Senior Director of Programming

Senior Director of Programs

Department: Programming

Classification: Exempt

Work Hours: Full Time

About Omega Institute

Omega Institute is a nonprofit, donor-supported, educational organization at the forefront of holistic studies. For almost 50 years, Omega Institute has been an incubator for new ideas in health and wellness, spiritual and personal growth, artistic creativity and cultural change. Since our founding in 1977, we have become one of the most trusted destinations for lifelong learning in the world. People come to Omega for reasons big and small-to spark creativity, explore spirituality, improve well-being, and be part of a growing global community of lifelong learners, seekers, creators, thinkers, and doers. From the beginning, we have taken an integrated approach to personal and social change, believing that we are interconnected and responsible for each other and the earth we share. Every year, tens of thousands of people attend our innovative educational workshops, trainings, conferences, and retreats on our Hudson Valley campus and online. Throughout our history, Omega has responded by adapting to changing educational trends, participant needs, and cultural contexts. As we look forward to our next chapter, we are searching for a Senior Director of Programs to help ensure our curriculum is evolving to be highly relevant and responsive to our rapidly changing world.

Summary

The Senior Director of Programs is a visionary leader responsible for designing, curating, and implementing Omega's in-person educational programs to advance the organization's mission and values. This role requires creativity, strategic thinking, spiritual wisdom, strong experience in holistic education and personal development, and an understanding of the integrated nature of personal, social, and cultural change. The Senior Director of Programs will be joining Omega at a time of significant organizational transition and business-model realignment, and requires strong, experienced skills in leadership, development, budgeting, financial management, contract negotiation, and team building.

The Senior Director of Programs will lead the training, supervision, and guidance of the programming team to identify and deliver high quality lifelong learning programs that address the need for physical wellbeing, emotional healing and solace, expansion and delight, artistic expression, professional and personal growth, and spiritual renewal to help people navigate the rapidly changing complexities of daily life, work, relationships, communities, and the ever-shifting global landscape.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Senior Director of Programs shares the responsibility of strategic and budgetary planning and acts as a liaison between the Team and staff, to help ensure goals are understood and achieved.

The successful candidate will have a proven track-record of program development and management as well as the confidence and experience to engage with prominent thought-leaders and teachers in the holistic education field. Additionally, the successful candidate will have the curiosity, drive, and skills to connect and work collaboratively with creative, daring, spiritually wise, and intellectually rigorous experts, authors, influencers, artists, and change agents around the world.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Program Development & Strategy

• Develop a strategic vision for Omega's programs, ensuring alignment with the organization's mission and evolving audience needs.
• Lead the curation and development of an innovative mix of workshops, retreats, and conferences across diverse disciplines, including holistic health & wellness, mindfulness, spiritual development, relationships, leadership, social change, sustainability, and creative expression.
• Identify, engage and contract with world-class faculty, thought leaders, influencers, and practitioners to deliver transformative programming.
• Partner with the Chief Digital Content Officer and Omega Digital to identify and produce inspiring, effective, wide reaching Omega learning experiences and content for digital distribution that has mission impact and creates financial support for Omega's work.
• Work collaboratively with the People & Culture Department to create and manage the seasonal staff educational programs.
• In collaboration with the founders and Centers' teams, advance the work of the Omega Women's Leadership Center (OLWC), the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL), and Omega initiatives, including Taking Care of Change, by supporting the research, development, and hosting of programs that advance the goals of these programs.
• Partner with operational team members to anticipate, address, and resolve any faculty, production, or campus operations needs during the Omega season.

Leadership & Team Management

• Participate as a member of the Senior Leadership Team in the overall planning, implementation and evaluation of organizational goals, including acting as bridge between strategy, goals and staff deliverables.
• Working closely with the CFO and other officers, help develop Omega annual budget and direct programming budgets, contracts, and schedules to ensure financial sustainability and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with other departments, including Marketing, Operations, and Development, to ensure cohesive program delivery and meeting or exceeding financial goals of the department.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the programming team, fostering collaboration and professional growth.
• Collaborate with other departments, including Marketing, Operations, and Development, to ensure cohesive program delivery and meeting or exceeding financial goals of the department.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to achieve our People & Culture goals, including our Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) goals.
• Lead the programming team in contract negotiation and conflict resolution should issues arise from time of faculty agreement through the program's production.
• In consultation with the President & CEO, work directly with the founders of the organization, board members and other organizational stakeholders regarding programming and exploring their program ideas.

