We’re hiring: Gearin’ Up Bicycles Program Director

Position Overview:

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is hiring a Program Director to oversee Gearin’ Up Bicycles. Gearin’ Up’s purpose is to create career development opportunities and teach essential workplace skills to youth from under-served communities, while encouraging cycling as a practical, healthy means of transportation. Gearin’ Up provides access to quality, affordable, used bicycles for those in need and hosts various community outreach programs throughout the year. Our community-focused organization focuses on four pillars to achieve our mission: job training, refurbished bicycles, experimental education, and community engagement.

The program funds itself through a community bicycle shop and engagement with an exceptional group of donors. The ways Gearin’ Up entices D.C. youth to engage with the program is by offering them a bicycle with a certain number of hours spent repairing bikes, and job training. Many decide to stay on at Gearin’ Up and are hired as part time mechanics, learning valuable skills and building community. 

Job Responsibilities:

The program has been around since 2013, and in a new partnership with WABA, particularly during the first year, the focus will be on: 

• Build relationships with leaders who can connect to youth, particularly in Wards 7 and 8. 
• Reestablish Gearin’ Up’s Earn-A-Bike program, that focuses on developing the skills needed to be successful in the workplace
• Find a new location to open a community bicycle shop and accept used bike donations.
• Schedule and staff monthly events where donors and volunteers repair bikes
• Recruit, manage, and inspire a strong team that includes volunteers, donors, and WABA staff that connect communities to WABA’s work in the region, as well as provide bicycle repair services. 
• Manage all aspects of the bicycle shop in a temporary location or with pop-up shops. 
• Grow Gearin’ Up’s supporter network in connection with WABA’s Development Director and reestablish connections with donors who have previously given to Gearin Up..
• Help lead the rebrand of Gearin’ Up with a new website, materials, outreach and more
• Administers the acquisition and storage of physical property acquired from the current Gearin Up location.

Beyond the first year, it is expected that the job will become more steady, in terms of less need to find a space, do pop-up bike shops in the interim (though they may continue) and hire an entirely new mechanic staff. But, it will still be a very challenging role, with expectations of: 

• Mentoring bike mechanics, as well as Earn A Bike participants
• Being a visionary leader, who will mentor and manage staff at Gearin’ Up; 
• Financial responsibility of projecting budget, fundraising and sales goals; and tracking progress of set metrics throughout the year.
• Creating, building support, and managing a robust youth outreach program, funded at least in part by Washington, D.C. 
• Being a member of WABA’s senior leadership team, contributing ideas and leadership across the org.
• Writing fundraising appeals about Gearin’ Up to be sent to Gearin’ Up and WABA donors
• Continuing to schedule, staff and oversee volunteer/bike donation days. 
• Building relationships with WABA’s teams, other bike nonprofits, and leaders in communities Gearin’ Up works in. 

Core Skills & Experience: 

The ideal candidate will have the skills to provide innovative ideas for how to re-launch Gearin’ Up, experience running a community program, and a focus on youth outreach and experiential education. 

Consider applying if you meet at least 75% of these requirements: 

• 3+ years of experience building a company, particularly through fundraising with individuals and grants (winning and reporting on); 
• 2+ years of experience with youth outreach, particularly around mentoring;
• Management experience of full and/or part-time staff- mentoring, motivating and evaluating.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize, keeping multiple projects moving forward simultaneously.
• Demonstrated leadership and understanding of how race, gender and other marginalized identifications shape experiences and the way in which people relate to one another.
• Initiative to build upon the 10+ years of Gearin’ Up’s work and expand it as a WABA program 
• Experience with job training and experiential education, particularly bike maintenance skills. 
• Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be eligible for an exemption. (this is required by DC mandate for organizations receiving DC grants). 

Useful Skills & Experience: 

These are great to have but not required: 

• Impeccable attention to detail. 
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to work closely with others. 
• Experience working in diverse communities and on diverse teams of staff and volunteers. 
• A genuine passion for the WABA mission to empower people to ride bikes, build connections, and transform places. 

Position Location:

The candidate must be located in the Washington, DC area — This role is designated as “hybrid”. Roles with this designation perform work in office and remotely as assigned by their manager; but once Gearin’ Up location is found, this will be a full-time, in-office position. 

Benefits:

• Salary Range is $85,000 – $90,000 
• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance premiums. 
• Vacation, sick and personal leave, including:
  • Accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation starting in your first year, with additional hours after two, five, and ten years of service. 
  • Accrue up to 160 hours annually of paid sick time starting in your first year.

• WABA supports and promotes the health of its staff. You may use accrued sick time for unscheduled leave when not feeling well (mind or body), as well as for scheduled medical appointments. 
• Paid time off for holidays, generally following the federal holiday calendar. 
• Twelve weeks paid parental leave and up to four weeks of additional parental leave from the DC Paid Family Leave act (based on eligibility). 
• Immediate access to WABA’s 403(b) retirement program, with up to a 5% employer match after one year of service. 
• Optional commuter transit benefit (pre-tax deduction). 
• Optional voluntary benefits including life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability. 
• A fun and relaxed workplace environment. 
• Passionate, supportive colleagues who are dedicated to working together for our mission and seeing the impact of our work. 
• $5 Annual Capital Bikeshare membership

To Apply: 

Send a cover letter and resume to jobs@waba.org with “Gearin’ Up Director” in the subject line. No phone calls please. Position available immediately. Applications accepted until the position is filled. 

EEO Statement:

WABA is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, arrest record or criminal convictions, political affiliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, disability, sex, or age.