Associate Director of Special Projects, Office of the Chancellor - 24838

Position Summary: The current administration, under Chancellor Aviles-Ramos, has established a clear outline of commitments that act as touchstones for policy development, financial investment, and on-the-ground practice. Within the context of these commitments and under the direct portfolio of the Senior Executive Director of Strategy the main areas of focus are centered around ensuring citywide student safety and wellness; helping strengthen comprehensive teacher support networks; and fostering genuine community partnerships. All of which are interconnected commitments that ultimately advance the lives and wellbeing of all those who find themselves part of the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) family.

The Associate Director of Special Projects provides an additional layer of support to the Senior Executive Director of Strategy by working in partnership—alongside other staff—to ensure collaboration, strategic planning, and some operational oversight. The Associate Director of Special Projects will provide ongoing support to the Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Chief of Staff to the Senior Executive Director of Strategy, as well as agency-wide leaders to establish and ultimately exceed their goals and policy objectives. Amongst other related work, the Associate Director plays a key role in ensuring that the Senior Executive Director of Strategy has the information and counsel needed for working with key internal and external partners to accomplish the overall organizational goals set by the Chancellor for the department. Performs related work.

Reports to: Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Executive Director of Strategy

Direct Reports: Special Projects Coordinator

Key Relationships: Chief of Staff to the Chancellor; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chancellor; Executive Assistant to the Chancellor; NYCPS Senior Leadership Team; Chancellor’s Cabinet; representatives from the Mayor’s Office and City Hall; City, State, and Federal agency and department representatives; local parent leaders (CEC and PEP members); and external stakeholders (i.e., community-based organizations, consultants, vendors, etc.).

Responsibilities

Training and Project Management

• Supports and prioritizes special initiatives from the Senior Executive Director of Strategy for managing and improving the relationship(s) with key stakeholders.
• Works closely with the Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Chief of Staff to the Senior Executive Director of Strategy to advance programmatic and institutional initiatives for short- and long-term success as an agency.
• Plans and facilitates other special projects and meetings such as content briefings, executive sessions, special events, among other duties as assigned.
• Reviews existing planning procedures, identifying areas in need of improvement and assisting in the design of new or revised planning processes.
• Supports in the development of presentations, memos, or documents intended for a wide range of audiences.
• Aids in budgetary and fiscal analyses for Chancellor’s Office.
• Facilitates internal and external working groups and engages leadership in key decision points.
• Develops process maps, guides, and policy documents to support the briefings and information sessions in support of various initiatives and projects.
• Reviews existing planning procedures, identifying areas in need of improvement and assisting in the design of new or revised planning processes.
• Work on establishing practices for collecting, synthesizing, and conveying both qualitative and quantitative data for a wide range of audiences (i.e., internal teams, elected officials, senior leadership, and families).
• Supports calendaring, tracking and progress monitoring of projects at the direction and leadership of the Senior Executive Director of Strategy.
• Helps to identify sensitive matters for the Senior Executive Director of Strategy that are highly visible in the community and media, coupled with direct engagement.
  
  

Strategic Communications

• Work with internal offices on important messaging and branding for key projects and strategic initiatives to maintain cross-functional and agency-wide consistency.
• Plans and facilitates special projects and meetings including, but not limited to, executive sessions, special events, and community-focused outings.
• Supports in the development of presentations and materials based on the intended audience(s) for dissemination and communication of often complex ideas and policies.
  
  

Spearhead and Lead Assigned Special Projects

• Attends meetings and travels with the Senior Executive Director of Strategy as assigned; ensures timely follow-up, analysis and dissemination of important information through communications.
• Supports the finalization of all written materials that comes from the Senior Executive Director of Strategy including talking points, emails, remarks, and draft communications; escalates issues or high-priority items to the Chief of Staff and Senior Executive Director of Strategy as needed.
• Executes critical cross-functional projects that advance the Senior Executive Director of Strategy’s agenda, including developing strategic recommendations, creating and managing work plans, conducting research and analysis, and helping to define and track success metrics.
• Follows up on various requests for the Senior Executive Director of Strategy, including planning events, writing correspondence, and addressing parent and community concerns.
  
  

Qualification Requirements

Minimum

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two (2) years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
• High school graduation or equivalent and six (6) years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least one (1) year of experience as described in “1” above.
  
  

Plus

• Excellent oral, written communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to stay organized and manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Experience or working knowledge of the public sector and/or interest in public education.
  
  

Preferred

• Excellent analytical skills and experience gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information; the ability to analyze qualitative data from various sources and prepare reports; ability to distill complex information into an easy-to-understand format that suits a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with various constituents and teams across the division and the NYCPS.
• Ability to work well under pressure, both independently and in a team environment.
• Impeccable attention to detail, strong personal organization skills, ability to work under pressure and prioritize work under shifting priorities.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Knowledge of NYCPS policies and procedures and the ability to interpret and apply policies effectively.
  
  

Salary: $82,000 - $94,279

(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not earn less than their current salary.)

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application.

NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability and/or grant funding.

• New York City Residency is NOT Required *
  
  

We encourage all applicants from the New York City tri-state area to apply.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

DOE Non- Discrimination Policy

The Department of Education of the City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's actual or perceived sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or pregnancy. For more information, please refer to the DOE Non-Discrimination Policy.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.