Director, Special Projects

Position: Director, Special Projects

Location: Flexible within the US

Type: Full-time

Team: Professional Education

 

Summary

Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) is an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education serving thousands of educators from across the country, from pre-service teachers to system-level leaders. Our mission is to ensure that all students are taught by excellent educators, in order to build a more just world where every student has a clear path to a fulfilling life.

The Professional Education (PE) team designs and delivers transformative learning experiences for PK–12 educators and leaders, contributing directly to Relay’s mission of ensuring all students are taught by excellent educators. The Director, Special Projects plays a critical role in supporting the team’s executive leader, the Chief Professional Learning Officer (CPLO) and other members of the PE executive team by providing team-specific and cross-functional project management and communications support. The Director, Special Projects is a strategic leader responsible for managing complex, cross-functional initiatives that advance organizational priorities. This role partners closely with team senior leaders to implement high-impact projects that drive innovation, efficiency, and long-term success.

 

Role’s Contributions (Duties and Responsibilities)

The essential responsibilities of this position, while not limited to the following, will include: 

Project Management (60%)

• Lead cross-functional projects assigned by the CPLO, managing planning, execution, and monitoring progress to ensure initiatives are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Partnerships, Research, Finance) to ensure projects and initiatives are executed efficiently and align with organizational priorities.
• Provide project and administrative support to the PE Executive Team, including data analysis, progress monitoring, and coordination across teams.
• Manage and support the Manager, PE Executive Support, ensuring operational excellence and effective project execution.
• Collaborate with others on the PE team to synthesize and communicate data and insights to support equitable outcomes, measure program effectiveness, and inform continuous improvement across initiatives.
• Design and implement project plans, tracking systems, and surveys to assess program impact, monitor progress, and inform improvements.

Internal Communications (25%)

• Manage the scope, sequence, and design of executive team and senior leader meetings, including monthly all-team meetings, retreats, and sub-team check-ins, ensuring meetings are efficient, purposeful, and drive alignment.
• Maintain consistent, timely, and clear communication with staff and team leaders to facilitate informed decision-making and ensure alignment with Relay’s values.
• Maintain and refine systems for streamlined communication, resource sharing, and progress tracking across the PE team

Collaboration with PE Executive Team (15%)

• Serve as a thought partner to the PE Executive Team, providing insights, recommendations, and data-informed analysis to support decision-making.
• Ensure successful adoption of new protocols, frameworks, and processes within the PE team, providing guidance and support to staff as needed.
• Prepare findings, presentations, and recommendations for the CPLO on strategic projects and operational needs.
• Analyze employee satisfaction data and other team metrics, collaborating with the PE Executive Team to develop actionable plans to address staff needs and enhance team effectiveness.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

First and foremost, the Director of Special Projects must share the Relay community’s commitment to working together to improve student growth and achievement through phenomenal teacher preparation grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This includes providing teacher preparation programs that set novice teachers up to succeed in the classroom from day one; leadership programs that train new and veteran school and district leaders to best serve their school communities; and teacher-facing professional education that provides ongoing learning to educators. Additionally, for this position we’re looking for candidates that possess a combination of the following skills:

• Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of relevant experience, including at least 2 years supporting or collaborating with senior leadership.
• Experience planning, executing, and monitoring cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders under tight de