Position Type:
Network Team

Date Posted:
1/5/2022

Location:
LEARN Network

Closing Date:
Until Filled

About LEARN

Founded in 2001, LEARN is a network of high-performing college preparatory, tuition-free public elementary and middle schools with the mission of providing children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. There are 11 LEARN Schools serving 4,100 students in grades PK-8 across Chicago, Waukegan, North Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

It is our goal to create an environment, on every campus, in which our staff members feel supported, respected, and appreciated. Our staff work together at each school and across the network to share ideas, problem solve, and innovate to move our schools and students beyond the expected.

LEARN and our amazing educators, have received numerous recognitions for making an impact in public education, including the 2018 Chicago Magazine's Top Elementary Charter Schools and the 2018 Illinois Network of Charter Schools Principal of the Year Award.

LEARN's mission remains crystal clear: to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. LEARN is currently looking for hard-working and passionate professionals that are dedicated to transforming public education.

About the Opportunity

The Assistant Director of High School Placement and Alumni support works to develop a strategy and execute a high school placement program which facilitates placement by scholars of the 8th grade graduating class into top-performing high schools that will prepare them for college. This critical work begins in 6 th and 7 th grade with readiness and leadership seminars and continues with alumni programming that follows, guides, sustains, and supports our alumni in their quest to get to and through college keeping our Network's promise and commitment to our mission.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/OUTCOMES % TIME SPENT Program Strategy and Coordination

• Develop and coordinate strategy(ies) for successful high school placement and through college support of LEARN graduating 8 th graders.
• Recruit, manage and support a team of School-Based High School Placement Counselors to establish and achieve high school placement and college success goals for each 8 th grade graduating class based on shared measures of success. May include reallocation of caseload to support scholars in multiple schools.
• Provide high quality ongoing Professional Development, performance coaching and evaluation for High School Placement Counselors.
• Review and analyze data of placements of scholars/college success rates and present information to the Academic Achievement Committee of the Board of Directors Meeting.
• Launch new High School Placement programming when schools expand to introduce 6 th grade levels and/or have scholar counts too low to warrant a dedicated Counselor (such as L9 and L10 in 2019/2020).
• Develop and review leadership curriculum provided to scholars.

25% Alumni Support and Tracking

• Maintain relationship with alumni and provide opportunities for them staying connected with LEARN Charter Network. As well as assist with ongoing success and achievement through high school and college.
• Provide consistent alumni updates to current LEARN staff, families, and donors.

• Track all alum in high school and college/military/Career Technical Education.
• Identify and select strong mentoring program(s) for scholars in college.
• Identify and facilitate alumni enrollment in programs that promote college retention and earning tangible work experience (e.g., Inroads, LEAD, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity)Provide supports if needed for alumni including but not limited to meeting with alumni and high school staff throughout the year to identify needs and means of support.
• Receive consistent grade reports.

30% High School and Scholarship Partnerships

• With the High School Placement Coordinators, develop, cultivate and maintain ongoing partnership relationships with high schools and scholarship organizations locally and nationally.
• Identify potential scholarship funding sources.
• Coordinate Network-wide meetings and panel discussions for 8 th graders to increase awareness and access to high school options.
• Network with partner high schools to maintain strong relationship and support. Arrange for high schools and organizations to tour/visit LEARN Charter School Network.
• Assist High School Placement Counselors with the planning of group parent meetings to discuss the high school application and financial aid process.
• Ensure that High School Placement Counselors are having one-on-one parent meetings to discuss each student's application and financial aid timeline and assist parents in completing materials.

30% Summer Internship Program

• Facilitate and oversee LEARN's summer internship program for alumni.
• Work with schools and CMO (and eventually external partner organizations) to identify available open slots for summer jobs
• Manage the alumni application process
• Interview, select and work with various internal constituents to ensure selection of finalist alumni for available jobs and conduct onboarding (HR, Supervisors, School Personnel).
• With Counselors, provide on the job training through Friday learning sessions and mentoring.
• Serve as employee relations support for Supervisors and Alumni, including guidance on time reporting, absence management, cell phone usage, etc.
• Work closely with HR and Payroll to process any payroll submissions and manage time tracking.

15%
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Training and/or Experience

1. Bachelor's degree
2. Ability to work effectively with children, families, professionals and other personnel from a wide range of cultural, social and economic backgrounds
3. Demonstrated project and process management experience in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment
4. Recent experience as a team leader or direct supervisior

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

1. Strong belief that all children can go to and graduate from college.
2. Strategic planning and execution.
3. Leadership skills to manage employees.
4. Strong Interpersonal skills, able to persuade and influence others.
5. Data Driven.
6. Passion for the charter school movement and parents having a choice for educating their children.
7. Possess a sincere interest in helping others achieve life goals.
8. Understanding of selective enrollment, public, private, independent, parochial, and boarding schools.
9. Knowledge of the climate and challenges of underserved communities.
10. Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office tools (i.e., Word, Power Point, Excel, etc.), internet research and database functionality.
11. Ability to manage multiple projects inside and outside of school.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Master's degree in education, business, counseling or other related student support.
2. Scholarships knowledge
3. Career or life coaching experience
4. In-classroom teaching experience with intermediate or high school aged students

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/TRAVEL
Ability to communicate and exchange information over the phone and in-person. Requires some day travel by car. The nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Majority of work performed in a general office environment. Position requires availability for extended hours plus non-traditional hours required to perform job duties. The ability to travel in the Chicagoland areas and occasionally outside the area. Also requires participation and attendance at organization sponsored events and meetings.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/COMPETENCIES

• Ability to manage and support others to provide the mentorship and process to matriculate to college prep high schools.
• Strong planning, organization, and follow-through skills, even in a period of high stress and demands (such as placement season).
• Able to adapt oral and written communications to the needs and interests of the audience
• Comfortable building rapport and influencing others to take action

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of LEARN Charter School Network. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, family medical history, disability or veteran status.

For applicants who apply after 11/1/21, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a valid medical or religious exemption required.