Managing Director, UPCS Institute for College-Readiness

Jobs for the Future

Worcester, Massachusetts

ABOUT JOBS FOR THE FUTURE

To meet the demands of a changing global economy, Jobs for the Future (JFF) creates strategies to improve the educational and workforce pipelines for a more competitive America.

Jobs for the Future has earned a national reputation for accelerating opportunities for those who need them most to advance in education and careers. Its extensive agenda includes research, analysis, policy development, practical, on-the-ground projects, advocacy, communications, and peer learning. JFF works to better understand the challenges and barriers that keep people from fully participating in education and the economy; to help youth and adults attain postsecondary credentials that enable full engagement in the global economy; and to influence and improve the state and national policies that drive our country's educational and training systems.

Jobs for the Future seeks an experienced manager and education entrepreneur to lead a dynamic team of seasoned practitioners responsible for designing and delivering training to school leaders and instructional coaches in more than 100 new small secondary schools funded through the Gates Foundation. The training program for school leaders and instructional coaches is part of a larger initiative at Jobs for the Future to support organizations that are developing early college high schools and other schools that incorporate college coursework for all students in grades 11 and 12. JFF’s program trains school leaders to develop schools that combine a rigorous college-preparatory program of study with a culture of support for all learners, and instructional coaches to help teachers implement needed changes in classroom practice.

The University Park Campus School (UPCS) in Worcester, MA serves as a clinical training and demonstration site for practitioners in the training program. UPCS has been recognized as a national model school by the Education Trust, the Alliance for Excellent Education, the National Association for Secondary School Principals, and others for its outstanding record of achievement and has hosted formal trainings for over 500 visiting educators in the last three years. (For more information, see www.upcsinstitute.org.) 

Reporting to the UPCS Institute director and founder, the successful candidate is an accomplished educator and leader with a commitment to the progress of low-income and first-generation students to and through postsecondary education. As managing Director, the individual will oversee the planning and implementation of all aspects of the Institute’s professional development work.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively with the Founder of the UPCS Institute to ensure that Institute services reflect the mission, vision and proven practices that yielded the outstanding student outcomes at UPCS, the school that serves as the clinical site for the Institute and that services are delivered with fidelity to the design.

• Market the Institute services, forge and maintain strategic relationships with state and district clients, oversee the development and delivery of Institute training products and services, business operations and strategic planning, funder relations, fundraising and business planning.

• Manage a small team of education professionals responsible for leading the different facets of the Institute’s work providing the strategic and operational support needed to deliver high-quality educational and training services. This includes facilitating the development and review of work plans to execute key goals and deliverables.

• Facilitate business and strategic planning process for the next phase of the Institute’s expansion, which involves both deepening work with existing clients and cultivating new clients.

• Oversee the development of data, measurement and accountability systems to measure impact of training services and identify areas for refinement and improvement.

• Manage funder relations, development of fundraising proposals, and budget and business operations. This includes development and management of strategic partnerships to advance the goals of the Institute.

• Manage the coordination of the Institute work with other initiatives within JFF working to support the expansion of quality early college and other blended school designs and to leverage lessons from the instructional and leadership training.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 7 years of experience working in urban schools or educational settings focused on preparing underserved students to the highest academic standards.
• Commitment to a standards-based approach to engaging all students in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum.
• Experience leading a small organization including planning, supervising, and providing support and guidance for staff professional growth
• Experience managing a budget
• Ability to evaluate and improve the quality of training materials and professional development programs
• Knowledge of research on high school reform broadly, and specifically on effective practices and school designs for boosting the achievement of underrepresented youth.
• Ability to work collaboratively to advance a complex and multifaceted agenda
• Willingness to travel to develop new client relationships, visit training sites and schools
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Experience working with multicultural and diverse groups.
• Experience as leader of a secondary school or education non-profit a plus but not required.
• Masters degree and teacher and/or principal certification preferred.

This position is located in our Worcester office.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience.

TO APPLY:

Submit a cover letter, resume, writing samples and references to:

JFF-ManagingDirector@gononprofit.com.

Jobs for the Future is an equal opportunity employer.