Partnerships, Community Engagement & Outreach

• Work closely with the President & CEO and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to help identify and build partnerships with organizations, educators, and influencers to expand Omega's reach and impact.
• Work with Omega's initiatives and our Taking Care of Change program to build synergy and impact in alignment with our mission and goals.
• Engage with Omega's alumni and community to gather feedback and maintain strong relationships.
• Represent Omega at events, conferences, and networking opportunities to enhance visibility and reputation.
• Partner with the Development Team to identify opportunities for philanthropic support for Omega's programs, including the growth and development of Omega's membership program.

Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Develop, iterate, and operationalize program performance metrics, including participant feedback, to assess impact and identify areas for improvement.
• Stay informed on industry trends and emerging practices in holistic education and personal development.

Program Promotion & Communications

• Partner with the marketing team and faculty to help create the most successful outreach for programs.
• Partner with the communications team on brand expression through all of our programs and how we market and communicate about them.

Other job responsibilities as deemed necessary by supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibility

Manage the programming team and carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Work Details

• This position is based at Omega Institute's campus in Rhinebeck, NY, with potential for hybrid or remote work arrangements. Seasonal flexibility may be required to support peak program times, including work on weekends and through consecutive learning events.
• This is a full-time position.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to frequently move items that weigh 20 pounds for various needs.
• Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Ability to traverse a hilly campus in diverse weather conditions.
• Ability to position self to perform diverse job tasks as necessary.
• Ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand, and ability to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Ability to observe details at close range.

Required Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in education, nonprofit management, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in program development, education, or a related leadership role.
  • Experience in holistic studies, wellness, or mindfulness education is highly desirable.
  • Management Experience: Managing teams of 5-10 people, budget development and monitoring, contract creation and negotiation.
  • A proven track-record of program development and management
  • Long-established relationships with many of the prominent thought-leaders and teachers in the holistic education field.
• Attributes:
  • Has the curiosity, drive, and skills to connect and work collaboratively with creative, daring, spiritually wise, and intellectually rigorous experts, artists, teachers, and change agents around the world.
  • Is an independent, optimistic, creative and collaborative problem solver with the ability to anticipate both short- and long-term challenges, and to proactively initiate solutions in coordination with multiple internal and external cross-functional partners.
  • Strong ability to build relationships, increase knowledge sharing, drive efficiency, and grow capacity within our organization to maximize the collective impact.
  • Passionate about Omega's mission and committed to holistic education and our integrated approach to personal and social change.
  • Culturally competent, with a commitment to Omega's core values and aspirations.
  • Creative, adaptable, and able to thrive in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Omega complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable New York State or local laws. Consistent with those requirements, Omega will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability if such accommodation would allow the individual to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Inc. ("Omega") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, New York State, and local laws. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. As a community of learners, we are committed to putting our organizational aspirations into practice, as outlined in our Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) Statement.

Omega strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of actual or perceived race; color; creed; age; religion; national origin; citizenship status; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions); gender (including gender identity); sexual orientation; disability; marital status; partnership status; familial status; status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses; genetic predisposition; veteran's status; military status; or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. All Omega employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.

A cover letter is required, applications without a cover letter will not be considered:
After carefully reviewing the requirements below, qualified individuals are invited to apply. A resume and well-crafted cover letter should be attached that serves as an introduction and includes the following:

• Why are you applying for this role?
• What can you offer Omega?
• What do you imagine this role will offer you professionally and personally?
• How do you know Omega's work? Have you experienced us on campus or in some other way?
• In what way has your professional life reflected Omega's mission statement?
• In what way has Omega's core values resonated within your work life and personal life?
• How has your previous work experience prepared you for this role?
• What are your salary requirements? (Feel free to state a range.)

No phone calls please