What are the responsibilities and job description for the Community Partnership Specialist position at Chicago Public Schools?
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third-largest school district in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 500 schools and employing nearly 44,000 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 Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to ensure that every child in every school and in every neighborhood has access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. The CPS Sustainable Community Schools Community Partnership Specialist is responsible for managing and supporting Lead Partner Agencies (LPAs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that provide community school programming in over 200 schools. The Community Partnerships Specialist reports to the Director of the Community Schools Initiative (CSI) in the Office of College and Career Success (OCCS).
Job Summary :
Reporting to the Director, Community Schools, the Community Partnership Specialist will assist with leading the overall development, strategy, coordination, and implementation of strategic community partnerships for the Sustainable Community Schools Initiative (SCS) within the Office of College and Career Success (OCCS) at Chicago Public Schools. This position will communicate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders (ex : principals, school leaders, parents, students, community partners / organizations, and / or vendors) to develop and deepen relationships between partner or sister agencies, community-based organizations, and the District. The Community Partnership Specialist will help drive SCS and OCCS initiatives and will assist with the management of community school partnerships and, growing the portfolio of community partners, ensuring appropriate support and training is provided to partners and schools. The Community Partnership Specialist will report to the CSI Director
The Community Partnership Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities :
- Under the direction of the CSI Director, implement, monitor, and refine all partnership processes, policies, and systems that will enhance the school's ability to identify and successfully partner with external partners.
- In collaboration with Procurement, leverage and build capacity of CPS vendor processes to expand the network of partnerships available for SCS schools.
- Develop and maintain programming, vendor, and procurement processes, documents, and standards.
- Work with principals and community organizations to identify community partners and develop school-site programming based on the community school model.
- Serve as a liaison and point of contact for SCS partners' procurement needs, and support other departments as it relates to SCS programming
- Build and maintain relationships between community organizations and community schools that receive funding as Lead Partner Agencies (LPAs) with CPS Community School Initiative or that receive funding directly as an external Community-Based Organization (CBOs)
- Monitor grant budget, required program metrics, and compliance requirements on an ongoing basis to ensure LPAs and CBOs are meeting grant requirements and deliverables and working within grant allocations for each site
- Assist LPAs and CBOs in building their capacity to provide quality community school support at their school sites
- Analyze activity offerings and identify opportunities for programmatic diversification to ensure quality standards in programming and expand opportunities within the school sites
- Conduct ongoing evaluation of partner organizations to ensure their capacity and ability to provide quality community school programming and provide support in areas identified as challenges
- Identify new partner organizations and provide onboarding support and training for Lead Partners on grant compliance, SCS model implementation, supporting Resource Coordinators, and effective communication with partner schools
- Provide coaching and mentorship to LPAs and CBOs in regard to community school model implementation and management
- Plan and lead regular and ongoing partnership meetings and professional development opportunities with LPAs and CBOs
- Provide support in negotiating relationships between partner organizations and school-based administration to ensure collaborative community school development and practices
- Analyze SCS programming offerings and identify opportunities provided by partner organizations for programmatic diversification to ensure grant requirements are met
- Identify partners for new SCS schools, and meet with administration and partner organizations to ensure the LPA relationships are a good fit for school needs
- Other duties as assigned
In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Community Partnership Specialist must possess the following qualifications :
Education Required :
Experience Required :
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :
Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to :
