Overview
Breakthrough Birmingham (BTB) is a free, high-quality, multi-year program striving to reverse educational
inequity. We partner with highly motivated middle and high school students in our communities. Using our
“students teaching students” model, our teaching fellows—top-notch undergraduates from around the US—are
closely coached by veteran educators to teach and mentor our scholars.
Since 2013, we’ve worked with over 800 scholars and over 240 teaching fellows to focus on our main three
pillars of success:
● Relationships: building & maintaining healthy relationships with others and ourselves
● Growth: progressing academically & holistically, including with social/emotional wellness
● Exposure: opening up to new experiences, new people, new ideas, and new perspectives
Starting in middle school, we support our scholars on their pathway to post-secondary success by providing
academic acceleration and enrichment, exposure, mentorship, and social emotional skill-building. This has led
to 75% of our scholars attending college — almost 30 percentage points higher than Birmingham City Schools,
and 20 points higher than the state average. We support the development of our teaching fellows into
advocates and leaders focused on addressing educational and social inequities. Over 50% of our fellows go
into the classroom; 76% pursue education careers. Success for us means we’re shifting trajectories of our
communities and promoting educational excellence in Alabama.
Breakthrough Birmingham is a part of the national Breakthrough Collaborative, comprising 20+ sites across the
country and Hong Kong, working to bridge the opportunity and achievement gap for students and teachers.
The opportunity
Breakthrough Birmingham is seeking an experienced and unflappable Operations Manager to lead internal
teams, with a focus on supporting the organization's rapid growth. They will be charged with developing and
implementing policies and procedures aligned to best practices in culture, finance, and project management.
This includes both systems design and team development. Additionally, the Operations Manager will play a key
role in setting the team's annual and multi-year strategies, interacting with internal and external stakeholders,
measuring key performance metrics of the organization, and executing special projects.
We're looking for a teammate who is able to innovate, operate independently, and initiate change while
simultaneously fulfilling the commitment to quality programming Breakthrough Birmingham has made to our
families and community. The ideal candidate is someone who thrives when balancing multiple projects in a
fast-paced environment. The Operations Manager will need to have strong attention to detail and self
direction, and should lead by example when it comes to embracing feedback, demonstrating agility, and
collaborating with others. As a leader of Breakthrough Birmingham, the ideal candidate should have a deep
commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism and act with intentionality in all situations.
This position reports to the Executive Director and is a member of the Leadership Team. The Operations
Manager will work closely with all teams (including Program, Admin, Recruitment, Development, etc). Some
weekend and evening work may be required.
Key responsibilities
Project management
● Effectively communicate work plans and priorities derived from the organization's strategic plan
● Recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the program goals
● Ensure effective communication among stakeholders and program staff (e.g., lead huddles)
● Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to better support the facilitation, collection, data
analysis, and sharing of knowledge that is generated by the programs
● Spearhead and implement programs, systems, workflows, or processes that reduce redundancies
● Ensure that key project outcomes are evaluated and leveraged for maximum community and
organizational impact
● Communicate and prepare all data collection summary reports and evaluation updates–including lessons
learned and recommendations–for the ED, board of directors, and staff
Strategy and Leadership
● Contribute to development of organization's strategic goals/objectives
● Contribute to discussion of growth opportunities and priorities
● Assist in the hiring, training, and evaluation of staff to improve organizational structure
● Connect across teams to facilitate budget creation and review; support regular budget reporting
● Support with finance-related processes
● Overseeing the implementation of strategic initiatives, from development through execution, under the
supervision of senior leadership
Culture & Communications
● Plan and support professional development and retreats
● Lead culture initiatives (e.g., continuous improvement)
● Provide department leaders with recommendations and consultation to improve teamwork across the
organization
Qualifications
You will need to possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following:
● Bachelor’s degree
● 4+ years of relevant professional experience
● Team management experience with a record of leading/developing a high-performance team
● Strong understanding of non-profit operations, including: budgeting process, board engagement, and
financial reporting
● Ability to manage ambiguity, work on multiple projects, and adjust quickly to shifting priorities in a
fast-paced environment
● Strong oral and written communication skills, with a nuanced understanding of how to best influence
various stakeholders
● Strong goal orientation and data analysis skills
● Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
● Proficiency with various computer programs and web-based applications including Excel, Google Suite,
Microsoft Office, and Canva
Bonus points for...
● Experience working closely with middle-school, high-school, and/or college students
● Experience in community outreach or advocacy and/or working in historically under-resourced
communities
● Experience with nonprofit fundraising, budgeting, accounting, and/or financial regulation
Candidate characteristics
● Relationship builder, embodying a genuine enthusiasm for building connections with key stakeholders
across lines of difference; embracing a customer service orientation towards scholars, fellows, families,
community members, and donors
● Team player, with the ability to develop trusting relationships quickly and sincerely
● Student-centered with instincts to listen to and elevate the voice and contributions of young people
● Ability to maintain clear boundaries with students/teaching fellows and to apply rules fairly and consistently
● A strong sense of purpose and vision for expanding educational opportunity and promoting educational
equity for students in Alabama
● Culturally competent, with knowledge of the -isms and how structural inequality impacts our daily lives;
recognizes that race and other identities intersect, specifically in regard to educational equity; possesses a
deep awareness of how their identities show up in their work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on
feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, class, and other lines of difference;
appreciates the historical context for racial inequity (in Birmingham and beyond) and its current
implications
● Emotionally intelligent, with awareness and sensitivity to address individuals’ mental, physical, and
intellectual health needs
● Professional, with strong problem-solving skills, a desire to take initiative, and a flexible attitude
● Ability to thrive in a small, fast-paced non-profit environment that values collaboration, creativity, strong
work ethic, and spirit while making quick decisions that have the best interest of individuals and the BTB
community in mind
Compensation
● Breakthrough Birmingham offers a competitive compensation package - including health insurance,
retirement matching, paid leave, hybrid work, and flexible schedules - and is committed to pay equity and
transparency
● The annual salary range for this position is $55,000 to $65,000; placement within the range is determined by
competency and prior experience
Apply
● If you are interested in learning more about how your passion and experience can help Breakthrough
Birmingham meet its mission and grow its impact, please submit the following:
○ the role you’d like to be considered for
○ your most current resume
○ a thoughtful and targeted cover letter OR a 5-minute maximum introductory video; your
submission should:
■ outline how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position
■ detail why you think you would be a great fit for the role/our organization
● Applications should be submitted through Breakthrough Birmingham's talent acquisition form
○ Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; only complete applications will be considered
● Learn more about Breakthrough Birmingham at breakthroughbham.org