Chief Program & Learning Officer (CPLO)

Umoja Community Education Foundation

Location: Sacramento, CA (Full-Time, On-Site)

Salary Range: $125,000–$145,000 + comprehensive benefits

Lion Heart Recruit has been retained by Umoja Community Education Foundation to conduct this search. All candidate inquiries and submissions will be handled directly by Lion Heart Recruit.

About the Role

The Chief Program & Learning Officer (CPLO) is a senior executive role responsible for shaping, leading, and scaling the programmatic vision of Umoja Community Education Foundation (UCEF). As a core member of the Executive Team, the CPLO drives organizational effectiveness, programmatic excellence, and statewide—while building toward national—impact.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CPLO oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of Umoja’s academic, curricular, research, student success, and leadership initiatives across a growing network that currently serves more than 16,000 students, faculty, and administrators across 80+ colleges, universities, and high schools in California and Washington.

This role also plays a critical leadership function in expanding the Umoja model to additional campuses and education systems nationwide.

This is a full-time, on-site position based in Sacramento, with regular in-state and national travel.

Core Areas of Responsibility

Program Development, Oversight & Expansion

• Provide executive leadership across all programmatic units, including Programs, Curriculum & Instruction, Research & Evaluation, and Regional Coordination
• Supervise and support Program and Regional Coordinators serving 83+ campus programs across two states
• Ensure campuses receive high-quality coaching, technical assistance, and culturally grounded support rooted in Umoja’s 18 Practices
• Design, negotiate, and implement innovative partnership models with higher education institutions, K-12 partners, nonprofits, and foundations
• Maintain and expand contracts, MOUs, and formal agreements that advance shared goals

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Impact

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Team, contributing to organizational strategy, culture, and decision-making
• Lead the programmatic implementation of UCEF’s Umoja Forward 2025–2030 Strategic Plan
• Guide the development and scaling of emerging initiatives, including:
• Umoja Global Institute
• Center for Policy and Research
• International Student Fellowship Program

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Learning Innovation

• Champion culturally responsive pedagogy, African-centered teaching practices, and equity-driven leadership
• Lead quality assurance for online, hybrid, and virtual learning programs and professional development offerings
• Oversee the development of digital instructional tools and learning platforms

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Supervise directors and regional staff, providing coaching, evaluation, and professional growth pathways
• Build and sustain a high-performance, equity-centered team culture
• Ensure cross-departmental alignment, communication, and operational cohesion
• Foster a healthy, inclusive, high-trust organizational culture

Research, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee research, evaluation, and data systems that support continuous improvement and impact measurement
• Ensure research findings inform program design, policy advocacy, and strategic communications
• Promote the dissemination of Umoja’s research and best practices statewide and nationally

Fiscal Stewardship & Grant Management

• Manage large-scale program, research, and initiative budgets
• Ensure compliance and responsible stewardship of grant funding
• Partner with Finance and Development on forecasting, grant writing, and reporting
• Collaborate with Development and Communications teams to support fundraising, messaging, and storytelling

Statewide & National Engagement

• Represent Umoja in statewide and national partnerships, convenings, and system-level meetings
• Build and steward relationships with policymakers, institutional leaders, foundations, and community partners
• Support growth strategies that expand Umoja’s visibility, influence, and impact

About You

You are a strong candidate for this role if you are deeply committed to advancing social and economic opportunity through education. You lead with humility, relational integrity, and a clear sense of purpose. You are equally comfortable strengthening existing programs and building what comes next.

You bring demonstrated experience or capacity to:

• Lead within foundations, districts, higher education institutions, or college-success nonprofits
• Design and scale programs from concept to implementation to measurable impact
• Build trust-based partnerships with clear collaboration protocols and shared outcomes
• Create systems that improve efficiency, effectiveness, and performance management
• Navigate complexity with sound judgment and thoughtful decision-making
• Lead with awareness of identity, power, and privilege
• Build high-performing teams through coaching, delegation, and culture stewardship
• Align systems, structures, and resources in service of student success
• Communicate mission, research, and community strengths through compelling and inclusive storytelling

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required; doctoral degree preferred
• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education, student success, nonprofit management, or related fields
• Deep expertise in culturally responsive pedagogy, African-centered learning, and equity-driven leadership
• Experience designing and managing online, digital, or hybrid learning models
• Demonstrated success leading teams of five or more in complex, multi-layered environments
• Proven ability to manage multi-million-dollar budgets, grants, and cross-institutional initiatives
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and strategic thinking skills
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Sacramento and travel statewide and nationally (up to ~40%)

Benefits

• Competitive salary ($125,000–$145,000, commensurate with experience)
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, and professional development

Equal Opportunity Statement

Umoja Community Education Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.