Executive Director of Strategy for To&Through Project

Department
 

Crown Research Ming-Te Wang

About the Department
 

The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, & Practice (Crown Family School) builds upon a legacy of more than a century of scholarship, education and leadership in social work and social welfare, blending a distinctive interdisciplinary tradition with applied problem-solving to foster innovative solutions to some of society’s most pressing social problems. For more information about the Crown School, please visit our website at: https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/.

The University of Chicago Crown Family School is the academic home to the Urban Education Institute (UEI), an internationally and nationally renowned institute with the aim of promoting applied research on youth development and learning in formal and informal settings. UEI conducts rigorous applied research, trains researchers and practitioners, and provides research-based tools and resources in schools across the country.

Job Summary
 

The job manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff responsible for developing and implementing education outreach programs and community relations strategies. Coordinates with national, state, and local organizations to establish partnerships. Facilitate the development and coordination of academic and co-curricular partnerships with University divisions, departments, charter schools, and other community agencies to enrich teaching and learning and ensure meaningful engagement with the communities. Engages in fundraising efforts. Provides leadership and supervision to program staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead time-bounded, strategic projects across and within UEI’s core units to improve outcomes and alignment.

• Build synergies across UEI, working collaboratively at all organizational levels to develop systems and structures that enable UEI to achieve critical organizational objectives. 

• Assist UEI senior leaders with complex situations, providing an outside lens and challenging core organizational assumptions.

• Be a thought partner to the Faculty Director of UEI.

• Represent UEI in Chicago and national policy contexts.

• Oversee the To&Through Project.  Coordinate multiple work strands around research, data collection and dissemination, tool design, communication, and professional development to improve Chicago Public School student middle school, high school, and college graduation outcomes.

• Work with the staff, Faculty Director of UEI, and other stakeholders to set the vision for the To&Through Project, develop strategic plans aligned to that vision, and track progress/impact toward goals.

• Report to the Faculty Director of UEI, providing regular updates on the To&Through Project’s progress towards goals and being forthright about opportunities and challenges.

• Develop and maintain a positive, inclusive staff culture.

• Supervise and coach the three To&Through Directors who manage Data and Research, Stories and Engagement, and the Middle Grades Network, respectively.

• Facilitate close communication and collaboration between the To&Through Project and the Consortium, ensuring that all quantitative data meets the Consortium’s standards for rigor.

• Plan and facilitate To&Through team meetings and retreats.

• Be responsible for project management and internal communication across the To&Through Project and communication and alignment between UEI and the To&Through Project.

• Oversee onboarding and offboarding for new and departing staff.

• Develop and execute strategies to fundraise for the To&Through Project, working with ARD and maintaining positive relationships with funders and foundations.

• Act as the primary spokesperson for the To&Through Project, ensuring connections between the To&Through Project and external partners and stakeholders, including Chicago Public Schools, the Mayor’s Office, the philanthropic community, non-profit organizations, higher education, students, and parents.

• Develops, oversees, and evaluates education outreach programs and related community relations strategies.

• Provides leadership to program staff.

• Perform other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master Degree.

Preferred Co