Executive Director, Indy Scholars

Executive Director 

The Opportunity:  

Indy Scholars is a new, high-impact initiative designed to dramatically increase college completion and economic mobility for students across Marion County. As Executive Director, you will serve as the founding leader and chief builder of Indy Scholars—responsible for designing, launching, and scaling a scholarship and postsecondary success platform from the ground up. You will lead the effort to support hundreds of students entering college each year and build the systems, partnerships, and team needed to ensure 80% or more of scholars graduate college debt-free. This role requires an entrepreneurial leader who loves helping young adults succeed, thrives in ambiguity, takes full ownership of outcomes, and can translate vision into disciplined execution at scale.

Program Implementation Responsibilities

• Supports scholars through mentoring, career exploration, and academic success
• Supports scholars in applying for scholarships and financial aid, campus visits, selecting a major, etc. 
• Supports college success through academic support and by leveraging campus resources
• Supports scholar career readiness through paid internships, resume writing, mock interviews, and financial coaching
• Supports scholars in securing good-paying jobs upon graduation

High School & Pre-College Programming

• Design, implement, and oversee high school programs that support scholars, including academic support, mentoring, college readiness, career exploration, and leadership development
• Develop program curricula, materials, and resources to meet the needs of diverse scholars
• Ensure programs align with the organization’s mission, goals, and meet the needs of scholars
• Lead high school network convenings and workshops for partner high school staff

Scholar & Family Engagement

• Build and maintain positive relationships with scholars, families, and school administrators
• Develop and implement strategies to engage families in their scholars’ academic success and college completion goals
• Collaborate with schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders to enhance program offerings and support services

Teams, Systems & Operations

• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and foster a collaborative, supportive team environment
• Develop and lead the Indy Scholars Team to ensure persistence, enrollment, and completion rates among scholars in our program are continuously increasing
• Create, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for core program processes
• Work collaboratively to develop and/or improve systems, processes, controls, and procedures that improve the overall efficiency of the program
• Develops team culture and organizational structure through training, succession planning, and career development pathways

Data, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Collect, analyze, and report on program data, including scholar participation, outcomes, and feedback
• Evaluate program effectiveness and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement and program growth

Essential Outcome Responsibilities

• Graduation Rate: Double college graduation rates for first-generation scholars to exceed 80% by providing comprehensive coaching, summer bridge programs, and last-dollar scholarships
• Persistence Rate: Maintain an annual student persistence rate of at least 90% through year-round mentoring from Scholar Advocates and the development of campus-based Ambassador programs
• Enrollment Growth: Increase college enrollment rates for underrepresented students in Marion County by 20% through targeted pre-college advocacy and 21st Century Scholars eligibility support
• Program Scale & Growth: Support 500+ scholars annually while expanding the program by at least 100 new scholars every year through recruitment pipelines starting as early as 6th grade
• Scholar Advocacy: Transition the support model to include dedicated Scholar Advocates as one-on-one case managers for every student to ensure no scholar navigates college alone
• Financial & Resource Readiness: Ensure 100% of departing scholars receive "care packages" and identify secondary scholarships to cover non-tuition costs, including room, board, and technology
• Family Income & Support: Help scholar families improve annual incomes by facilitating participation in "Skilled US" and providing workshops on financial planning and college readiness
• Career Placement: Ensure 100% of graduating scholars are placed in careers paying family-sustaining wages by securing paid internships and direct industry connections

Minimum Job Experience and Skills

• At least five (5) years of relevant work-related experience 
• Demonstrated success in managing a comprehensive and complex array of projects with intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and a results-oriented approach 
• Proven experience leading teams, supervising staff, and managing organizational operations
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with diverse audiences
• Innovative, solutions-oriented mindset with strong attention to detail and results 
• Willingness and ability to work nights and weekends

Minimum Education, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Bachelor's Degree required 

Core Competencies

• Financial Strategist: Expert at navigating complexities of FAFSA, state grants, and private philanthropic funds
• Relationship Architect: Able to build high-level trust with university presidents, state officials, and community leaders
• Systems Thinker: Capable of managing a “K-12 to Career” pipeline that spans multiple organizations and funding streams
• Persistent Advocate: Demonstrates unwavering commitment to removing the financial and social barriers that prevent low-income students from graduating

Our Core Values

• Empowerment: The Institute prioritizes empowering its scholars by providing them with the resources, knowledge, and skills to succeed academically and professionally. This empowerment extends beyond individual success and inspires scholars to make positive contributions to their communities.
• Equity and Inclusion: The Institute strives to create an environment where scholars from all

backgrounds have equal access to opportunities and are valued and supported in their educational journey. This approach helps to break down barriers and foster a more diverse and inclusive society.

• Continuous Improvement: By regularly seeking feedback, assessing program effectiveness, and adapting to changing needs, the Institute ensures it remains responsive and relevant to the challenges and opportunities facing its scholars.
• Integrity and Ethical Leadership: This includes transparency in operations, honesty in communications, and a commitment to ethical practices in all endeavors. This value serves as a model for scholars, encouraging them to lead with integrity in their future careers.
• Collaboration and Community Engagement: Recognizing that collective efforts yield greater impacts, the Institute values collaboration with educational partners, community organizations, and industry leaders.

Please read carefully.

Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

By completing this application you understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for PLA to hire me. If hired, I understand that either PLA or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of PLA has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary.

You attest by applying to this position that you have given PLA true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. I authorize PLA to contact references provided for employment reference checks. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.