Director, Adult Education

Job Title: Director of Adult Education Reports To: Chief Learning Officer Classification: Exempt Supervisory Responsibilities: Bright Beginnings Parent Time Manager, Adult Education Program Coordinator, Evening Program Assistant, Volunteer Teachers Date: 7/12/2026 Mission: Grace Place puts faith into action, providing pathways out of poverty by educating children and families.. Position Summary: Reporting to the Chief Learning Officer, the Director of Adult Education provides strategic leadership and overall accountability for Grace Place Adult Education and Bright Beginnings Parent Time programming. This includes English language and literacy, citizenship preparation, digital literacy, financial literacy, parent education, and related workforce and family learning opportunities. The Director ensures that programs are high\-quality, responsive to adult learners and families, aligned with organizational priorities, and supported by measurable outcomes. This position leads program planning, manager and staff performance, volunteer engagement, student and family enrollment and retention, assessment, data integrity, budgeting, partnerships, compliance, and continuous improvement. The Director directly supervises the Bright Beginnings Parent Time Manager and provides strategic oversight of Parent Time classes across all Bright Beginnings courses. The Director also serves as the Family Literacy lead and system owner for the successful implementation, configuration, rollout, adoption, and ongoing use of the Blackbaud database across the entire Family Literacy team. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Strategic Program Leadership Set the strategic direction, annual goals, performance measures, and implementation plans for Adult Education and Bright Beginnings Parent Time in alignment with Grace Place priorities, Strategic Plan and the Family Literacy model. Provide overall leadership for Adult Education programming, including Bright Beginnings Parent courses, daily ESL classes, citizenship preparation, digital literacy, financial literacy, and other adult learning opportunities. Use program data, student and parent feedback, staff and volunteer input, and community needs to evaluate effectiveness, address barriers, and guide program improvement or expansion. Collaborate with Early Childhood Education, Development, Finance, Operations, and other departments to align Adult Education, Parent Time, and early childhood services and strengthen two\-generation outcomes. Ensure strong alignment among Parent Time, Adult Education/ESL, and Early Childhood Education programming so that families receive coordinated two\-generation services and consistent learning supports. Curriculum and Instructional Quality Oversee curriculum, instruction, scheduling, and learner support for daily ESL classes, citizenship preparation, digital literacy, financial literacy, workforce readiness, and other adult learning opportunities. Ensure instruction reflects effective adult learning, English language acquisition, family literacy, and culturally responsive practices and produces measurable student growth. Hold the Bright Beginnings Parent Time Manager accountable for curriculum implementation, weekly lesson plans, family literacy homework, supplemental materials, and engaging instructional activities that strengthen learning at Grace Place and at home. Review classroom observations, assessments, lesson plans, evaluations, and learner feedback; use findings to strengthen instructional quality and consistency. Ensure instructional materials, technology, class schedules, and learning environments are accessible, inclusive, and responsive to learner and family needs. Staff Leadership and Program Operations Directly supervise, coach, support, and evaluate staff,\- paid and unpaid, establish clear expectations, work plans, responsibilities, and accountability measures. Address performance or conduct concerns in collaboration with Human Resources and ensure timely follow\-up, documentation, and support. Identify professional development needs and ensure all staff are trained to carry out instructional, assessment, database, communication, supervision, and compliance responsibilities. Ensure appropriate staffing, class formation, schedules, volunteer coverage, and operational continuity for Adult Education and Parent Time programming. Lead regular team meetings, professional learning, data reviews, and operational check\-ins to strengthen quality, communication, accountability, and staff engagement. Create a collaborative, inclusive, and results\-focused culture that promotes strong relationships with adult learners, parents, families, volunteers, and community partners. Enrollment, Assessment, and Participant/Family Support Oversee outreach, recruitment, registration, orientation, assessment, placement, attendance, retention, advancement, and completion processes for Adult Education students and Bright Beginnings families, as applicable. Ensure CASAS testing and related assessment activities are completed accurately and on schedule, including test assignment, administration, troubleshooting, reporting, and staff training. Establish effective systems for communicating with students and parents regarding schedules, expectations, progress, goals, available resources, and program changes. Monitor Parent Time registration and family selection, attendance, retention, parent engagement, communication, and interventions to promote safe, nurturing, and beneficial experiences for participating families. Monitor barriers to participation and coordinate supports, interventions, or referrals that strengthen student and family engagement and persistence. Program Systems, Compliance, and Quality Assurance Serve as the primary Family Literacy system owner and implementation lead for the Blackbaud database, with direct accountability for successful setup, implementation, rollout, adoption, and ongoing use across the Family Literacy team. Develop and manage the implementation plan, timeline, milestones, responsibilities, risk tracking, decision\-making process, communication, testing, launch, and post\-launch support. Partner with Blackbaud representatives, consultants, Information Technology, Finance, Development, Operations, and Family Literacy program leaders to define requirements and configure program structures, data fields, workflows, permissions, dashboards, reports, and documentation. Direct data mapping, cleanup, migration, validation, user acceptance testing, issue resolution, and go\-live readiness to ensure information is complete, accurate, secure, and usable. Develop standard operating procedures, data\-entry standards, training materials, and a comprehensive rollout plan; ensure Family Literacy employees are trained and consistently use the system as required. Monitor system adoption, data quality, confidentiality, access controls, and compliance through regular reviews and audits; resolve gaps and coordinate enhancements or process improvements. Ensure compliance with applicable Grace Place policies, grant requirements, data standards, and federal, state, and local regulations. Maintain complete, accurate, organized, and audit\-ready program records and documentation and promptly address compliance, data, or reporting concerns. Evaluation, Outcomes, and Reporting Establish and monitor Adult Education and Parent Time outcomes, performance indicators, and continuous\-improvement measures that demonstrate student and family progress and program impact. Ensure attendance, enrollment, assessments, questionnaires, services, volunteer activity, and other required data are entered accurately and on time in Blackbaud and any other required systems. Review data and program results to identify trends, address gaps, improve services, and communicate achievements, challenges, and recommendations to the Chief Learning Officer. Produce and review