Job Description
No longer accepting applications
Job Overview
The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation is looking for a Program Lead to design and manage the Digital Benefits Network’s efforts to document and align the field of practitioners and organizations working to improve the digital service delivery for public benefits programs. We aim to bring the field together on a collaborative, shared vision of effective benefits access delivery – across shared goals, effective practices, and measures of success.
The Program Lead will lead the program design and management for two new convening bodies. First, the Digital Benefits Leadership Council is composed of nonprofits that are leaders in facilitating human-centered, tech-enabled systems that are designed with beneficiaries and staff. The Council will drive towards shared goals, metrics, measurable outcomes, and collaboration amongst the organizations.
Second, the Best Practices in Digital Benefits Delivery Advisory Committee is composed of experts providing advice on digital service journeys, shared best practices, desired outcomes, and trends in digital benefits delivery with representation across levels of government and nonprofit organizations. The committee is convened by the DBN and the American Public Human Services Association, owners of the Digital Benefits Hub, which is used to document and share best practices in the field. The Program Lead will manage and be supported in their work via consultants with expertise in measurement, evaluation, and network mapping.
The Digital Benefits Network (DBN) convenes practitioners who work in and alongside ever level of government to spark dialogue, share resources, and support better digital delivery of public benefits and services. The DBN lifts up approaches across benefit programs with a focus on food and nutrition (SNAP, WIC), health (Medicaid/CHIP), cash assistance (TANF, UBI), and unemployment insurance (UI).
The DBN identifies and responds to practitioner needs by scanning for what’s on the horizon through equity and ethics lenses and providing resources to help practitioners incorporate best practices; surfacing current challenges in human-centered digital delivery of public benefits and helping fill research on resource gaps; and sharing information and documenting emerging practices on those challenges with partners in levels of government, other nonprofit organizations, philanthropic partners, and the public. We conduct research, host events, convene communities of practice, and create shared tools and resources for the ecosystem, including the Digital Benefits Hub. We align the civic technology field on shared goals, metrics and practices to make access to public benefits more equitable, effective, and easy to navigate.
Before submitting your application to Georgetown University, visit the Beeck Center’s careers page to learn more about the recruiting process, timeline and supplemental application requirements.
Work Interactions
The Program Lead will be a member of the DBN project team and report to Ariel Kennan, Director of the Digital Benefits Network and Beeck Center Fellow. They will work closely with other DBN team members, including in research and project management functions. The Program Lead will manage vendor teams supporting the field alignment work including a network mapping consultant and measurement and evaluation consultant. There will be opportunities to mentor and manage student analysts, based on needs on a per semester basis. The role requires extensive communication with external partners, including at the executive level.
The Program Lead will also have the opportunity to partner and collaborate with other Beeck Center project leads and staff. The Beeck Center staff provides operations, communications, and student engagement support to all project teams.
Distributed Working Environment
This position has been designated as Telework. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position’s mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University’s mode of work designations for staff and AAP positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website: https://hr.georgetown.edu/mode-of-work-designation.
The Beeck Center operates as a distributed team, with some team members working remotely and others working in-person in our Washington, DC offices. A distributed team means there will be heavy reliance on asynchronous communication channels such as Slack, Asana, and Gmail, while also having many meetings fully virtual or hybrid to include remote employees, using Zoom.
The Beeck Center has two office spaces in Washington, DC: one on Georgetown University’s Main Campus and a second downtown on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus. We prioritize spending time in person with our student analysts for collaboration and career development as well as building relations across the various other centers on campus. Remote employees will have the opportunity to and are expected to travel up to 10% for team retreats, conferences and in-person work weeks.
Responsibilities
The Program Lead will be responsible for:
Program Design and Stakeholder Engagement (75%)
- Program design for the Digital Benefits Leadership Council and the Best Practices in Digital Benefits Delivery Advisory Committee including the structure, participants, governance, meeting cadence, and overall goals and outcomes.
- Program management and operations of the Council and the Committee.
- Management of a measurement and evaluation consultant (firm or individual contractor) developing and supporting shared goals, metrics, and measurement for the field.
- Leading development of an ecosystem map to document organizations and individuals in the field, what they are working on, and how they are connected.
- Management of a network mapping consultant and related software contract.
- Supporting and planning virtual and in person events in collaboration with the DBN and Beeck Center communications team.
Communications (20%)
- Lead content development for the DBN monthly newsletter, the Digital Benefits Digest, and potentially other topical “round up” style emails, which features work from across the ecosystem, in collaboration with the DBN team.
- Create communications to the council/committees including invitations, agendas, convening summaries, etc.
- Inform development of the Digital Benefits Hub including stakeholder engagement and content collection and curation.
Cross-Beeck Center Coordination (5%)
- Coordinate with the DBN team on program details, timelines, and emerging needs.
- Communicate with key Beeck Center staff around updates, coordination points, and reporting expectations.
- Support grant reporting, project proposals, and other growth-driven reporting.
Qualifications
Candidates for this position must have:
- Bachelor’s degree, and 5-7 years of experience, each year of work experience may be substituted for each year of education required.
- Experience leading, designing, implementing, and evaluating complex programs with an emphasis on capacity building and at least some of that time in public interest, nonprofits, government service, and/or academia.
- Experience with the policy and/or delivery of public benefits programs like SNAP, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance.
- Strong experience in planning and managing complex projects, and establishing and maintaining effective collaborative relationships.
- Experience managing contracts and professional services vendors.
- Experience working with managing the interests of key DBN stakeholders, including government practitioners, academics, policy leaders, and others in the civic tech community.
- Experience planning, coordinating, and facilitating events, including virtual, hybrid, and in-person.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision to meet deadlines and produce high-quality results in an environment with competing priorities and deadlines.
- Exceptional oral and written communications skills.
- Passion for creating economic opportunity and increasing access to public benefits.
Ideal candidates for this position will also have:
- Experience managing, delegating to, and mentoring junior-level support staff and/or students.
- Experience managing grants and working with funders.
- Enthusiasm to support governments as they aim to better serve the public.
- Enthusiasm and willingness to work in a university environment and leverage its strengths to support public service.
Salary, Benefits, and Employment Term
The Program Lead is a full-time, two-year term. The salary band for this position is $100,000 – 120,000, commensurate with experience, and includes full benefits.
Benefits:
Georgetown University offers a wide variety of comprehensive and competitive benefits. Benefits packages include comprehensive health, dental and vision plans, disability and life insurance coverage, retirement savings programs, tuition assistance, voluntary insurance options (including group legal, accident, and critical illness), and much more. Whatever your need, the Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits will be standing by to support you. You can learn more about the benefits offered to eligible faculty and staff at https://benefits.georgetown.edu or view the online interactive benefits guide for more information.
Before You Apply
Please visit the Beeck Center’s careers page (https://beeckcenter.georgetown.edu/jobs/) to review more details regarding the recruitment timeline and supplemental questions, which may be helpful to guide your Georgetown application.
Application Process
Step 1: Beeck Center Supplemental Application (contact details, three (3) short-answer questions, interview logistical questions)
Step 2: Georgetown University Application (standard resume — no cover letter needed)
DEADLINE: The deadline for this application in order to be considered is the end of day on Sunday, November 5.
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Need Assistance:
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Need some assistance with the application process? Please call 202-687-2500. For more information about the suite of benefits, professional development and community involvement opportunities that make up Georgetown’s commitment to its employees, please visit the Georgetown Works website.
EEO Statement:
Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation), disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.