Educational Director - NYPA Powerup2030

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location:

Bargaining Unit:

Yes

Program Description

PowerUp2030 is a supplier development program that prepares established small and mid-sized businesses to compete for clean energy contracts in New York State. The program is a five-year statewide partnership between the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and LaGuardia Community College, managed through the Business Services unit of the Division of Adult and Continuing Education. Statewide delivery covers four cohorts per year: two upstate and two downstate, with the upstate cohorts rotating annually across five regions (Mohawk Valley, North Country, Western New York, Southern Tier, and Capital Region) to align with NYPA's clean energy investment pipeline. Each cohort serves up to 25 participants through a ten-week hybrid program of three in-person sessions and seven virtual modules. Over the contract term, the program will serve 500 small and mid-sized businesses across New York State.

Role Description

Reporting to the Assistant Dean, Business Services, the Educational Director serves as the lead architect and operator of the PowerUp2030 program, responsible for the successful design, delivery, and performance of all program components statewide. This role oversees curriculum execution and instructional quality; program operations and delivery across all four cohorts annually; supervision of Business Advisors and program staff; and serves as the primary day-to-day liaison with the New York Power Authority. The Educational Director ensures that NYPA PowerUp2030 is delivered as a high-impact, outcomes-driven program that prepares businesses to compete in New York's clean energy economy and procurement pipeline.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Delivery Oversight

• Lead execution of all PowerUp2030 cohorts (four annually: two upstate, two downstate).

• Ensure high-quality, consistent delivery across in-person, virtual, and hybrid components.

• Serve as lead facilitator or instructional presence across modules.

• Oversee session flow, participant experience, and program consistency across all four cohorts.

Curriculum and Instructional Management

• Oversee implementation of the ten-module PowerUp2030 curriculum delivered over ten weeks.

• Coordinate with NYPA subject matter experts and external instructors.

• Ensure curriculum remains applied (not theoretical) and aligned with NYPA procurement realities.

• Lead continuous improvement based on participant feedback and KPI performance.

Staff Supervision and Team Leadership

• Directly supervise Business Advisors and Program Manager.

• Set expectations for advising quality, participant engagement, and data tracking.

• Facilitate regular team meetings to review participant progress and align delivery strategies.

NYPA Relationship Management

• Serve as primary day-to-day liaison with the NYPA Program Manager and Supplier Diversity team.

• Ensure alignment with NYPA expectations, procurement priorities, and reporting requirements.

• Participate in regular check-ins, program reviews, and strategic discussions.

Statewide Program Operations and Execution

• Oversee cohort scheduling, session logistics, and facilitator coordination across upstate and downstate cohorts.

• Coordinate with SUNY SBDC regional centers for upstate venue access and regional partner introductions.

• Manage the hybrid delivery structure (three in-person sessions and seven virtual modules per cohort).

• Ensure seamless delivery across multiple cohorts and regions.

Recruitment Oversight

• Oversee recruitment strategy in partnership with the external outreach partner and internal team.

• Ensure alignment with eligibility criteria and quality of applicant pool.

• Participate in final selection decisions and interview processes.

Data, Reporting, and KPI Accountability

• Oversee all program tracking through Zoho One.

• Ensure accurate reporting on enrollment, participation, completion, and outcomes.

• Lead preparation of weekly updates, quarterly reports, and NYPA deliverables.

• Monitor KPI performance including enrollment targets, participant satisfaction, and procurement engagement benchmarks.

Participant Experience and Quality Assurance

• Ensure a high-quality, cohesive participant experience across all four cohorts and regional contexts.

• Address escalations or participant challenges.

• Maintain program standards for engagement, instructional quality, and outcomes.

Strategic Program Improvement

• Use data, feedback, and NYPA input to refine program delivery and curriculum alignment.

• Identify opportunities to enhance industry relevance and deepen participant impact.

Other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators

The Educational Director is accountable for:

• Cohort enrollment and retention.

• Program completion rates.

• Participant satisfaction (target ≥75%).

• Quality of Strategic Renewable Growth Plan (SRGP) deliverables.

• Overall program performance against NYPA KPIs.

• Team effectiveness and Business Advisor performance.

• Accuracy and timeliness of reporting.

Core Competencies and Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.

• Minimum seven years of experience in program leadership or management; workforce development, business services, or entrepreneurship programs.

• Experience managing staff and program delivery; multi-stakeholder initiatives.

• Strong facilitation and leadership skills.

• Experience with data tracking and reporting systems.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and CRM/LMS platforms.

Preferred

• Experience in clean energy, infrastructure, or construction sectors.

• Knowledge of government or utility procurement systems.

• Experience working with MWBE and SDVOB businesses.

• Familiarity with the NYC/NYS economic development ecosystem.

• Experience with multi-regional program delivery.

Work Schedule and Travel

• This is a full-time, grant-funded, in-person position, through the Research Foundation of CUNY.  Some remote work may be available, subject to change. Appointments are subject to availability of funding and satisfactory performance. 

• Required travel to upstate regional venues for in-person cohort sessions (approximately six upstate trips per year, three per upstate cohort).

• Flexible schedule aligned with program calendar, including some evenings.

About LaGuardia Community College

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree programs and more than fifty workforce training, ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 24,000 students. More than one-third of LaGuardia’s degree-seeking students are born outside the United States; they come from 136 countries and speak 43 heritage languages. Sixty percent are first-generation college students. 

Virtually all LaGuardia students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent of associate degree students are Hispanic. Upon graduation most students transfer to four-year colleges, typically in CUNY, to complete their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of career programs such as Nursing, Computer Technology, and Veterinary Technology enter the workforce. LaGuardia ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges in economic mobility – moving low-income students into the middle class and beyond – in studies by Stanford University (2017) and the Brookings Institution (2020).

Please visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $90,000 - $110,000

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals (link to https://www.rfcuny.org/RFWebsite)

About the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.
RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.