Senior Director of National Training and Program

Senior Director of National Training and Program

The Alliance for Youth Action (along with our sister 501(c)(3) organization the Alliance for Youth Organizing) is searching for a Senior Director of National Program who will lead programs that serve the leadership and staff of our multiracial affiliate network to create and execute strategic and effective advocacy, electoral, base building, and civic engagement campaigns. We are looking for someone with experience running national training programs for civic engagement, organizing, and/or political programs across 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.

This role will primarily oversee the Alliance’s 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) national training programs, supporting the broader youth organizing ecosystem nationwide. The Senior Director will serve as the executive lead of the New Deal for Organizing (ND4O), our flagship 501(c)(3) training initiative co-led with State Voices and Midwest Academy. In this capacity, they will be responsible for ND4O’s strategic direction, execution, partner coordination, and evaluation. In addition, the Senior Director of National Training and Program will be charged with developing and launching a new 501(c)(4) training program focused on preparing Alliance affiliates to run rigorous, ambitious political programs in advance of the 2026 midterm elections.

Beyond training, the Senior Director of National Training and Program will support major capacity building initiatives, including: coordinating and executing network-wide convenings and leadership development efforts, leading national voter contact programs, and leading or advising on data analysis and program evaluation.

Sitting at the intersection of strategic leadership, partnership-building, and program innovation, the ideal candidate brings:

Deep experience in community organizing and power-building,

A nuanced understanding of how race and power shape civic engagement,

A track record of managing complex, multi-partner initiatives,

And strong skills in training, evaluation, and program design.

This role reports to the Vice President of Capacity Building and is a full-time exempt position based in the United States (see Logistics, below). Alliance for Youth Organizing is a unionized workplace, and staff are represented by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035; this is a management position that is not in the bargaining unit.

About the Alliance for Youth Action

The Alliance convenes, supports, and scales a national network of youth-led, locally rooted organizations growing civic engagement and social justice coast to coast. We truly are a multiracial network “of young people, by young people, for all people.” Our Affiliates and Partners run massive voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, train new young leaders, and run powerful campaigns to win on the progressive issues our generation cares about most. Our national team empowers this work by tracking down national resources for the network, building capacity for local groups, seeding new efforts, and coordinating national issue campaigns.

This role sits in the Capacity Building Department. This role will work alongside another Senior Director in the department who supports the development of political plans and works with individual affiliate organizations. This role will support capacity building to execute strategic programs that grow the political power of young people within our affiliated organization’s communities.

Job Responsibilities

Lead and Evaluate New Deal for Organizing Program

Lead the development, execution, and evaluation of the New Deal for Organizing training program to rebuild training infrastructure for youth organizing nationwide.

Proactively foster and grow collaborative relationships between the Alliance and State Voices Network to align resources, unify strategies, and co-create opportunities for greater impact at the state and local levels.

In collaboration with Midwest Academy, oversee and direct curriculum development and training methodologies, setting priorities and approving final structures.

Proactively foster and grow collaborative relationships between the Alliance and State Voices Network to align resources, unify strategies, and co-create opportunities for greater impact at the state and local levels.

In collaboration with Midwest Academy, select, direct, and oversee the work of trainers and contractors, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, budget parameters, and performance expectations

Design and Execute National Political Training Program

Design the learning objectives and curriculum for a rigorous political training program designed to ensure our network of youth organizing groups are prepared for executing 501(c)(4) programs in the 2026 midterm elections.

Work closely with the Senior Director of Capacity Building to define strong political programs, evaluate affiliate capacity to execute those programs, and provide the training necessary to implement those programs.

Implement robust metrics and analytics to assess the program’s effectiveness. Use insights to adapt curriculum, refine training approaches, and measure improvements in grassroots capacity-building.

Lead National Voter Contact Program

Collaborate with the VP of Grantmaking and Partnerships to understand the 2026 political landscape and identify gaps in national youth political programs to fill with a national youth voter contact campaign for target races in 2026.

Work with the Political Director and Executive Team to develop, implement, and evaluate national voter engagement programs, including vended field operations, phone banking, direct mail, text messaging, and digital outreach.

