As the MD, Network Leadership and Talent (Chief of Staff), you will provide high-level strategy, execution, and operations to the Executive Director, ensuring annual priorities and regional goals are reached. You will become a trusted advisor to the ED, working closely with him, the regional team and national staff members to help reach our regional goals.
The Chief of Staff will be provided an unparalleled opportunity to use superior critical thinking, organization, communication, and relationship-building skills to help the ED maximize Teach For America’s current impact, while also gaining an in-depth understanding of the organization’s work at the regional and national levels.
You will sit on the Executive Leadership team and will coach and develop two direct reports: Director, Alumni and Manager, Public Affairs.
We are looking for a strategic advisor with a deep commitment to Teach For America’s core values and mission.Due to the high-stakes nature of this position, the Chief of Staff must live in the St. Louis region, demonstrate exceptional judgment, professionalism, and poise at all times. You must operate with a sense of poise and professionalism, excelling as a project manager, strategist, and self-starter.
Managing Team Execution Through Design, Coaching and Development
- Serve as team lead for our Alumni and Systemic Leadership teams through your thoughtful management, coaching and development of two direct reports: Director of Alumni and Manager, Public Affairs so that each is inspired to reach personal goals while expanding impact with alumni and internal/external communication
Routinely collaborate with the Executive Director and Leadership team to ensure the regional team is actively tracking and managing work towards subteam, regional and national goals and priorities
Create the operating performance management dashboard as well as professional development scope and sequence for regional staff to ensure that all parties are able to successfully track and manage both individual and team goal attainment
Design and execute professional development to support the regional team’s development in Culturally Responsive Leadership as well as design PD to advance the skill and practice of subteams
Setting Vision And Direction For Impact
- Craft annual priorities, goals, and strategies grounded in regional vision focusing on path-broadening impact for our Alumni and Systemic Leadership teams as well as community and external partners
- Establish a long-term regional vision, set strategy and develop scope and sequence for staff culture and staff development and leadership that is reflective of culturally responsive leadership
Executive Communication And Support
- Provide strategic communications support to the Executive Director by serving as the key regional contact, sharing information cross-functionally in addition to synthesizing and rolling up communication from national and regional teams and external partners
Assembling Effective Teams
- Serve as the primary Human Assets liaison, responsible for supporting regional team retention and hiring by effectively guiding hiring managers through all stages of the hiring process (role profiles, job descriptions, sourcing, etc.) and leading professional development in mitigating hiring biases and hiring with cultural competence
Building Relationships With Others
- Cultivate portfolio of alumni to enhance regional connectivity
Making Decisions And Demonstrating Judgement
- Act as a regional gatekeeper of vision, alignment and action. Vetting all decisions and strategies through the lens of equity and inclusiveness. Ensuring actions are toward equity and as the team leader demonstrating a cycle of continuously building skill and taking aligned action
- Six to eight years of work experience
- Previous experience working at Teach For America preferred
Skills
- Exceptional strategic and critical thinking skills
- Exceptional organizational skills/ability to manage significant volume and competing priorities
- Exceptional written and verbal communication
- Poise, confidence, and maturity interacting with key stakeholders, with the ability to build strong relationships and work with people at all levels of the organization, across diverse situations, and potentially challenging situations
- Ability to think big, generate ideas and implement solutions to complex problems
- Ability to translate data and research into actionable solutions
- Ability to leverage own skill set and experience to manage, support, and professionally develop others
- Ability to execute independently and operate in ambiguity, while prioritizing tasks effectively
- Deep commitment to Teach For America’s mission, core values, and our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
Work Demands
- Ability to travel to in-person meetings in various U.S. cities approximately 20 percent of the time (1 week out of every 5 weeks)
Occasional weekend or evening work is required.