Full-Time Design the Future Coordinator
Job Description
PLEASE READ THE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION BEFORE APPLYING
DC Design redesigns America’s social systems like our criminal justice, foster care, healthcare, education, and housing systems to work better for everyone, especially low-income people of color. DC Design University (DCDU) is the education arm of our company, teaching the principles of Design Thinking that we use in our social impact consulting. We’re looking for a Design the Future Coordinator, to manage day-to-day operations and help facilitate growth of our award-winning Design Thinking and STEM program for high school students.
ROLE: Design the Future Coordinator – Full Time
LOCATION: USA (remote)
Note: This position is largely remote, with in-person elements + travel once safe.
SALARY: $50,000-$70,000 / year
COMPANY: DC Design
WEBSITE: www.dcdesignltd.com
CONTACT: [email protected]
TO APPLY: Apply Here
COMPANY OVERVIEW
WHO ARE WE? DC Design is a social impact strategy & design consulting firm. Using Human-Centered Design, our cross-disciplinary team engages the key stakeholders affected by a problem, especially those who have been through that problem themselves, to develop solutions that are validated and long-lasting. We partner with social impact entrepreneurs, foundations, nonprofits, governments and companies to address complex social problems and teach them our methods. We have extensive experience redesigning aspects of poverty-related social systems such as criminal justice, education, foster care, healthcare, and housing.
VISION: Design lasting solutions that reduce systemic inequality in America and help people thrive.
MISSION: To advance the well-being of all people by developing strategies, products, services and curricula that benefit those most negatively affected by flaws in America’s social systems.
PRODUCT OFFERINGS
STRATEGY: We guide social innovators and organizations to create more effective and long-lasting social impact. Through our framework of Multi-Stakeholder Human-Centered Design, we help organizations deepen their community ties and more confidently choose how to apply their limited resources. We bring expertise in crafting strategic plans, updating missions and visions, and developing action plans alongside our clients.
DESIGN: Once a strategy has been identified, we co-develop customized services that are aligned with the needs of the people an organization serves. The apps and services we design are tailored through iterative prototyping rounds to ensure functionality and longevity.
EDUCATION: Through our education arm, DC Design University (DCDU), we offer Design Thinking and social impact education to young people and adults, both online and in-person. A few examples of offerings we have under DC Design University include:
- Design the Future:
- Design the Future is DC Design’s flagship award-winning Design Thinking & STEM summer program in which small teams of high school students design and build products for individuals with disabilities (our Project Partners).
- Design the Future: Digital is the current iteration of this program offering students from all over the world the chance to collaborate remotely to design and build online apps for our Project Partners with disabilities.
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- We are hoping to grow our program by 10x in the next five years, and expand to partnerships with other organizations.
- Teaching Design Thinking to high school and university students like at Stanford University’s design school, to refugees, and to organizations around the world, such as Obama Foundation and BUILD.org
- Online courses about Design Thinking and Social Impact
- Design Thinking Fundamentals for Social Change: A 7-part, online video course guiding students through a step by step process for creating innovative solutions in their own life.
- Jump Start Your Personal Projects with Design Thinking: In this live, online course students explore design thinking, how to increase their motivation, overcome common obstacles, and apply the psychology of habits alongside their cohort. They finish the course with a real, tangible first prototype of their project and a plan for further development that will withstand competing priorities.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Design the Future Coordinator will play a crucial role in the company as a daily manager for our Design the Future program. Through their ability to think critically about program design and implementation, event planning, systems, and client relationships, they will work with the DC Design team and Design the Future students, families, and staff to ensure program excellence and growth. The Design the Future Coordinator will be integral to expanding and maintaining the Design the Future program. The Design the Future Coordinator will be responsible for working closely with the DCDU Director to develop and implement all aspects of the program including: student experience, budgeting, staffing, marketing and communications, systems, reporting and expansion efforts. We are looking for a Design the Future Coordinator with skill sets in multiple areas to make an immediate impact within the company and with our students. Desired core skills/experiences are listed below with complementary skill sets listed as well.
Responsibilities:
- Work with the DCDU Director and other team members to design and implement strategies for program development, student recruitment, staff recruitment and training, program funding and partnerships, and overall management and health of the program.
- Serve as the “project manager” for program preparation, tracking all tasks and deadlines associated with the program.
- Assist with curriculum development and design
- Manage program communications, both internally and externally
- Manage staff and interns in multiple program areas
- Assist in developing and executing program outreach strategies
- Oversee recruitment of program staff, interns and volunteers
- Facilitate operations before, during and after program
- Manage access to software and tools needed by students and staff
- Draft and finalize staff contracts
- Manage scheduling of pre-program training for staff
- Oversee day to day operations during program (Zoom facilitation, student and staff engagement, breakout room management)
- Assist DCDU Director on all post-program reporting and documentation
- Provide strategy for creating long-term engagement opportunities for program alums (students, staff and Project Partners)
- Provide strategy, relationship building and other support for growing the program and increasing funding opportunities to provide more scholarships for low-income students historically underrepresented in STEM and systemic design fields.
- Complete other tasks as needed, including those directed by DCDU Director, DC Design COO, and DC Design CEO
RELEVANT SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND MINDSETS:
- You have a bachelor’s degree in education or education administration, social impact or non-profit management, business development, or other related field.
- You have a minimum of three years experience in a related organization or role with demonstrated leadership experience.
- You are comfortable deciding what is needed when coordinating events and working towards multiple goals, and have an inclination to take the initiative to execute on those things, looking for ways to support participants and/or staff.
- You have a background in program communications and managing a company or organization’s program to meet a specific need within a community
- You have experience in a client or customer service role, or a similar role that involves relationship management.
- You have experience managing staff and lead with open communication.
- You thrive both while working independently and while working in collaborative, team-based environments.
- You are a team player, excited at the prospect of working on a small, agile team.
- You are an excellent written communicator.
- You have passion for addressing deeply ingrained social problems.
- You are self-driven, independent, and willing to go above and beyond to learn new skills, even if they are not in your educational background.
HELPFUL ADDITIONAL SKILLS (Not required but great):
- You have experience in designing products or events that have both physical and digital components.
- You have experience in recruiting students for similar programs, with a particular focus on effective outreach and engagement with low-income, students of color
- You have experience in social impact fundraising and development
CONNECT WITH US
INSTAGRAM: @dcdesignltd and @youdesignthefuture
FACEBOOK: DC Design and Design the Future
LINKEDIN: DC Design Ltd