dashboards, internal reports, grant reports, outcome summaries, and other information for organizational leadership, funders, partners, and the Board as requested. Collaborate with Development and Finance on grant proposals, budgets, reporting, and documentation related to Adult Education, Parent Time, and Family Literacy outcomes. Family and Community Engagement and Partnerships Build strong relationships with adult learners, parents, and families and ensure programming is responsive to their goals, needs, strengths, and experiences. Develop and maintain partnerships with public agencies, educational institutions, schools, community organizations, employers, and service providers that expand educational, workforce, and family support opportunities. Represent Grace Place professionally at meetings, coalitions, conferences, and community events related to adult education, family literacy, workforce development, and parent education. Participate in organizational planning, leadership meetings, Family Literacy Days, and cross\-department initiatives. Volunteer Management Oversee systems for the recruitment, onboarding, placement, scheduling, training, communication, support, observation, coaching, recognition, and retention of Adult Education and Parent Time volunteer teachers, facilitators, translators, and office volunteers. Collaborate with the Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator to maintain an adequate, well\-supported volunteer workforce and promptly address placement, performance, or communication concerns. Budget and Resource Management Develop and manage the Adult Education and Parent Time budgets; monitor expenditures, purchasing, inventory, facilities needs, technology requests, and other program resources. Collaborate with Finance and Development on grant budgets, proposals, reporting, documentation, and donor or Board presentations related to Adult Education, Parent Time, and Family Literacy outcomes. Ensure responsible stewardship of program resources and promptly communicate significant budget, staffing, facility, technology, or operational needs. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Qualifications Education Bachelor's degree in education, adult education, TESOL, nonprofit management, public administration, or a related field required; master's degree preferred. Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in adult education, parent education, family literacy, nonprofit programming, or a related human\-services setting. At least three years of successful staff supervision, including supervision of managers or program leads, as well as program leadership, budgeting, project management, and performance accountability experience. Experience leading a database, CRM, or enterprise system implementation, including requirements gathering, configuration, data migration, testing, training, rollout, and adoption; Blackbaud experience strongly preferred. Experience working with adult English learners, parent education or family literacy programming, volunteers, assessments, grant\-funded programs, and culturally diverse communities preferred. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Bilingual English and Spanish required. Strong strategic planning, project management, change management, and problem\-solving skills, with the ability to lead complex initiatives from planning through implementation. Demonstrated ability to use data to evaluate performance, improve services, and communicate impact to varied audiences. Knowledge of adult learning principles, parent education, family literacy and two\-generation programming, English language instruction, student assessment, and volunteer\-supported educational programming. Advanced proficiency with databases, reporting tools, Microsoft Office, virtual learning platforms, and technology used to manage programs and outcomes. Excellent leadership, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; ability to build trust, manage conflict, and hold staff accountable. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders with a high degree of accuracy and follow\-through. Commitment to the mission, faith statement, and core values of Grace Place. Valid Florida driver license and ability to travel locally as needed. Current First Aid and CPR certification, or ability to obtain within 90 days of employment. Ability to successfully complete required background screening and fingerprinting and meet applicable good moral character requirements. Additional Information Position Type and Expected Working Hours Full\-time, exempt. Anticipated working hours are 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday, and 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Fridays, with flexibility for evenings and weekends as needed. Regular travel between Grace Place locations and off\-site meetings may be required. Essential Physical Requirements of This Role Include Although this is an administrative role, the Director of Adult Education must be able and prepared to step into a classroom at any time to maintain required staffing ratios, ensure participant safety, or support classroom operations when needed. Lift, carry, or hold materials, equipment, or children weighing between 10 and 40 pounds. Occasionally lift or assist with weight exceeding 40 pounds. Sit on the floor or low chairs, stand, walk, bend, squat, kneel, reach (overhead, at, and below shoulder level), twist, and move quickly between areas of the classroom and campus throughout the workday. Move at a pace sufficient to ensure participant safety across classrooms, common spaces, and outdoor areas, including uneven surfaces. Communicate clearly through spoken word to students, families, and staff. Remain physically active and mentally alert for extended periods of time to respond immediately to the needs of students, families, and any unexpected situations or emergencies. Maintain the energy, stamina, and awareness necessary to perform essential job functions throughout the assigned shift. Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to enable qualified individuals to perform these essential functions. Background Screening Requirement All applicants must successfully complete required State and National background screening as a condition of employment prior to beginning work at Grace Place for Children and Families. Screening is conducted in accordance with applicable Florida law, including Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, and, when applicable, Chapter 408, Florida Statutes. Background screening includes fingerprinting for FDLE and FBI criminal history checks and review through the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Employment is contingent upon receipt, review, and approval of screening results. Clearinghouse. Clearinghouse \| Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Mission Alignment As a member of the Grace Place team, this individual is expected to value and actively support the organization's Vision, Mission, Faith Statement, and Organizational Core Values. Equal Employment Opportunity Grace Place values diversity in the workplace and among our partners and stakeholders. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. This policy applies to all phases of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, transfer, compensation, training, and termination. Employees and applicants shall not be subjected to harassment or retaliation for filing a complaint, participating in an investigation, opposing unlawful practices, or exercising any legal right protected under equal employment opportunity law. Supervisors are responsible for the affirmative implementation of these policies. Violations may result in disciplinary action. Disclaimer: This job description is not designed to cover a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities required. Other duties may be assigned at any time with or without notice.