Director, Family Life Programs

Department
 

Lab School Finance and Operations

About the Department
 

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, students in Nursery through Grade 12 experience a world-class educational journey. Founded in 1896 by John Dewey as a place for educators to develop and explore novel approaches to pedagogy and curriculum, Lab continues to provide excitement and imagination in learning to this day. Academic rigor, experiential learning, and intellectual discourse are hallmarks of a Lab education. Lab educators are recognized for excellence in teaching and pride themselves on innovation in the classroom. Students in every grade have access to unparalleled resources, and all members of the Lab community benefit by partnerships and connections with the University of Chicago. Families who choose Lab care deeply about curiosity, inquiry, and creativity.

No less than scholarship, Lab’s mission prioritizes honoring diversity and exhibiting kindness. We are committed to building and supporting a teaching and learning community where young people see aspects of their backgrounds and identities reflected around them, where they feel a deep sense of belonging, and where they discover and use their voices to full effect. Today, 53-59 percent of Lab’s student body are students of color. Families report speaking nearly 40 different languages in their homes. Approximately 60 percent of Lab families are also affiliated with the University of Chicago. Half of our families live in Hyde Park, and the rest come from across Chicago, the suburbs, and northwestern Indiana. Inclusion is a fundamental value at Lab, such that we celebrate every facet of community members’ identities, and even where we disagree, we emphasize respect, civility, and maintaining a spirit of community.

Lab seeks the finest employees to join our vibrant learning community. We employ people with a wide range of skills and training in many different disciplines, who have in common a love of learning and the wish to inspire that same love of learning in young people. We seek candidates for employment who thrive in an educational environment. We provide a great professional home for those committed to collaboration, ongoing personal and professional growth, and cultivating positive relationships. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of color, LGBTQ+ identified candidates, candidates from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds, and candidates with a demonstrated commitment to a deepening diversity, equity, and inclusion practice. In turn, we strive to ensure that Lab is a joyful, welcoming, and inspiring place to work. Through our connection to the University, faculty, staff, and administrators enjoy benefits and opportunities that would be nearly impossible to match in any other environment.

Job Summary
 

The role of Director, Family Life Programs, is to maintain and develop innovative programs that extend the school’s mission before and after the school day and throughout the summer. These programs include summer camps and classes, extended day (before and after school programming), and special classes, for children in grades nursery3 through eighth grade. These programs serve over a thousand children over the course of the year.

The Director, Family Life Programs, has the opportunity to lead in a dynamic learning environment where administrators and staff are committed to the continuous improvement of the program, engage in open discourse, and share a passion for big ideas. Family Life Programs attract and benefit the entire Lab community including our growing international population. These programs also have potential to generate income and net profit with good business management applications.

Key responsibilities of the role include: Define and lead the design, implementation, management, and evaluation of the Family Life Programs department. Foster a school-wide environment of continuous learning through co-curricular programs and activities. Collaborate with key stakeholders internally and externally to identify learning needs and strategic priorities for the department programs. Incorporate educational and youth development best practices pertaining to program development. Recruit and develop exceptional staff. Utilize and implement contracts that can deliver quality programs. Ensure regulatory compliance related to youth work standards. Structure and manage for strong profit value of key programs. Effectively market to grow participation. Adhere to good business practices including robust budget management and budget analysis.

Responsibilities

• The Director, Family Life Programs, manages a team of eight to ten professionals and numerous seasonal positions and contracted providers involved with all the programs. The Director needs to be skilled in manageme