Program Manager

About the Role

High-stakes environments like K-12 education require more than high-level ethical principles; they demand a reliable, evidence-based signal for procurement and safety. We are seeking an Education Sector Lead to bridge the gap between AI safety and ethics research and the operational realities of the modern classroom.

Your mission is to architect and lead the audit and certification process for AI tools within the education ecosystem. You will define the protocols for how AI products are evaluated against our ethical framework, adapted for the unique risks of K-12 environments. This role requires a leader who understands the nuanced complexities of EdTech procurement and possesses the technical depth to translate safety standards into functional requirements for any AI tool entering the school system.

Key Responsibilities

1. Audit and Certification Methodology Development:

2. Design and refine the Audit and Certification process for education-sector AI products (e.g., adaptive learning, assessment tools, administrative AI).

3. Ensure the audit methodology aligns with and supports education-specific regulations and principles.

4. Partnership Acquisition & Management (K-12 Focus):

5. Secure and manage two foundational K-12 Education Partnership Audits/Certifications, demonstrating the program's ability to drive responsible procurement decisions.

6. Engage with school leaders, IT staff, curriculum teams, and EdTech vendors to gather requirements and drive adoption of the program as a reliable signal of responsible systems.

7. Lead the initial execution of the audit/certification process for early partners, gathering case study data to refine the process for scale.

8. Policy, Standards, and Outreach:

9. Act as the organization's subject matter expert on AI safety risks in the education sector (e.g., algorithmic bias, transparency in grading, student data governance).

10. Contribute to mapping the program to relevant public-sector procurement standards, positioning the program for wider public-sector adoption.
11. Develop and present training materials and resources for educators and administrators on AI literacy and the ethical use of AI tools.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in EdTech leadership, education policy, AI governance, or a related field with a focus on K-12 and/or Higher Education.
• Deep understanding of the technical and societal harms caused by AI in education, including how biased data can reinforce inequities and how opaque algorithms can undermine student agency.
• Sufficient technical depth to understand LLM architectures, API-based evaluations, and the technical limitations of current AI safety benchmarks.
• Proven experience designing and implementing organizational change, policy, or audit/compliance programs within large educational systems or technology providers.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence C-level administrators and policy-makers.
• The ability to move beyond a "check-the-box" mentality to build an audit and certification process that ensures a just and hopeful future for learners.

About Just Horizons Alliance

Just Horizons Alliance is an independent 501(c)(3) dedicated to human-centered solutions for a shared future. We exist to solve the critical problem of accelerating technology and social change outpacing the ethical frameworks, human-centered wisdom, and systemic foresight required to guide it towards a just and hopeful future. We bring twenty years of cross-disciplinary expertise in computational simulation and behavioral science to the AI landscape. Our track record is rooted in leveraging advanced technologies, including AI and machine learning, to understand and predict complex human behaviors to drive measurable societal impact in fields such as public health and public policy. As a neutral, mission-driven organization, we serve as a trusted partner for builders, global policymakers, and institutions seeking to embed safety and human dignity into the core of technological innovation.

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Pay: $90, $110,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Boston, MA 02215