Associate Director of Programs

[Partners for Rural Impact’s (PRI)](https://partnersrural.org/) ultimate goal is for an America where all kids are successful, regardless of zip code, income, background, or ability. At PRI, our focus is on ensuring that all children in rural places achieve success. Partners for Rural Impact was born out of our place-based partnership in Appalachia, where we’ve worked for 25 years to create student opportunity and success. Position Summary Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Associate Director (AD) is responsible for the successful execution, performance, and compliance of a portfolio of programs and grants from launch through close-out. This role oversees program quality, financial stewardship, risk management, and measurable outcomes to ensure all initiatives meet grant requirements and organizational expectations. The AD maintains a strong working knowledge of each project’s design, staffing, budget, performance metrics, and operational risks, using data to monitor progress, identify gaps, and support continuous improvement. In partnership with the Director, the AD ensures Project Directors have the tools, support, and accountability structures needed to achieve results aligned with grant objectives, school accountability systems, curriculum standards, and state assessments. This role enforces strong compliance across human resources, financial management, contracts, procurement, data governance, and audit readiness, while fostering a culture of ownership, transparency, and results-based accountability. The position leads and operates with the goal that All Rural Students Succeed. Primary Duties and Responsibilities To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements of the position are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required, with regular and predictable attendance essential. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Program & Grant Management - Partner with Project Directors to ensure the successful execution of programs and grants across the full lifecycle, including launch, implementation, monitoring, and close-out - Ensure programs align with grant requirements, school accountability systems, curriculum standards, and state assessments - Support day-to-day operations and lead assigned workstreams within the portfolio - Facilitate collaboration across teams and partners to promote alignment, communication, and shared accountability Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement - Monitor grant deliverables, implementation progress, performance measures, and operational data to identify emerging concerns, support timely intervention, and inform course correction efforts in partnership with the Director of Programs - Analyze program data and reports to identify gaps, elevate risks, and support continuous improvement across the portfolio - Foster a culture of accountability, high expectations, and continuous improvement to ensure staff have the knowledge, support, and resources needed for success Compliance, Financial Oversight & Risk Management - Support leadership in maintaining compliance across financial management, human resources, data governance, contracts, procurement, and audit readiness - Ensure expenditures comply with federal and grant requirements for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness, with appropriate documentation and financial controls in place - Identify, monitor, and mitigate programmatic, financial, and operational risks to support effective risk management practices - Ensure consistent implementation of organizational policies, procedures, and operational standards across all programs Leadership & Staff Support - Provide coaching, guidance, and oversight to Project Directors to strengthen program implementation, problem-solving, and results - Perform other duties as assigned to support program goals and maintain a pos…