Programs Director

Brave Like Me Foundation creates moments of joy for children with complex medical conditions. Through Brayden’s Books, we bring comfort and connection; through Brave Friends Adventures, we create unforgettable experiences; and through Brave Pets, we reunite kids with the pets who love them most. Inspired by Brayden Otten, we exist to bring courage, hope, and joy when families need it most.

Reports To: CEO

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

 

About Brave Like Me Foundation

Brave Like Me is a nonprofit organization inspired by the life of Brayden Otten. Our mission is to bring courage, hope, and joy to children with complex medical conditions through three pillars:

• Brayden’s Books (Mind): Literacy, connection, and ease of delivery for children in medical care.
• Brave Friends Adventures (Body): Joyful experiences for kids and their best friends.
• Brave Pets (Spirit): Reuniting children with their pets in medical settings.

 

We believe in creating moments of uninhibited joy and operate with values of Bravery, Belief, Hope, Love, Joy, Relentless pursuit, Integrity, Spartan stewardship, and Aspiration for growth.

 

Position Overview

The Programs Director provides leadership for the day-to-day operations of Brave Like Me’s three program pillars, with responsibility allocated across:

• Brave Pets – 50%
• Brayden’s Books – 25%
• Brave Friends – 15%
• General Program Leadership – 10%

 

This role oversees program strategy, execution, staff and volunteer management, program budgets, regulatory compliance, and hospital/partner relationships. The Programs Director ensures programs are delivered with excellence, impact, and compassion while scaling sustainably.

 

This is a full-time, exempt role based at the Brave Loft headquarters, with hybrid flexibility and occasional travel.

 

Key Responsibilities

Brave Pets (50%)

• Lead daily operations of the Mobile Family Pet Reunion Centers.
• Manage teams of part-time liaisons through a site-based structure, ensuring smooth patient scheduling, safety, and quality of reunions.
• Oversee facility readiness, compliance, and operational standards of Pet Centers.
• Maintain relationship with logistics partner to ensure reliable transport of Pet Centers.
• Monitor program outcomes and report regularly on reach, satisfaction, and impact.

Brayden’s Books (25%)

• Oversee procurement, distribution, and tracking of books across Ronald McDonald Houses and hospitals.
• Ensure book selections align with Brave Like Me’s literacy and courage-based mission.
• Coordinate partnerships with hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses for book placement and delivery.
• Track and report on program reach and impact.

Brave Friends (15%)

• Coordinate planning and execution of adventure experiences for children with complex medical conditions and their friends.
• Support family communication, event logistics, and volunteer engagement.
• Ensure activities are safe, accessible, and aligned with Brave Like Me’s values.
• Track participation, feedback, and outcomes.

General Program Leadership (10%)

• Supervise, coach, and develop part-time program staff and volunteers.
• Manage program-specific budgets, ensuring responsible fiscal stewardship.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, and hospital policies.
• Support volunteer chairs and program committees with staffing and logistics needs.
• Collaborate with HQ staff on storytelling, donor impact reporting, and program visibility.
• Participate in strategic planning to shape the long-term growth of programs.
• Represent Brave Like Me at conferences, hospital events, and partner meetings as needed.
•  

Schedule & Work Conditions

• Based at the Brave Loft HQ on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (9:00 AM–5:00 PM).
• Hybrid/remote flexibility on Mondays and Fridays.
• Up to 25% travel annually (regional and national), including occasional weekends for onboarding or program launches.
• Shares on-call coverage with CEO during operating weekends.

 

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required; nonprofit management, social work, child life, healthcare administration, or equivalent experience preferred.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in program leadership/management.
• Background in nonprofit management, healthcare, child life, or social services strongly preferred.
• Strong skills in operations, project management, delegation, and staff leadership.
• High technical proficiency; comfortable using Google Workspace, CRM/project management platforms, and virtual collaboration tools.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic planning with day-to-day execution.
• Empathy and problem-solving abilities are essential.

 

Performance Expectations

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Number and quality of successful Pet Center reunions, book distributions, and Brave Friends events.
• Positive feedback from families, hospital partners, and volunteers.
• Growth in program reach and consistency of impact.
• Compliance with program and hospital regulations.
• Effective supervision and retention of staff and volunteers.
• Timely reporting, budget compliance, and operational excellence.
• Contributions to strategic planning and program innovation.

 

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $55,000–$60,000, based on experience and skillset.
• Full-time employee benefits include:
  • Health Reimbursement Arrangement (up to $425/month single, $1,275/month family).
  • Healthcare FSA with $500 annual employer contribution.
  • Wellness Reimbursement Account.
  • PTO (10 days annually), paid holidays (including "Bravesgiving Day"), your birthday, plus summer and winter breaks .
  • Two paid days of service annually.
  • Professional development allowance.

 

Growth & Development

• Opportunity for role to grow into executive leadership
• Access to professional development funding and cross-training opportunities .
• Opportunities to represent Brave Like Me at conferences, coalitions, and hospital partner events.

Advancement not required, but available for candidates with ambition to step into senior leadership as the organization expands.