencies and coordinates logistics to provide organization offerings e.g., Winward, external speech contests, food drives, Outdoor Outreach, PLNU ancillary programs, MSW Program, College Counseling Credential, Rotary. * Helps organize annual Reality Changers Program events e.g., Scholar Celebration, Career Exploration Week, etc. Knowledge Management: * Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to support the facilitation, collection, and sharing of knowledge that is generated by the programs including but not limited to enrollment, attendance, touchpoints. * Develop a dissemination system to share organizational learning with a broad range of communities. * Ensure that key project outcomes are evaluated and leveraged for maximum community and organizational effectiveness * Work collaboratively with the leadership team to integrate cross program activities and functions. * Motivate teams to execute and evaluate program goals through clear expectation setting, collaboration, and accountability. * Work with the Leadership Team to ensure that staff have tools, training, and support needed to perform duties. * Manages and nurtures Program staff, including hiring, training, and evaluating performance. * Perform other duties as needed. ## Related Videos - [A Founder's Journey : From Startup Chaos to Purposeful Growth](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1926-a-founder-s-journey-from-startup-chaos-to-purposeful-growth) - [Designing How Work Feels: The Science Behind Sanofi’s Workplace Experience](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1848-designing-how-work-feels-the-science-behind-sanofi-s-workplace-experience) - [Beyond the 9–5: Designing Work Around Humans](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1321-beyond-the-9-5-designing-work-around-humans) - [Empowering People in a Digital World: HR’s Next Big Chapter](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1813-empowering-people-in-a-digital-world-hr-s-next-big-chapter) ## Related Articles - [Why Attend a Developer Event in 2026?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/688-why-attend-a-developer-event-in-2026) - [What Makes WeAreDevelopers World Congress Different From Every Other Tech Event?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/701-what-makes-wearedevelopers-world-congress-different-from-every-other-tech-event) - [5 Reasons Why Attending Conferences in 2026 Matters More Than You Think](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/692-5-reasons-why-attending-conferences-in-2026-matters-more-than-you-think) - [Top HR Tech Conferences in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/303-top-hr-tech-conferences-in-2024) - [From developer to manager – what does it take to become an engineering manager?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/42-from-developer-to-manager-what-does-it-take-to-become-an-engineering-manager) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers)