Director of Culture and Learning

Director of Culture and Learning

Description

Full-time employment

Location: Sacramento, California (Periodic Statewide Travel Required)

Reports To: Chief Learning and Programs Officer

Status: Full-Time | Exempt | Executive Leadership Team

About Umoja

Umoja is a community of educators and learners committed to the academic success, personal growth, and self-actualization of African American and other students. The Umoja Community seeks to educate the whole student—body, mind, and spirit. Informed by an ethic of love and its vital power, the Umoja Community will deliberately engage students as full participants in the construction of knowledge and critical thought. The Umoja Community seeks to help students experience themselves as valuable and worthy of an education.

Position Summary

The Director of Culture and Learning is a senior leadership role within the Programs and Learning division responsible for advancing culturally responsive pedagogy and African-centered teaching and learning across the Umoja Community Education Foundation. This role leads the design, development, and cultivation of curriculum, professional development, and organizational culture grounded in African-centered practices, ways of knowing, and ways of being.

Unlike a traditional curriculum and instruction role, this position is designed to cascade across the entire organization—shaping not only the professional development and pedagogical resources delivered to Umoja’s 83+ campus communities, but also deepening the cultural grounding, ceremonial practices, and learning practices within UCEF’s internal operations. The Director of Culture and Learning serves as a thought leader and practitioner who is steeped in the scholarship of the African diaspora and committed to the integration of that scholarship into every dimension of Umoja’s educational mission.

Key Responsibilities

Culture and Organizational Learning

• Lead the development and facilitation of culturally responsive ceremonial practices, openings, and grounding practices for organizational events, convenings, and internal team gatherings.
• Serve as a resource and thought partner across UCEF departments on integrating African-centered principles into organizational culture, communications, and practice.
• Design and deliver professional development for UCEF staff that deepens understanding of African-centered education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and diasporic scholarship.
• Curate and recommend readings, scholarship, and resources that inform the cultural and pedagogical direction of the organization.

Curriculum and Pedagogy

• Lead the development, codification, and continuous improvement of curriculum frameworks for Umoja’s signature programs, including the Summer Learning Institute (SLI), Faculty Institute, Annual Conference, regional symposia, and Student Leadership Summit.
• Develop and maintain codified objectives, outcomes, activities, and template agendas for each program component to support institutional continuity and replicability.
• Lead the Umoja curriculum committee and provide recommendations to leadership on innovative teaching and learning approaches, strategies, and technologies.
• Provide expertise on educational theory, research, and data related to serving African American and other students, with particular emphasis on culturally responsive and African-centered pedagogical practices.
• Design and produce instructional and training collateral including lesson plans, interactive learning activities, facilitation guides, and presentations grounded in Umoja’s pedagogical philosophy.

Practitioner and Community Development

• Administer the full spectrum of strategic and operational activities related to training and development of Umoja practitioners, including strategic planning, learning impact assessment, and training evaluation.
• Lead the development of training frameworks and processes that equip campus coordinators, counselors, and faculty with culturally grounded instructional practices.
• Participate as part of the Umoja support team to provide campuses with resources, training, and technical assistance needed to strengthen their Umoja programs.
• Provide data, recommendations, and reporting related to professional development goals and outcomes to UCEF leadership.

Collaboration and Representation

• Collaborate with the Chief of Programs and Learning, Chief of Development and Communications, and other senior leaders to define and execute programming, event, and content strategies aligned with Umoja’s mission.

• Participate and serve on external workgroups, committees, and partnerships on behalf of UCEF as determined by the Chief of Programs and Learning and the CEO.
• Research and identify opportunities to integrate learning technologies that expand access to resources for Umoja students, practitioners, and stakeholders.
• Maintain current knowledge in African-centered education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and related fields through ongoing professional development and scholarship.
• Keep accurate electronic records for all professional development projects and submit records and reports as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in education, curriculum development, Africana studies, ethnic studies, cultural studies, or a closely related field. Doctorate preferred.

• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in culturally responsive or African-centered teaching, curriculum design, or professional development, preferably in higher education or community-based educational settings.
• Deep grounding in African-centered educational philosophy, pedagogy, and scholarship, including familiarity with diasporic intellectual traditions and culturally responsive teaching practices.
• Demonstrated experience designing, developing, and facilitating professional development or training in multiple modalities, including in-person, hybrid, and online formats.
• Knowledge and experience applying adult learning principles and andragogical concepts.
• Experience leading or co-leading curriculum committees, faculty development programs, or similar collaborative academic structures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and comfort with learning management systems and multimedia tools.

Desired Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in African-centered education, curriculum and instruction, cultural studies, or a related discipline.
• Experience with African-centered schools, programs, or initiatives that incorporate ceremonial practices, cultural practices, and diasporic scholarship into their educational model.
• Record of scholarship, publication, or public engagement related to African-centered teaching and learning.
• Experience in the California Community College system or familiarity with Umoja’s community college context.
• Ability to communicate effectively through verbal and written means with individuals, small groups, and large audiences.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to produce learning materials including facilitator guides, participant manuals, and curricular documentation.
• Experience with instructional design methodologies, storyboarding, and evaluation frameworks.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with diverse stakeholders while maintaining fidelity to Umoja’s mission and values.

Benefits

Umoja provides medical, dental and vision benefits paid at 100% for the employee. Paid holidays and a relaxed working environment and a competitive salary based on experience.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $95,000 to $115,000 annually.

Umoja is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

Reasonable Accommodation.

 Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact the Umoja /HR Department at (916) 661-6456 or email [email protected]