Unite America

Operations

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the Head of Program and Program Department Leads by helping translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, frameworks, and measurable outcomes, frame decisions, pressure-test assumptions, surface tradeoffs, and prepare for high-stakes internal and external conversations.
• Lead and coordinate annual and multi-cycle planning processes and Rhythm of Business (RoB)for the Program Team, in collaboration with the Strategy & Operations Team and the overall organizational RoB.
• Drive process and system improvements including with Program annual planning, the Program Pipeline Approval, the “How We Move Money” and other processes that enhance efficiency, clarity and collaboration across the Program Team and the organization
• Lead on the development and management of the Program discretionary budget to ensure that Program Department Leads and the Head of Program have the budget and financial information to guide Program strategy and investment decisions
• Oversee operational systems related to budgeting and portfolio tracking, ensuring timely, accurate, and integrated management and smooth planning and reporting cycles.
• Produce and maintain dashboards and performance metrics to inform decision-making, track progress, guide resourcing, and support leadership reporting and engagement.
• Proactively identify operational, execution, and resourcing risks across the Program portfolio, and partner with Strategy & Operations to surface mitigation options and inform leadership decision-making.
• Serve as a liaison for select program-related vendors or external partners, as appropriate, ensuring alignment with program goals, budgets, and compliance requirements.
• Embody organizational values; cultivate a strong Program team culture; and ensure adherence to organizational norms, policies, and ways of working.
• Lead the synthesis of programmatic inputs into clear, cohesive narratives and recommendations for leadership and the Board, including monthly updates, board materials, and ad hoc requests.
• Lead on collaboration between the Program function, Investor Relations function and Strategy+Operations function (which includes Legal, Finance and HR) on planning, financial and operational issues and Investor Relations collateral (eg grants and reporting)
• Represent the perspective of the Program team and direct reports within the organization and ensure effective and transparent communication of strategic plans, decisions, and progress back to your departmental teams.
• Ensure responsible stewardship of resources, effective budget management practices, and compliance with fiscal and legal policies.
• Manage, coach, and mentor junior staff, setting clear expectations, aligning individual goals with team needs, providing regular feedback, removing obstacles to support strong performance, and supporting professional development.
• Monitor team capacity and align resources with evolving priorities, including proactively designing future team structure, supporting staffing plans, and ensuring the team is resourced to deliver impact at scale.

Program Planning & Operations Director