Deputy Director

Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC)
Remote (U.S.)
Salary Range: $125,000-$150,000 plus 10% performance bonus
Reports to: Executive Director

About SBNC

The Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) is building the national model for connecting college students with public benefits and basic needs resources.

Millions of college students are eligible for programs like SNAP and Medicaid, yet the majority never enroll due to complex rules, stigma, and administrative barriers. SBNC addresses this gap by partnering with colleges across the country to implement peer-led outreach programs and deploy Navvy, SBNC’s AI-enabled technology platform that screens students for benefits eligibility and supports the enrollment process.

Since launching in 2020, SBNC has grown rapidly. The organization now partners with 112 campuses nationwide, has screened more than 50,000 students, and has referred students to over $116 million in potential public benefits. In 2024, SBNC hired its first full-time Executive Director and has since grown to a $1.2 million organization with a team of five, expanding to eight staff members this year as it scales its national model.

Role Overview

The Deputy Director serves as a key leadership partner to the Executive Director, helping translate SBNC’s strategy into programs, partnerships, and operational systems that can scale nationally. While the Executive Director focuses on strategy, fundraising, and external leadership, the Deputy Director ensures SBNC’s programs, campus partnerships, and internal operations are implemented consistently and effectively as the organization grows.

SBNC operates in a startup-style environment and is building new models for how colleges connect students to public benefits by combining technology with campus-based implementation. The Deputy Director will serve as SBNC’s internal expert on how higher education institutions operate and will design the implementation and operational systems needed to support SBNC’s work across campuses. This role will oversee program staff responsible for campus partnerships, supervise an Operations Manager overseeing organizational operations, and develop the structures, workflows, and implementation models that allow SBNC’s programs and technology to scale effectively across institutions.

Success in this role will be measured by three primary outcomes:

1. SBNC staff have clear priorities, workflows, and management structures that allow the team to operate predictably and effectively as the organization grows.
2. SBNC programs and technology are implemented successfully across partner campuses, with clear systems for managing implementation and tracking outcomes.
3. Colleges adopt SBNC’s model as a sustainable part of their student support infrastructure, leading to stronger partnerships and expansion across institutions.

Key Responsibilities

Program Design and Implementation

• Lead implementation strategy for SBNC’s national programs across partner campuses, ensuring programs are designed to scale across diverse higher education institutions.
• Oversee three program staff responsible for day-to-day program execution and campus coordination, ensuring strong project management, clear timelines, and consistent follow-through.
• Develop implementation models that help colleges adopt SBNC’s technology platform and outreach approach, incorporating knowledge of how higher education institutions operate.
• Identify implementation challenges and continuously improve program delivery across campuses, translating lessons from partner colleges into stronger systems and practices.

Campus Partnerships and Adoption

• Build and manage strong relationships with partner campuses to support successful implementation of SBNC’s programs and technology.
• Identify colleges and higher education systems that are strong candidates for deeper engagement and expansion of SBNC’s work.
• Help translate SBNC’s program and technology model into offerings that institutions can adopt, sustain, and invest in over time.
• Support institutional partnership and sales cycles with senior campus leadership, including developing pricing structures and expansion opportunities.

Team Management & Leadership

• Manage and support three program staff and an Operations Manager, providing clear expectations, coaching, and ongoing professional development.
• Foster strong collaboration across program, technology, research, and operations teams to ensure effective implementation of SBNC’s work.
• Lead talent development across the organization, including recruiting, onboarding, coaching, and performance management practices.
• Serve on SBNC’s leadership team, contributing to organization-wide decisions on strategy, hiring, budgeting, and organizational priorities.
• Support the Executive Director in engaging the Board of Directors, including preparing materials, participating in meetings, and helping translate board guidance into operational priorities.

Organizational Operations and Workflow

• Supervise an Operations Manager who manages day-to-day operational responsibilities.
• Work with the Executive Director and external partners to oversee budgeting, financial planning, and overall organizational financial management.
• Monitor program and grant budgets to ensure initiatives stay on track and within funding constraints.
• Establish and maintain operational systems for project management, documentation, and internal workflows.
• Coordinate with external partners (bookkeepers, HR providers, contractors) to ensure effective organizational management and compliance.
• Develop clear internal processes that support efficient program implementation and cross-team coordination.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 10+ years of professional experience in higher education, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Experience managing large grant-funded initiatives, ideally funded by organizations such as the Gates Foundation or similar national funders.
• Experience overseeing multi-campus programs or initiatives across diverse higher education institutions.
• Proven experience managing teams and supporting staff development.
• Strong experience ensuring grant compliance, reporting, and program accountability.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in a startup or high-growth organization, building new programs, systems, or partnerships in an evolving environment.
• Experience designing operational systems, workflows, or implementation models for programs operating across multiple institutions or partners.
• Experience working with or within higher education institutions, including understanding how colleges adopt technology and programs and how offices such as financial aid, student success, and IT influence implementation.