Director of Project Management KaBOOM!

Functional Area: Program Management

Organization: KaBOOM!

Location: Washington, DC

Metro Region: Washington, D.C.

Overview:

Come play with us!  KaBOOM! (kaboom.org) is a DC-based national non-profit with a simple and compelling vision: to provide a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.  Listed as one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work two consecutive years in a row by The NonProfit Times, we build great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities, enable and empower an online DIY community, and lead the movement to save play for America’s kids. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm. KaBOOM! exists to tackle this Play Deficit.

KaBOOM! is entering an exciting period of organizational growth and development with the implementation of a new three-year strategic plan that aims to accelerate our impact by driving innovation and unleashing the power of communities to self-organize around a shared goal. We seek high-energy, mission-driven individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic and playful environment.

Position:

The Director of Project Management oversees the Project Management team and manages three Associate Directors who directly manage 16-20 Project Managers, provides input into strategic planning, serves on the Portfolio Team with Senior Management, leads KaBOOM! community-build playground projects on occasion, and acts as a Second in the field.  In overseeing the Project Management team, the Director is involved in recruitment and training, general support and issue resolution on individual projects, professional development, mentoring, coaching, employee performance evaluations, etc.  The Director of Project Management is responsible for overall quality assurance of the LEAD builds, holding the PM team accountable for the quality of each build, along with the administrative support pertaining to builds, including accounting reconciliation and timely final reports.  The Director will continually assess and improve the product delivery model.

Responsibilities:

1. Oversee Team of Associate Directors in the management of the Project Managers to promote high quality execution of playspace build projects.

• Day-to-day management of staff including hiring, training, coaching, overseeing professional development, etc.
• Promote team-building and sharing of best practices through activities such as bi-weekly Project Manager conference calls, regular leadership team meetings, and an annual team retreat.
• Support project management recruiting efforts, including sourcing the applicant pool on an ongoing basis and collaborating with HR to ensure a diverse and quality pool of applicants available for openings. Work with the Associate Directors to interview and evaluate qualified candidates that bring diversity to overall team.
• Embrace and support the organizational Inclusion Strategy by hiring, developing and maintaining a staff that performs at high standards and that reflects the diversity of our nation and the population we serve to the degree possible.  Coach and support managers on team to do the same. 
• Collaborate with management team to develop and deliver initial and ongoing training for the team, to enhance functional, technical, and organizational skills to manage duties and responsibilities. 
• Train and manage team to execute KaBOOM! community-building model, which teaches communities asset-mapping, fundraising, working with the media, partnership development, and general community-building.
• Communicate with the Outreach and Account Management teams to ensure all community partner and funding partner specifics are captured and properly incorporated in the build planning process (i.e. special requests from the funding partner, maximizing the strengths of the community and understanding where they may need additional support, etc.)
• Conduct Associate Director performance evaluation and goal setting sessions; provide guidance to ADs on writing and conducting performance evaluations with PMs.
• Provide project specific support to Associate Directors and Project Managers across all aspects of the project, ranging from interpersonal challenges to PR questions to technical playground construction questions to budget challenges, etc.
• Help guide Associate Directors in their support of Project Managers through specific issue resolution and work directly with the Project Managers’ partners when necessary.
• Define and maintain policy, including adherence strategies, holding Associate Directors of Project Management and Project Managers accountable to responsibilities of their job and for quality projects.
• Team is constantly traveling and is based in multiple cities across the US – so experience and comfort in “remote management’ is critical.

2. Provide input into Strategic Planning for KaBOOM!

• Develop long-term and short-term goals for the Project Management team.
• Represent Project Management on Senior Management Portfolio Team.
• Compile data on the monthly progress of the team toward annual goals.
• Provide input into materials prepared for Board of Directors.
• Collaborate closely with other KaBOOM! Directors.

3. Represent KaBOOM! in interactions with External Parties

• Help resolve project specific issues with funding and community partners when appropriate   and serve as positive ambassador for KaBOOM! at playground Build Days and other events.
• Conduct media interviews and respond to reporters.

4. Effectively serve as a Second in the field on KaBOOM! LEAD projects

• Assist Project Manager on playground site prep days and Build Day.
• Motivate volunteers to maintain momentum and enthusiasm for Build Day.
• Support volunteers on the playground equipment and play environment project     construction as well as mixing of concrete, moving of playground surfacing, and other activities being conducted on Build Day.
• Maintain safety on build site.
• Help unload and inventory playground equipment and prepare for play environment enhancement projects.

5. Perform other duties as necessary, including, but not limited to:

• Contribute to process improvements by working with Director, LEAD Operations.  Participate in the feedback loop to capture build experiences and to modify processes based on those experiences.  Provide expertise to analyze and resolve build problems and develop appropriate policies and procedures to support current team best practices.
• Ensure projects are delivered within budget or define and confirm the business justification for budget variances. 
• Attend trainings and meetings to represent KaBOOM! in the industry.
• Train other staff members and members of the KaBOOM! online community on specifics of the Project Management team and its practices.
• On occasion, may be required to drive a KaBOOM! vehicle and may need to travel up to 30% of the time
• Actively cultivates an inclusive work environment that contributes to the achievement of the organization’s diversity and inclusion goals and cultural competences; including but not limited to the areas of recruitment, retention, and training and development.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 5 years of previous experience in project management and as a supervisor with the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects required. 
• Experience in national service organizations, with work plans, and with resource scheduling is beneficial. 
• Demonstration of high energy, flexibility in changing situations, strong interpersonal and communications skills, and team leadership skills is vital. 
• Must have the ability to work with a diverse set of people, ranging from local community volunteers to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. 
• Previous work experience at KaBOOM! or participation with a build project is plus.
• Genuine interest and support of the KaBOOM! mission and culture necessary.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred.

Essential Functions: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
The employee will participate in playspace builds.  This duty involves physical labor, including heavy lifting up to 100 lbs, equipment construction, working with tools, etc.  In some cases, additional accommodation may be available.  Some Build Days and Preparation for Build Days may entail being on feet for 15 hours, in any weather, including extreme weather conditions.  Builds can be scheduled on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, although the latter is less likely. 

When not working outside, the employee must have the ability to maintain acceptable standards of office conduct, along with the ability to handle stress, get along with others, and work in a cooperative and team-oriented manner.  The employee must have computer skills and the ability to type on a computer.  Office days may involve sitting at a desk, using a computer or phone for 10-12 hours.  Other job tasks will require movement around the office.

To Apply:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format, to Kate Becker athttp://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1961 . Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

KaBOOM! offers a competitive salary and benefits, commensurate with experience and skills. 
KaBOOM! is an equal opportunity employer.

About Commongood Careers:
KaBOOM! has partnered with Commongood Careers to conduct the search for a Director of Project Management. Commongood Careers is a mission-driven search firm that supports the hiring needs of the nation’s most innovative and high-performing nonprofit organizations. Since its founding in 2006, Commongood Careers has completed over 500 searches at 150 organizations in 26 states. Founded and staffed by nonprofit professionals, Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and organizations throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers. Learn more about nonprofit jobs at Commongood Careers.