Fast Facts

The Emerging Areas Specialist II role at Think Together involves supervising teams, onboarding new partners, and launching programs in emerging markets, all aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for communities in California.

Responsibilities: Supervise onboarding of new partners, oversee program launches, manage operational readiness, and lead a team of specialists while ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

Skills: Strong strategic and analytical skills, project management experience, excellent communication, and the ability to mentor and lead teams.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field, 5+ years of relevant experience, including 2 years in a supervisory role at Think Together.

Location: Santa Ana, CA, US

Compensation: $83000 - $87000 / Annually

Overview

Emerging Areas Specialist II

Founded in 1997, Think Together partners with schools to change the odds for kids by providing award-winning programs during and outside the school day. We’re one of California’s largest nonprofits working in school districts from San Diego to San Francisco. Whether you’re interested in early learning, elementary, middle or high school, you can invest in your community by working at a local school or working within our home office providing support! 

JOB SUMMARY: The Emerging Areas Specialist II is responsible for supervising a team of Emerging Area Specialists and supporting the successful onboarding of new partners and managing the launch of programs in emerging markets. This role builds on the core responsibilities of the Emerging Areas Specialist position, with a focus on ensuring that new locations are set up for success and prepared for long-term operational continuity. The position requires collaborating with internal teams and external partners, managing the integration of new markets, and ensuring operational readiness. In addition to supporting market launches, this role takes on specific tasks related to managing the seamless transition of operations and helping implement strategies to support the long-term success of emerging areas. The Emerging Areas Specialist II works closely with various stakeholders to ensure new locations are positioned for growth and operational efficiency. This position also involves supporting project management efforts, contributing to the deployment of the overall department strategy, and ensuring the successful execution of strategic initiatives. The Emerging Areas Specialist II will also supervise a team of Emerging Area Specialists, providing leadership and guidance to ensure effective program execution, team performance, and continuous improvement. This includes overseeing team responsibilities, mentoring, and fostering a collaborative environment that aligns with organizational goals. Additionally, the Emerging Areas Specialist II will be responsible for managing projects from inception through completion, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timely execution. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: New Partner Onboarding and Integration • Facilitate the integration of new partners into the organization’s operational framework, ensuring all contractual, operational, and compliance requirements are met. • Manage the onboarding process, addressing any issues and tracking the time taken to complete integration. • Establish key relationships with parents, students, principals, and other district leaders, and implement a gradual release plan of up to one year of transfer to the regional lead. • Lead and coordinate the strategic planning for new partner integration, ensuring alignment with departmental goals and timelines while managing potential risks and resource allocation. • Supervise and support a team of Emerging Area Specialists involved in the onboarding process, ensuring effective coordination and execution of tasks, and providing guidance and mentoring as needed. Program Launch Oversight • Oversee the end-to-end process of launching new programs in emerging markets, coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure a successful start. • Collaborate with the business development team and external partners to execute launch strategies, measuring the percentage of programs launched on schedule and within budget. • Manage the launch process as a project, developing and executing detailed plans that align with organizational strategy and ensuring programs are deployed efficiently and effectively. • Supervise the team involved in the program launch process, providing leadership and guidance to ensure effective coordination and smooth execution of launch activities, and helping resolve issues as they arise. Market and Operational Readiness • Identify and address potential barriers to ensure readiness for operational handover and long-term success. • Approve or reject the readiness of new market operations based on assessments, monitoring the number and severity of issues resolved during pre-launch preparations. • Ensure that all operational readiness tasks are executed according to strategic objectives, tracking progress, and ensuring all critical milestones are met before market launch. • Ensure that all operational readiness tasks are executed according to strategic objectives, tracking progress, and ensuring all critical milestones are met before market launch. • Supervise the team responsible for operational readiness tasks, ensuring they meet deadlines, adhere to quality standards, and maintain alignment with organizational goals, while providing mentorship and support as needed. Stakeholder Coordination and Transition Management • Collaborate with internal teams, local stakeholders, and external partners to streamline operations and resolve issues. • Ensure a smooth transition of program operations from launch to ongoing regional management, reviewing the effectiveness of the transition process and gathering stakeholder feedback on support provided. • Lead the strategic transition process by managing key project tasks, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged, and the transition aligns with both operational goals and long-term strategy. QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: • Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Education or a related field from a four-year college or university, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. • Minimum of 5 years of experience delivering, implementing, and/or supervising a Think Together program. • At least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership position within Think Together is required. • Strong strategic and analytical skills to assess new markets, identify potential challenges, and develop effective strategies for successful program launch and partner integration. • Proven project management skills, including planning, executing, and monitoring the launch of new programs. • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with internal teams, external partners, and other stakeholders. • Cultural and market sensitivity, with an understanding of different cultural dynamics and the ability to adapt strategies and approaches accordingly. • Strong problem-solving skills to make informed decisions under pressure and address obstacles effectively. • Ability to guide and motivate a team, enhance performance, and ensure high levels of morale. COMPUTER SKILLS: • Intermediate level experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Adobe • File Management (One Drive, Box, Dropbox, etc.) • Project Management (Asana, Microsoft Planner, etc.) • Email, Internet, website, and social media platforms. • Use of typical office equipment

COMPENSATION:

• Salary Range $83,000-$87,000

This is the targeted compensation for the position. A range of factors, including but not limited to; location, skills, experience, will be considered. Actual compensation may vary.

Think Together is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, religious creed, physical disability, mental disability, age for individuals age 40 and over, medical condition (as defined by state law (for example, cancer or genetic characteristics or HIV/AIDS), marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.