Deputy Executive Director

Breakthrough is the leading college access and success nonprofit in Central Texas. For more than 20 years, we have partnered with thousands of middle and high school students who aspire to be the first in their family to graduate with a degree or certificate. We make a radical, long-term commitment to students, to and through college, unlocking the power of education and a lifetime of opportunity. We support the whole student with personalized services, work closely with community partners, campuses, and employers, and advocate for our students with lawmakers. Breakthrough students attend 60+ public schools and persist at nearly 100 colleges and universities. The result is that 60% of Breakthrough students graduate from college, compared to 15% of low-income students in our region. Our work has resulted in more than 550 college graduates, with more than 3,700 on their way, positively impacting families for generations and our region’s ability to provide education opportunities for all young people.

Breakthrough Central Texas seeks a strategic, systems-oriented leader to serve as Deputy Executive Director (DED), responsible for organization-wide leadership of Breakthrough’s program strategy, execution, and outcomes. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the DED manages four Chief Program Officers: the Chief Middle School Programs Officer, Chief High School Programs Officer, Chief College Access Officer, and Chief College and Career Success Officer. Collectively, this team oversees Breakthrough’s Program Team of more than 80 staff and AmeriCorps members serving approximately 3,700 students from middle school through postsecondary completion.

• →Student-Centered Impact Orientation. Demonstrates dedication to supporting all students’ growth and postsecondary success by setting and achieving ambitious, measurable goals and ensuring that organizational strategy, systems, and outcomes remain centered on student impact.
• →Inclusive Communication. Operates with cultural humility and demonstrates written, verbal, and digital communication skills across a range of settings, fostering an inclusive environment that effectively engages stakeholders across diverse identities and experiences.
• →Relationship Building. Builds trusting, effective relationships that enable collaboration, productive dialogue, and authentic partnership with colleagues, students, families, community partners, institutional stakeholders, and other key constituents.
• →Continuous Learning and Improvement. Embraces and applies feedback, demonstrates curiosity and a growth mindset, and leads a culture of continuous learning and improvement that strengthens individual performance and organizational outcomes.
• →Prioritization and Resourcefulness. Effectively allocates time, attention, and resources to the highest-impact priorities, leveraging networks, tools, and innovative approaches to achieve outcomes in complex environments.
• →Managing Complexity. Exhibits sound judgment and inclusive decision-making in highly complex and ambiguous situations, responding with flexibility, adaptability, and a bias toward thoughtful action.
• →Strategic Thinking. Aligns program and organizational strategy with Breakthrough’s mission and long-term vision, translating strategic priorities into clear direction, systems, and measurable outcomes across teams and functions.
• →Cross-Functional Leadership. Leads collaboratively across departments and functions to ensure strategic alignment, operational coherence, and meaningful impact, while stewarding organizational culture and effectiveness.
• →Talent Development. Coaches and develops senior leaders, ensuring they set priorities, build skills, meet goals, and grow toward professional aims while strengthening leadership capacity across the organization.
• →Managing Through Layers. Supports and develops senior leaders to effectively lead their teams, engaging in skip-level leadership when appropriate to ensure clarity, alignment, strong supervision, and consistent staff support across all levels of the organization.
• →Data Tracking and Evaluation. Ensures that systems for data collection, tracking, and analysis are accurate, comprehensive, and used with fidelity to drive decision-making, inform program design, and strengthen student outcomes at scale.
• →Campus, Institutional, and System Navigation and Partner Cultivation. Works effectively across school systems, higher education institutions, and community organizations, cultivating and stewarding partnerships that support students in navigating systems, accessing resources, and achieving their goals.
• →Student Pathway Strategy and Program Expertise. Demonstrates deep understanding of the student pathway from middle school through postsecondary success. Uses this expertise to guide strategy, evaluate programs, and coach leaders to deliver aligned, high-impact services.

The Deputy Executive Director will report to the Executive Director. Direct reports are the Chief Middle School Officer, Chief High School Officer, Chief College Access Officer and Chief College and Career Success Officer. As a member of the Breakthrough Leadership Team, the role will also work closely with the Chief Development and Communications Officer and the Chief Operations Officer.

To apply, visit Breakthrough’s career page: www.breakthroughctx.org/careers.

Breakthrough Central Texas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability.