Executive Director, Citizen Schools

Organization Link
Citizen Schools
Position Description

About Citizen Schools: Citizen Schools partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for low-income children across the country. We mobilize a second shift of afternoon educators, who provide academic support, leadership development, and "apprenticeships"—hands-on projects taught by volunteers from business and civic organizations. At Citizen Schools, students develop the skills, knowledge and beliefs they need to succeed in middle school, advance towards college, and become leaders in their careers and communities.

Citizen Schools’ approach is innovative, rigorous, and evidence-based. Recent research has reported that high attendance and academic success in middle school are critical indicators of high-school graduation and college completion. We work intensively with students to develop their academic and leadership skills, and forge strong partnerships with students’ families, classroom teachers, corporations, and community organizations to create a network of supportive adults in each student’s life.

Citizen Schools offers an array of hands-on learning opportunities that make learning relevant, and introduces students to diverse colleges and careers through trips and projects that connect current learning with future opportunities.
Building on thirteen years of programming innovation and results, Citizen Schools is in the midst of a strategic growth plan to scale up its programs to serve almost 7,000 students. We currently operate 44 campuses in seven states (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and Texas), serving approximately 4,400 students and engaging 3,400 Citizen Teachers.

Citizen Schools has been recognized as a national model program by the U.S. Department of Education, has been named a national winner of Fast Company Magazine’s Social Capitalist Award in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, and has been chosen by the Skoll Foundation as a winner of the Skoll Social Entrepreneurship Award.

Position Overview: The Executive Director, Massachusetts will assume leadership for Citizen Schools operations in the state of Massachusetts and will join a dynamic organization dedicated to student achievement and civic engagement. The Executive Director will enter Citizen Schools at a critical juncture, in which the organization is leveraging its 14 year history of high quality direct service programming with schools to effect political change and transform education across the state and country. Massachusetts is Citizen Schools’ flagship region and currently serves ~ 1,300 students across 14 campuses in six cities and has an operating budget approaching $3 million. We expect our footprint will expand to serve several additional districts and over 2,000 students by 2012. The Executive Director will cultivate state and local public and private sector funds for growth; lead regional expansion; manage and cultivate relationships with partners; champion the Citizen Schools brand; and actively engage in local and state policy work and initiatives. All efforts will happen in partnership with Citizen Schools’ headquarters in Boston, MA. The Executive Director will directly supervise the Massachusetts-based state office staff and indirectly supervise the 60- person program staff (currently). This is a full time role, based in Boston, and reports to the President/Chief Operating Officer of Citizen Schools.

The ideal candidate has practical leadership and fundraising experience, entrepreneurial zeal, excellent partnership and relationship management skills, familiarity with the Massachusetts non-profit, policy and after-school and/or education landscapes, and a deep commitment to youth and community development.


Responsibilities Include:

Vision and Strategy
• Lead development of a growth strategy for Massachusetts that will position Citizen Schools as an educational leader and first-in-class extended learning time partner
• Articulate the ways in which Citizen Schools, with partners, can help close the achievement gap in Massachusetts Strengthen existing sites and cultivate new ones by securing related partners - i.e., schools, school districts, funders, community-based organizations
• Further develop a deep portfolio of apprenticeships and a strong pipeline of Citizen Teachers
• Develop local and regional philanthropic, political, corporate and educational contacts as Citizen Schools champions

Partnership Development: Public Policy, Fundraising, and Brand Building
• Raise and grow a $3 million annual budget through a combination of individuals, corporations, foundations and public funding, with a targeted $4 million budget by 2012
• Cultivate and steward the partnerships needed for success in program, policy, fundraising and staff and volunteer pipelines
• Engage partners and media in active dialogue about out-of-school time in Massachusetts; serve as spokesperson for Citizen Schools
• Manage the MA Board of Advisors in overseeing the region’s strategy and fiscal health

Organizational and Program Leadership
• Directly support and develop a state office team of 9 staff and indirectly supervise 60 program staff (currently)
• Champion Massachusetts’s accountability to Citizen Schools’ quality standards, as expressed in our quality rubric and Balanced Score Card, and as measured by an ongoing longitudinal study
• Assist the Program Directors in the delivery of essential support and technical assistance to the Campus Directors at each site
• Facilitate interaction among state-based programs to share best practices; initiatives include regional meetings/trainings and state team building events
• Serve as a thought partner to Citizen Schools’ executive team and state Executive Director peers; collaborate with headquarters staff on key national initiatives

Additional Qualifications:
All candidates should have demonstrated leadership skills, a passion for education and community, and effective collaboration skills.

Other qualifications include:
• Ten or more years of work experience, and at least three to five years of management and fundraising experience, preferably in an executive role
• Entrepreneurial self-starter; capable of self-managing in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders
• Proven fundraising experience
• Knowledge of the region and well-developed professional network
• Experience and leadership in education policy
• Experience with non-profit organizations, management, program operations, and boards
• Familiarity with Citizen Schools program and/or experience in an education environment preferred
• Ability to interact at all levels of an organization and with all constituents and stakeholders
• Excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational and logistics skills
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity
• Ability to model Citizen Schools’ core values: Pride, Joy, Respect, Courage, Teamwork, Perseverance, and Vision
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent experience required; relevant advanced degree preferred

To Apply: Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format, to Katie Pakenham at http://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1336. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Citizen Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status,
pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.


About Commongood Careers: Citizen Schools has partnered with Commongood Careers to conduct the search for an Executive Director. Commongood Careers is a nonprofit search service that connects talented individuals to organizations that are dedicated to creating positive social change. Founded and staffed by nonprofit professionals, Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and organizations throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers. Learn more about nonprofit jobs at Commongood Careers.

Compensation
Commensurate with experience
Deadline
April 28, 2009