Pennsylvania Program Director, Affinity Group

Pennsylvania Program Director, Philadelphia Affinity Group Network

(Hybrid in Philadelphia, PA)

What We Do

Teach Plus is a national nonprofit whose mission is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. At the heart of our work is developing teacher leadership and voice in pursuit of student outcomes.

Teach Plus PA’s work is grounded in an ambitious goal: to make Pennsylvania the fastest-improving state in the nation in 4th-grade reading. Working across equitable funding, educator workforce, and early literacy, we lead coalitions, support teacher-led advocacy, and lead local programs to accelerate student opportunity and change systems through teacher leadership. Learn more at teachplus.org/pa.

About Philadelphia Affinity Group Network

As the Program Director, you will play a key leadership role in advancing the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network (PAGN), a program dedicated to strengthening the recruitment, retention, and development of educators of color and individuals entering the education workforce.

Reporting to and partnering closely with the Pennsylvania Managing Director of Programs, you will build teacher leaders' capacity to facilitate impactful affinity spaces that foster connection, belonging, and professional growth for educators of color. Through coaching, leadership development, and strategic program oversight, you will help strengthen educator agency, support retention efforts, and ensure high-quality program implementation and participant engagement. You will also lead core program operations, support cross-functional collaboration, provide organizational and thought leadership, and represent the initiative with external partners, stakeholders, and community audiences. Position responsibilities include the following:

Program Leadership and Strategy

• Provide strategic leadership for the Affinity Group Network in partnership with the Pennsylvania Managing Director of Programs, ensuring long-term sustainability and scalability beyond the current grant period.

• Strengthen the network’s visibility and impact across Philadelphia through strategic partnerships with district, charter, and community stakeholders.

• Represent Teach Plus and the Affinity Group Network at school, district, and community events to advance awareness, recruitment, and engagement.

• Collaborate with the Steering Committee and program stakeholders to guide strategic direction and align implementation with organizational goals.

• Monitor program quality, implementation fidelity, and emerging trends across affinity groups to develop citywide recommendations that advance teacher retention and well-being.

• Support district and network leaders in building the internal capacity needed to sustain this work over time.

• Partner with funders and stakeholders to ensure grant compliance, reporting, and successful execution of program deliverables.

Facilitator Coaching & Program Management

• Coach and support Affinity Group Facilitators through ongoing feedback, professional learning, and collaboration opportunities to foster high-impact teacher-led affinity spaces.

• Design and implement facilitator learning experiences, including curriculum, scope and sequence, and differentiated supports aligned to cohort needs.

• Collaborate with the part-time coach to ensure facilitators receive consistent, high-quality coaching and support.

• Observe and, when appropriate, contribute to affinity group meetings to strengthen facilitation quality and participant engagement.

• Lead facilitator and participant recruitment, selection, and onboarding efforts.

• Serve as lead for program operations and logistics, including planning and execution of virtual and in-person meetings, convenings, professional learning sessions, recruitment activities, budget and expense tracking, and program data management systems.

Network Development & Advocacy

• Support the collection and elevation of educator perspectives through surveys, focus groups, discussions, and written recommendations.

• Empower affinity group members to advocate for policy and practice changes, or coordinate advocacy support when direct participation may not feel safe or appropriate.

• Collaborate with facilitators and the Steering Committee to expand and strengthen the Affinity Group Network across Philadelphia.

• Support pathways for paraprofessionals in Grow Your Own programs and student teachers transitioning into full-time teaching roles to participate in the network.

Who You Are

To be successful in this role, you will have the following:

• 6+ years of experience in the education field, including experience teaching, coaching teachers, and/or school leaders, and demonstrated success leading impactful programs, initiatives, or professional learning experiences and initiatives in diverse school environments.

• Deep commitment to advancing racial equity, teacher diversity, and inclusive educational practices.

• Experience participating in, leading, or designing affinity spaces or identity-centered professional learning communities.

• Strong understanding of the K–12 education landscape, including teacher retention challenges and systemic factors impacting educators of color.

• Experience designing and facilitating professional development and leadership development materials and training.

• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including educators, school leaders, district partners, and community organizations.

• Strong project and program management skills, including managing logistics, tracking deliverables and program metrics, and using qualitative and quantitative data to inform continuous improvement.

• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, including comfort representing the organization with external stakeholders and at conferences or public events.

• Familiarity with the Philadelphia education ecosystem, including the School District of Philadelphia, charter networks, and community stakeholders, is strongly preferred.

Location, Travel, and Commitment

This is a hybrid position that combines in-person and remote work. This is a highly active role that requires a consistent in-person presence and cannot be done fully virtually. Candidates must be available for regular local travel throughout Philadelphia to facilitate on-site cohort programming, attend school and district meetings, and participate in steering committee sessions and community events. Additionally, this role may require statewide travel for regional events, team convenings, and collaborative work sessions, primarily in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh. These gatherings are vital to building team cohesion, advancing strategic priorities, and supporting cross-functional collaboration. On occasion, due to convenings, events, and organizational priorities, this role will require flexibility to work evenings, nights, and weekends.

Total Rewards

The starting salary for this position is $108,000. This reflects where new hires are placed within our Director salary band. To promote fairness and consistency, Teach Plus uses a structured compensation approach and does not negotiate starting salaries. All offers are determined using job-related criteria and alignment to our established salary framework.

At Teach Plus, we believe the people advancing our mission deserve meaningful support in their work and in their lives. We offer competitive salaries and a strong benefits package designed to support well-being, professional growth, and long-term sustainability. Our benefits include generous paid time off, shared summer and winter breaks, Summer Half-Day Fridays, comprehensive health coverage, retirement contributions with immediate vesting, paid parental leave for all caregivers, and a four-week paid sabbatical after five years of service. See Teach Plus’ Benefit Summary for more information.