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Director, Moving Forward Together Program Support

Job Details

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third largest school district in the United States, serving over 340,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability and integrity. Six core principles are embedded within these commitments - high quality, rigorous instruction, talented and empowered educators, safety and support, financial stability and collective impact.

The Director, Moving Forward Together Program Support will support the Chief Education Officer (CEdO ) in realizing the vision, and commitment stated in the Moving Forward Together Framework, which is supported by $525M of federal American Recovery Plan (ARP) Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) funds. The Director, Moving Forward Together Program Support will serve five core functions:

  1. Work with leaders across all CPS offices, including academic offices and operational offices to ensure Moving Forward Together is aligned to other high-priority initiatives and that MFT supports are effectively launched and leveraged/adopted by schools;
  2. Facilitate and coordinate operational support necessary for program implementation, including but not limited to procurement, policy, law, ITS, payroll, and communications;
  3. Coordinate with the Office of Budget and Grants Management to ensure that all funds associated with the Moving Forward Together are expended in alignment with grant requirements and program vision;
  4. Develop and manage a collaborative process between program leads, networks and schools to ensure program success;
  5. Lead integration/alignment efforts related to strategic planning for MFT, including progress monitoring, evaluation and reporting.


The ideal candidate for the Director, Moving Forward Together Program Support will be a high-detailed and organized influencer who understands how to effectively navigate the complex, fast-paced environment of CPS. They will know how to build convergent and impactful initiatives that advance MFT and CPS' five-year vision, "Success Starts Here".

The core responsibilities of the role include:

  • Oversee and tightly coordinate the implementation of the Moving Forward Together Program. This includes, but is not limited to, coordination and streamlining of all budget, procurement, and policy considerations.
  • Lead collaborative work-spaces to support the implementation of the Moving Forward Together framework as a cohesive strategy.
  • Identify opportunities for convergence/Increased efficiency that create capacity and ensure sustainability of projects/programs (post-implementation).
  • Identify, address, and mitigate program and project issues and risks.
  • Recommend strategies to balance and optimize workloads and team assignments.
  • Provide strategic support to officers and department heads for the MFT and other high-priority budgets, including personnel and non-personnel cost analyses to determine effectiveness and appropriateness of expenditures.
  • Demonstrate understanding of grant funding or revenue generated within the budget area(s) to assist with reporting and/or projections
  • Monitor and explain variations from the budget, pressures that may lead to variations, or opportunities for savings/increased revenue throughout the year
  • Analyze legislation, research and new policies and engage with other districts to understand when/how MFT might be impacted and make recommendations accordingly
  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of the basics of the district's financial systems sufficient to codify and communicate results and insights to internal and external stakeholders
  • Participate in cross-departmental work, including RFP committees, internal working groups, and other organization-wide projects
  • Oversee preparation and submission of all subsequent/related grant proposals, as needed
  • Analyze large complex data sets and reconcile complex issues.
  • Ensure accuracy and certifies reporting as required by leadership and/or grantor(s).
  • Ensure that the MFT Program is not siloed, but fully integrated/aligned with other district priorities.
  • Serve as the lead point of contact for all CEdO and involved COO departments on matters related to Moving Forward Together.
  • Coordinate Moving Forward Together progress monitoring and continuous improvement efforts in alignment with existing district-wide strategic planning efforts.
  • Lead and coordinate efforts related to progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting connected to Moving Forward Together.
  • Provide clear guidance to directors and their departments on expectations for supporting Moving Forward together.
  • Clearly communicate the Moving Forward Together priorities to network staff and principals and actively engage in dialogue with varying stakeholders to inform the effectiveness of the work of Moving Forward Together.
  • Support the Chief Education Officer in managing operational tasks and processes, such as attendance at Board Briefings, planning for bi-weekly office meetings, check-ins with directors, progress monitoring of strategic plans, and collaboration with chiefs across academic departments.
  • Support the Chief Education Office in drafting communication for internal and external stakeholders.


In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Director must possess the following qualifications:

Education and Experience Required:

  • Graduation from an accredited college or university , Masters, in related field is preferred
  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years experience lea ding complex projects
  • Proven success in developing and managing new large scale educational improvement projects that impacted multiple levels of stakeholders, and/or multiple school communities
  • Experience in professional project management is preferred


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

  • As a representative of the Chief Education Office, ability to demonstrate a keen awareness of the moral imperative to work in the best interest of all children.
  • High levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions.
  • Strong communication skills (speaking - including presentations - listening, and writing)
  • Effective strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
  • Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g. ability to develop high performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success
  • Ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support schools and principals
  • Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
  • Manage large, high-priority projects and programs within a large, complex organization.
  • Proactively analyze technical factors, identify and understand stakeholder concerns, and provide solutions that support the best interests of the organization as a whole.
  • Identify opportunities to increase efficiency and diminish overall program cost while ensuring quality.
  • Manage large-scale program/project portfolios.
  • Support leaders with budget and/or finance related issues.
  • Serve as a problem solver, relationship builder and influencer.
  • Develop and maintain positive relationships across all levels of the organization.
  • Support and align to strategic planning processes and project management principles
  • Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication (written and verbal) and organizational skills.


Residency Requirement:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of his or her CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.

Company

Chicago Public Schools is truly a district on the rise. The last five years have been an unprecedented success for CPS, and during that time, our district has emerged as a beacon of what is achievable for large urban school districts across the country. Our mission is to provide a high-quality public education for every child, in every neighborhood, that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.

Company info
Telephone
773-553-1000
Location
42 W Madison St
Chicago
IL
60602
US

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