Senior Director of Program Strategy & Impact in Chicago, Illinois at Centers For New Horizons Inc

The Opportunity
As Centers enters its next phase of growth, we are intentionally evolving from a strong program implementation organization into a recognized leader in innovation, measurable impact, and community influence. To support this evolution, we are creating a senior leadership position responsible for aligning program strategy, evaluation, organizational learning, and continuous improvement across the agency.

The Senior Director of Program Strategy & Impact will help ensure that Centers not only delivers high-quality services, but continually adapts, improves, and demonstrates measurable results for the children, youth, and families we serve.

Role Summary
The Senior Director of Program Strategy & Impact serves as a key member of the leadership team, responsible for advancing program excellence across the organization. This role integrates strategic program development, performance measurement, evaluation, community engagement, and continuous quality improvement to ensure that Centers maximizes its impact and remains responsive to emerging community needs.

Working closely with program leaders, the Senior Director will help the organization move beyond compliance and reporting toward a culture where data informs decisions, innovation drives growth, and programs continually evolve to strengthen outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Key Areas of Focus
Program Strategy & Development
• Identify opportunities to strengthen and expand programs aligned with community needs and organizational priorities
• Monitor emerging trends, best practices, and funding opportunities
• Support strategic planning and program growth initiatives
• Foster innovation and cross-program collaboration
Impact Measurement & Evaluation
• Develop and oversee organization-wide performance measures and outcome frameworks
• Define and track key performance indicators across all programs
• Ensure data integrity, consistency, and accessibility
• Build dashboards and reporting tools that support decision-making
Continuous Quality Improvement
• Establish feedback loops that strengthen program performance
• Lead organization-wide continuous quality improvement efforts
• Promote a culture of learning, accountability, and innovation
• Support program leaders in using data to improve outcomes
Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships
• Convene community conversations, forums, and learning opportunities
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships that enhance programs and impact
• Increase organizational visibility and thought leadership
• Represent Centers in community and sector-wide initiatives
Organizational Learning & Capacity Building
• Strengthen staff capacity around strategic thinking, performance measurement, and evaluation
• Support leaders in translating insights into action
• Promote organizational learning and knowledge sharing
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and leadership team

What Success Looks Like

• Leadership has clear visibility into program performance and outcomes
• Programs continuously evolve based on community need, evidence, and opportunity
• Data informs decisions rather than simply fulfilling compliance requirements
• Centers is recognized as a convener, innovator, and thought leader on the South Side
• Staff embrace a culture of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Strategic partnerships contribute to greater impact and visibility

Ideal Profile

• Experienced leader with a background in program strategy, evaluation, organizational effectiveness, or continuous improvement
• Strong systems thinker who can connect data, people, programs, and community impact
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and organizational change
• Skilled relationship builder with a collaborative leadership style
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels
• Passionate about equity, community impact, and continuous learning

Special Consideration

This role represents a significant investment in Centers’ future. The Senior Director of Program Strategy & Impact will help shape how the organization grows, learns, and measures success—strengthening both our community influence and our measurable impact. The successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to build systems, drive innovation, and help position Centers as a model for excellence across the nonprofit sector.