NYC Outward Bound Schools www.nycoutwardbound.org is a nonprofit organization that partners with New York City public schools to help them become places where everyone is challenged and supported to achieve at his/her highest possible levels and where academics, community and character all count. NYC Outward Bound Schools operates a network of schools in partnership with the NYC Department of Education that are based on the national EL Education model, which is rooted in Outward Bound’s approach to teaching and learning. Through our Associate Schools program, we also work with other schools interested in adopting particular practices associated with this approach, providing them with targeted professional development and coaching. And we are continuing to build out our To & Through College initiative, aimed at supporting the students in our network schools to enroll in and successfully complete colleges that are well-matched to their needs, interests, and circumstances.
EL Education www.eleducation.org is a nationally recognized model for school transformation and creation, featuring real world learning, engaging instruction, rigorous curricula, and character development. EL Education is built upon a multidimensional definition of student achievement that incorporates these three elements: mastery of knowledge and skills; demonstration of character; and high quality student work.
The Chief Schools Officer is the primary keeper of our main organizational goal, the building of a “Great Network of Great Public Schools” in New York City that can serve as models of 21st century excellence, and is responsible for leading and managing the work we do to achieve that goal. S/he also oversees the work we do via our Associate Schools and To & Through College programming. Additionally, the successful candidate will play a critical role in developing our strategic plan for the next 3-5 years, looking at growth opportunities both inside and outside of our network of schools, continuing to build capacity and drive for excellence in our current schools, maintaining and building partnerships, and taking the lead on initiatives that build on our organizational strengths to broaden our reach and deepen our impact on New York City’s young people and their public schools.
The Chief Schools Officer will report to the President & CEO, will serve as a member of the senior management team, and will directly supervise a team of eight: six School Designers, a Director of College Supports, and an Assessment and Data Manager.
This multi-faceted role has several key components:
Educational Vision and Leadership
• As a member of the Senior Management Team, and in concert with the Board of Directors, helps set the vision and strategy for the organization as a whole
• Leads the drive to continually improve the quality of our schools- ensuring that each school is best in class against all measures
• Leads our efforts to bring our work to more schools in ways that are strategic
• Explores and develops new initiatives for strengthening our network of schools and our Associate Schools
• Leads our efforts to use data to inform practice, assess school and student performance, and ensure continuous improvement
Management, Supervision and Support
• Leads and manages a team of education professionals who work closely with our schools to support them in driving toward excellence in the areas of:
--Curriculum
--Instruction
--Assessment
--School Culture-Building & Student Character Development
--School Leadership
--College Access & Success
• Sets priorities and goals for the team, and monitors progress against them
• Supports the ongoing learning and development of team members
• Builds a culture of collaboration and team work
Engaging Stakeholders
Serves as the chief liaison to key constituencies both internally and externally, including
• NYC Department of Education
• Principals of our network schools
• EL Education (our national partner)
• Staff who head NYC Outward Bound Schools’ other departments (Program Services, Finance, Advancement, and HR/Admin)
Competencies we seek in the successful candidate:
• Interpersonal Savvy – an ability to work collaboratively with all kinds of people toward a common goal
• Organizing work – setting priorities and goals and holding staff accountable
• Results oriented visionary with an entrepreneurial spirit and a “roll-up your sleeves” mentality
• Ability to manage both high-level processes and on-the-ground task oriented work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Commitment to practicing and modeling diversity and inclusion
• Lifelong learner who embodies the values of NYC Outward Bound Schools: High Achievement for All; Community; and Character
Qualifications:
• 15+ years of experience and leadership in the New York public school system (or other very large urban system)
• Commitment to a teaching and learning approach that is aligned with or compatible to EL Education’s pedagogy
• Demonstrated track record of educational leadership
• Experience managing a multi-location budget
• Experience in strategic planning, and success developing and implementing new initiatives
• Success developing people both at the school level and an organizational level
• Experience in Research and Evaluation
• Master’s degree required, Ph.D. or Ed.D preferred
Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, HRA/FSA/Transit accounts, life insurance, 403(b), and generous PTO
NYC Outward Bound Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin or disability.
No phone calls please. We appreciate all responses, but due to the high volume of resumes received, we can only contact those applicants whose qualifications best match the position requirements.
Interested candidates should send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to: hr@nycoutwardbound.org. Please include the job title as the subject of your email.