Board Engagement Specialist - Chicago Public Schools
Chicago, IL
About the Job
Job Number:
240002YXPosting Date
: Jul 22, 2024, 3:49:05 AMPrimary Location
: Central-42 West Madison Street (Board of Trustees)Estimated Annual Salary Range
: 76,000.00 - 100,500.00Overtime Status
: ExemptFinal salary offers are dependent upon candidate qualifications.
JOB DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Chicago Board of Education (“Board”) is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of Chicago Public Schools (“CPS” or “District”), the fourth largest school district in the United States of America. The Board is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of the district. The Board establishes policies, standards, goals and initiatives to ensure accountability and appropriate resource support for achieving the district’s mission. The Board Office staff support the Board in advancing their goals and objectives by (a) facilitating communication with internal and external stakeholders to improve Board member engagement; (b) maintaining Board Rules Policies; (c) executing contracts, agreements and legal instruments approved by the Board for the district; (d) receiving and distributing subpoenas/liens/summons and other legal documents for the Board; (e) holding monthly Board Meetings; (f) providing support and services to all stakeholders; and (g) managing the Board Archives.
Job Summary:
Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Board Engagement, the Board Engagement Specialist is responsible for supporting and executing strategic priorities as a part of the Engagement functional area within the Board Office.
The Board Engagement Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:
- Main point of contact for Board Members’ engagement efforts; Advise Board Members on community engagement and ensure timely responses to their questions and concerns.
- Oversee the development of a constituent dispute resolution process.
- Support and contribute to holistic Board community engagement strategy, with input from the Office of Family and Community Engagement and other internal departments.
- Partner with relevant departments to create stakeholder engagement plans for in-development policies and contracts that require a Board vote.
- Assist in recruitment, onboarding, and support for the Honorary Student Board Member, and develop strategies to elevate student voices in the Board’s decision-making processes.
- Facilitate and enhance the process to relay information from constituent phone calls and emails to relevant Board Members.
- Develop and maintain trusting, effective, productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders; Liaise between the Board and key CPS stakeholders and partners.
- Ensure acceptable Board Member participation at all Board events.
- Support Board Members' day-to-day communications with constituents (e.g., social media, office hours, etc.)
- Partner with the board communications team to prepare materials and brief Board Members for public meetings and events (e.g., talking points, mock interviews, etc.)
- Other duties as assigned.
In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Board Engagement Specialist must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Master’s degree preferred
Experience Required:
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience leading/managing community engagement and/or marketing communications or public relations experience required; 7 or more years preferred
- Experience in an education environment preferred
Other Requirements:Reliable access to transportation to travel between worksites/schools within the City of Chicago is required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Excellent communication skills (speaking - listening, and writing)
- Superior interpersonal skills including the ability to manage conflict with diverse stakeholders
- Excellent situational judgment skills and emotional intelligence
- Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale projects requiring robust community engagement and strategic communications
- Possess political savvy
- Astute and keen awareness of the interests and motivations of others; Commitment to operate with integrity in a politically charged environment
- Capable of building and maintaining effective, working relationships with a wide variety of constituent groups, including all levels of executive and managerial personnel, external partners, and other key stakeholders that influence and impact the operations of the Chicago Public Schools
- Ability to manage multiple work streams while balancing competing priorities to accomplish goals and objectives, and to ensure desired outcomes
- Ability and willingness to support the Deputy Chief of Staff, Board Engagement, and anticipate organizational needs
- Skilled at using multiple data sources to inform daily decisions; Assist the Deputy Chief of Staff, Board Engagement in modeling and standardizing the practice with others in the Board Office
- Demonstrated dynamic, effective, and results-oriented leadership skills
- Unfailing commitment to operating with discretion, trustworthiness, collaboration, and professionalism in all situations
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.