Program Ops Administrator, School Leader Pipeline

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
The Department of Principal Quality (DPQ) is charged with identifying, developing, supporting, and retaining strong principal leaders who are committed to actualizing that vision.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Director of School Leadership Pipeline, the Program Ops Administrator is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the successful execution of a portfolio of projects within the School Leadership pipeline.
The Program Ops Administrator will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Lead the full life-cycle of several critical projects within the aspiring School Leader Pipeline, determining and ensuring adherence to goals, timelines, and budgets
• Define program objectives, scope, and strategic direction of the aspiring Leader Pipeline.
• Develop comprehensive program plans, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables that will meet the district's forecasted School Leader vacancy needs.
• Lead cross-functional teams, vendors, stakeholders, and staff to define project goals, project plans, allocate resources, and monitor progress.
• Conduct regular project or program meetings and facilitate communication across team and stakeholders.
• Manage communication with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, external partners.
• Monitor progress and performance against plans, lead cycles of data collection and analysis to drive improvement.
• Collaborate with the Director to facilitate the learning and development of the team's Program Coordinator, promoting a culture of continuous growth and expertise sharing.
• Support the annual performance evaluation process for programs and engage in feedback conversations, as needed.
• Stay abreast of State regulations and expectations regarding principal preparation programs.
• Lead departments and other stakeholders to create specific and targeted professional learning sessions and Utilize best practices in professional learning to ensure effective programming structures and protocols.
• Facilitate professional learning sessions, workshops, and progress check meetings.
• Identify, select, and manage vendors or external partners for program implementation.
• Develop and negotiate contracts and agreements with vendors, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements.
• Recruit, hire, and supervise one full-time Fellow, provisioned to the team on an annual basis, providing guidance, mentorship, and leadership to ensure their professional growth and successful contribution to the team.
• Evaluate, authorize, and manage program budgets, including projections, milestone payments, and stipend distribution.
• Identify dependencies, potential risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Program Ops Administrator must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required.
• Focus in Education, Organizational Leadership, Public Policy, Public Administration, Human Resource Development, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Social Science, Business Administration, or a related field of study preferred.

Experience Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience with large-scale program/project administration
• Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience using quantitative and qualitative data to drive programmatic improvements
• Education sector and/or leadership development program experience preferred

Other Requirements:

• Travel within the City of Chicago to schools and PD sessions is required
• Access to reliable transportation for travel within the City
• Some early or late hours and occasional Saturdays during professional learning sessions and/or the CPS Principal Eligibility assessment is required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage effective partnerships with organizational and external stakeholders
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Excellent communication skills to effectively convey information and ideas (Written, Oral, Presentation)
• Agile and able to manage multiple work streams and meet deadlines
• Commitment to seeking out and implementing innovative ideas and evidence-based practices
• Commitment to continuous improvement and an unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels

Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.