Director, Program Operations

Position Overview

Point Foundation seeks a systems-minded, detail-driven Director, Program Operations to own the requirements, systems, and workflows that carry applicants and scholars through every stage of Point's programs. This is a builder role for an operations leader who loves designing processes that work reliably for thousands of students at once. The Director will own Point's scholarship application portals and scholar CRM, administer the requirements that determine scholars' payments and continued eligibility, and lead operations for scholar programming. Working closely with the Chief Program Officer, the Sr. Director, Technology & Systems, and the Scholarships and Scholar Programs teams, the Director will set and document program requirements and ensure the systems behind them reflect program needs. As Point grows the number of scholars it serves, this role builds the operational foundation that lets a nimble team deliver a fair, consistent experience at scale.

Reports to: Chief Program Officer, Tina Kim

Status: Full time, exempt

Supervises: None

Location: Remote position based in the greater Los Angeles area. Occasional in-person meetings and events require candidates to be located in, or willing to relocate to, the L.A. area. Relocation assistance is available.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Systems Ownership - own Point's scholarship application portals and scholar CRM, including configuration, maintenance, and ongoing improvement. Partner with the Sr. Director, Technology & Systems and the Director, Development Operations to plan and launch Point's CRM strategy; lead program-side tool selection and implementation so that programs get what they need.
• Scholar Lifecycle Operations- oversee operations across the full scholar lifecycle, from application and review through awarding, payment, renewal, and program completion. Manage the timelines and daily workflows to keep each stage on track, and deliver a smooth experience for applicants, scholars, and the volunteer and paid readers who review applications.
• Scholar Communications & Completion Campaigns -
  own all scholar communications about requirements, including expectations, deadlines, reminders, and outcomes. Design and run multi-touch email and SMS campaigns triggered by requirement status, track completion rates, and adjust outreach to close gaps before deadlines.
• Requirements & Eligibility Review -
  administer, track, and review scholar requirements for approval, determining whether scholars qualify for payment and continued eligibility. Set program requirements in partnership with the Chief Program Officer, maintain the policy documentation behind them, and refine procedures as programs evolve.
• Program Event Operations - own the operational infrastructure for Point's scholar programming, including the National Leadership Conference, such as registration, attendance tracking, scholar communications, and the data and workflows behind each event.
• Data Integrity, Security & Reporting -
  maintain clean, consistent, well-governed program data that meets the organization-wide standards set by the Sr. Director, Technology & Systems. Protect sensitive scholar information through appropriate access controls, privacy practices, and security protocols, and produce summary reports from end-of-term scholar data.
• Cross-Team Collaboration -
  partner regularly with the Scholarships and Scholar Programs teams to ensure operational systems meet their needs and objectives.
• AI Innovation & Adoption- serve as a champion and resource for driving program team efficiency through the introduction of AI tools that reduce manual work and automate routine functions.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in scholarship administration, financial aid, student services, or program operations.
• 2+ years in a senior leadership role managing eligibility, compliance, or requirement-review processes at scale, tracking and communicating with large student populations (2,000+) through systems, automated workflows, and mass communications.
• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent professional experience in lieu of a degree.
• Hands-on experience configuring and maintaining a CRM or application management platform, including building forms, workflows, automations, user permissions, and reports.
• Demonstrated experience designing and launching multi-touch requirement-completion campaigns across email and SMS that drive thousands of students to finish requirements on time.
• Proficiency in cleaning, reconciling, analyzing, and reporting on large program datasets, including advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills (pivot tables, lookups, data validation) and AI tools.
• Discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive scholar information.
• Passionate about Point's mission and enthusiasm about communicating the organization's philosophy, mission, and values.
• Commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in all areas of responsibility and across the organization.

Core Competencies - Our Ways of Working

• Ownership: Owns outcomes, not just tasks. Follows through on commitments or proactively resets expectations, and raises issues early and directly.
• Learn & Adapt: Stays curious and self-aware. Seeks feedback, reflects on impact, and applies learnings as conditions change.
• Focus & Excellence: Prioritizes the highest-impact work, delivers consistent high-quality results, and makes tradeoffs visible and intentional.
• Trust & Belonging: Builds relationships grounded in respect, honesty, and inclusion. Engages candidly, assumes good intent, and addresses issues constructively.
• Collaborate for Scale & Growth: Clarifies roles and handoffs, shares information transparently, commits to decisions once made, and designs sustainable, repeatable systems over "boutique" solutions.

Compensation and Accommodations

Pay range: $110,000 - $145,000/year. This role is also eligible for an annual bonus based on performance. Our total compensation goes well beyond salary: Point pays 100% of employee health insurance premiums, with coverage for dependents available at additional cost. Our full benefits package also includes a 403(b) retirement plan with an employer match of up to 3%.