Intake Specialist, Office of Student Protection and Title IX

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 values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

Job Summary:

The Office of Student Protections (OSP) and Title IX's mission is to provide an equitable, inclusive, safe, supportive, and secure learning and working environment, in every school and neighborhood, in the District that is free from discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation, ensuring that all students, faculty, staff, vendors, and visitors can thrive.

Reporting to a Title IX Coordination Team Lead, the Intake Specialist will be the first point of contact reviewing allegations reported to the Office of Student Protections and Title IX/Equal Opportunity Compliance Office (OSP/EOCO). The Intake Specialist will receive allegations via phone calls, incident reports, emails, in person, and online reports. The Intake Specialist will determine case classification and investigation type, document the reported allegations in the case management system, and assign them to a Title IX Coordination Specialist or Student Protection Specialists.

The Intake Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Triage and process new complaints of sexual misconduct, biased-based harm, or other categories that fall within the scope of the Office of Student Protections, Title IX, and Equal Opportunity Employment Office.
• Document all communications with students,school staff, parents, and other stakeholders.
• Knowledge of all sexual misconduct categories, investigation classifications, and definitions as defined by the OSP Procedure Manual.
• Conduct preliminary inquiries to gather additional information prior to case assignment.
• Document all reports in the appropriate recordkeeping system within 3 business days of receipt.
• Refer all complaints that are within scope to the appropriate team for follow up.
• Refer any complaints that are out of scope to the appropriate department or District resource.

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

Education Required:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferred

Experience Required:

• A minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in high volume environment required, preferably in a call center or hotline environment
• Previous experience working with sexual misconduct and other investigatory experience preferred

Other Requirements:

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license
• Flexible availability during non-operating hours
• Language fluency in both English and Spanish, preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to manage heavy workloads and meet short deadlines
• Capable of distilling information and concisely escalate concerns to leadership
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Refined judgment with the ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential information
• Knowledge of conflict resolution, problem solving techniques, crisis intervention, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed practices
• Analytical and critical thinking skills demonstrated by the ability to analyze information and facilitate resolution of difficult challenges, including the ability to handle issues of complex and extreme sensitivity
• Ability to write concise, logical and analytical memos to convey complex issues
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple deadlines and work independently while maintaining high levels of organization
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a wide range of people, including children, parents, faculty, staff, child protection investigators and law enforcement

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.
• Be Fully Vaccinated or Submit to Weekly COVID-19 Testing - Employees are required to be fully vaccinated within 30 days of their hire date. Full vaccination is defined as at least two weeks after your second shot of a two-shot vaccination course, or at least two weeks after a one-shot vaccination course. Unvaccinated staff must submit to weekly testing.