Search Institute is seeking a Senior Director of Solutions to join our growing team!

LOCATION: Our office is located in Minneapolis, MN. We welcome applications from both local and remote candidates with work privileges currently residing in the United States.

DETAILS TO APPLY: Apply for this position at https://search-institute.oasisrecruit.com. To be considered, you must complete the application questions, submit a resume, and submit a cover letter detailing your interest in this position and Search Institute.

WHY THIS POSITION MATTERS

Search Institute is a leading research-to-practice, nonprofit organization that collaborates with schools and other youth-serving organizations to conduct research and design solutions that advance positive youth development and equity through creating environments in which all young people can thrive. 

Understanding how systems of access, opportunity, justice, and power intersect with our mission is essential to doing good and meaningful work. As a Senior Director of Solutions at Search Institute, you’ll play a key role in promoting positive youth development, advancing equity, and building authentic connections that help all young people learn and grow.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Solutions will oversee the ongoing development and implementation of an adaptable learning ecosystem that delivers high-quality and research-informed resources, tools, and learning experiences that can scale. You will lead design and continuous improvement teams focused on creating, delivering, and improving solutions addressing important problems and opportunities in youth development and education, and that buttress Search Institute’s reputation as a thought leader and innovator in the field of positive youth development. You will provide the vision for Search Institute solutions as you work closely with the Senior Director of Research on integrating actionable knowledge from our research and the Senior Director of Marketing and Growth on aligning with market needs and customer insights. 

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide Organizational Leadership:

• Provide strategic oversight for designing, delivering, evaluating, and improving solutions in a unified Department of Solutions. Support the success of all staff in the department, including communicating job expectations, planning, monitoring and appraising job results, coaching, counseling and performance improvement, and enforcing policies, procedures, and productivity standards.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the organizational strategy for meeting the organization's impact and financial growth goals.
• Contribute to leadership decisions regarding strategic planning, staffing, workplace policy and practice, staff engagement, and project management processes.
• Directly support the development and maintenance of a positive organizational culture with clear roles and responsibilities. 
• Model Search Institute’s core values and core competencies internally and externally.
• Support the organization’s financial sustainability by stewarding resources effectively with a focus on growing new Solutions revenue. 
• Work with the President and CEO and other organizational leaders to write grant and contract proposals to secure financial support for Search Institute’s applied research and improvement partnerships.
• Work with the President and CEO and other organizational leaders to cultivate new funders and partners. 
• Integrate research into solution designs by collaborating with the Research team for subject matter expertise and the Marketing and Growth team for branding and market insights.
• Infuse equity in all aspects of the Solutions team's work, including staffing, identification and design of solutions, and delivery and distribution of solutions.

Solutions Design:

• Lead cross-functional teams to ideate, prototype, and test innovative solutions that address the unique needs of practitioners with a keen focus on positive youth development and advancing equity. 
• Utilize a human-centered approach to develop products and services and iterate on solution designs based on user feedback and testing outcomes.
• Oversee the end-to-end solution development process, from conceptualization to launch and beyond, ensuring all solutions are research-informed, impactful, and scalable.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Growth for customer and market insights for prioritizing a solutions roadmap that is aligned with our organizational strategy.

Solutions Management & Fulfillment:

• Define and manage the solutions roadmap in alignment with organization strategy.
• Oversee the Solutions fulfillment processes, and continuously assess, improve, and/or build capabilities and systems for creating stellar user experiences. 
• Ensure Search Institute’s independent contract trainers are being onboarded, engaged, assessed, and updated with our latest learning experience solutions and resources. 

Continuous Improvement:

• Support the implementation of all Search Institute surveys and the corresponding services associated with coaching clients on the data journey towards improvement. 
• Provide strategic direction for creating and improving solutions and services that advance the capabilities and impact of youth-serving organizations.
• Support the process of implementation of solutions using best practices in data use, implementation and improvement science.

Scaling Impact: 

• Propose and execute new solutions that have the potential for scaling impact and increasing revenue.
• Explore and implement different learning delivery systems, mechanisms and technology supporting the needs for scale that meet the comprehensive and diverse needs of our partner and client base. 
• Identify growth opportunities and lead initiatives to expand the organization's reach and influence.

QUALIFICATION/SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience Required:

• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as Applied Research in Social Sciences, Organizational Development, Human-Centered or Educational Design, Social Innovation or Entrepreneurship.
• Extensive experience (8+ years) in designing impactful solutions (e.g., scalable professional learning programs, measurement systems, digital products & tools).
• 3-5+ years of experience leading, mentoring, and developing a team.
• Demonstrated success in bringing research-informed solutions from conception to being ready for the market preferably in a related market. 
• Experience in human-centered design (user experience, learning experience, content design and/or content strategy) with a focus on creating user-friendly and inclusive solutions.
• Experience in implementing, monitoring, and improving delivery systems for solutions, preferably solutions that could be comparable to what may be feasible for Search Institute and with similar user groups.
• Proven experience and knowledge of the education market and players, positive youth development field, and or experience developing products or solutions based on equity frameworks.

Skills/Abilities Required:

• Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with an emphasis on fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and creative problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills with the ability to convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Strong ability to foster collaborative and inclusive relationships with community partners.
• Passion for the mission of the organization and a commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of young people.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality & handle proprietary information.
• Represent Search Institute in a positive and professional manner in all settings.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in securing funding for innovative projects.
• Experience with financial forecasts, funnel analysis, and pipeline management of products and services.
• Experience with creating pricing strategies and different business models (e.g. licensing, credentialing, membership, etc) for sustainable growth.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Successful completion of the mandatory criminal background checks.
• Search Institute is a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination workplace.
• Work privileges currently residing in the United States.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK CONDITIONS

• This job is primarily sedentary with intermittent physical activity including standing, bending, reaching, and lifting.
• Some travel will be necessary.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

$135,000-$150,000 annually. We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, paid time off, and a 403b retirement plan.

Reports to: CEO & President

Classification: Full-time, Exempt 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Search Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, status, familial status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, or service in the military. Applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

APPLYING FOR THIS JOB

Apply for this position at https://search-institute.oasisrecruit.com. To be considered, you must complete the application questions, submit a resume, and submit a cover letter detailing your interest in this position and Search Institute.