Spearhead Key Initiatives and Projects

Assist in the coordination and implementation of network-wide capacity building initiatives, including trainings, cohorts, Executive Director support, and peer learning opportunities, by providing logistical, facilitation, and programmatic support to fill gaps and ensure smooth execution.

Coordinate closely with the development team to share stories of impact to funders and partners.

Collaborate with members of the Senior Leadership Team to add capacity and expertise where needed, examples may include: national research and polling agendas, capacity building supports for our state-based affiliates, data analysis and program evaluation, and fundraising.

Develop, implement, and enforce the strategic vision, policies, and operational priorities for these programs in coordination with executive leadership.

Qualifications

5+ years of progressive experience leading community, labor, or student organizing initiatives, with demonstrated success in developing grassroots campaigns, power analyses, and leadership pipelines.

Experience developing, executing, and evaluating training curriculum for organizing, electoral campaigns, or other professional development leading to strong results for participants.

Experience in adult learning and education through the development of strong adult learning curriculum, tracking learning objectives and assessing growth in learning.

Proven track record of setting a strategic vision at the department or organizational level, aligning large-scale projects with broader mission objectives, and adapting to a rapidly shifting political landscape.

Substantial experience managing complex programs and cross-functional teams. Skilled in coaching, performance management, and fostering professional growth.

Ability to cultivate high-level partnerships with state and national organizations, philanthropic partners, and grassroots community leaders. Experience leading multi-stakeholder collaborations strongly preferred.

Demonstrated ability to integrate equity principles into organizational culture, campaigns, and coalition work. History of successful interventions in problematic dynamics and advancing racial equity in the workplace.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, adept at articulating strategic priorities to diverse audiences, and comfortable representing the organization publicly.

Knowledge of voter data, analytics platforms, and technology tools that strengthen organizing strategies. Ability to apply insights from data to elevate campaign impact.

Experience overseeing departmental or organization-wide budgets, with the ability to make sound financial decisions that position programs for long-term sustainability.

Key Competencies

Expertise in training, curriculum development, and evaluation of impact.

Aptitude for identifying and prioritizing organizational needs, charting clear pathways to achieve them, and navigating complex, dynamic movement landscapes.

Skilled at building consensus, securing buy-in, and motivating cross-organizational teams and partners to achieve shared goals.

Champions creative solutions, processes, and technologies to continually enhance program efficacy and meet evolving movement needs.

Ability to work autonomously and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Holds oneself and team accountable for delivering measurable outcomes. Able to own missteps, repair harm, and maintain strong relational trust.

Logistics

Compensation: $125,000 - $145,000 per year commensurate with experience.

Benefits: The Alliance offers a competitive benefits package covering:

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance covering

100% of employee premiums

75% of premiums for employee dependents

Employer retirement contributions (SEP IRA) of 5% of salary

Employer paid life insurance, short and long term disability income protection insurance

Cell phone and internet stipends of $100 per month

WMATA transportation Smartbenefits for staff located in the DMV area

Professional development opportunities and funds

Generous paid time off policy through which staff accrue 10 hours of PTO per month

Unlimited sick leave

Paid family and medical leave up to 16 weeks

Paid Sabbatical (after 4 years of service)

15 paid holidays

Potential for end of year or other bonuses

Location: This is a full-time position based in the United States. All Alliance staff are required to live within about an hour from an airport with frequent flights to DC and to our network locations; eligible airports are listed here. Moving reimbursements are offered to employees who need to move for this position.

Travel: Under non-pandemic circumstances, domestic travel for this role may be up to 30% of this position. Must be willing to work periodically long, irregular hours and to travel as needed.

Commitment to Equity

At the Alliance for Youth Organizing, we want to create a world where our democracy works for everyone and where all people – no matter where they come from, what they look like, or how they identify – live in loving, safe, and thriving communities. As such, we value diversity and equity as central to our work. The Alliance for Youth Organizing is an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. People of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and identities are encouraged to apply.

Some candidates may feel discouraged from applying if they don’t match every job requirement - we encourage you to apply anyway.

To Apply

Please by submitting a single pdf document including the following:

Two paragraphs or less explaining why you want this position and what makes you a strong candidate (please prioritize content over formality)

Resume

Three references (we will reach out to you first before contacting them)

Please reach out to

with if you have any questions.

The Priority Deadline to apply is May 19, with a target start date of June 9.

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