In the past, Teach For America’s Teacher Leadership Development model was more individualist in nature. For every 30 or so corps members, there was one staff member who would provide direct instructional coaching to an assigned group of corps members. Our new model requires us to shift towards collectivism. Therefore, the Senior Manager for Teacher Leadership will work alongside our school leaders, licensing partners, and alumni teachers in order to provide wrap around support to our corps members. Our model is highly agile and we strive to be responsive to each corps member based on a placement school’s particular context. This role requires a leader who approaches our members and partners with humility, and deeply understands the power of collective action. Additionally, this role will also support our Early Childhood Initiative as well as our Launch Fellowship.
The Senior Manager, Teacher Leadership will report directly to and work closely with the Managing Director, Teacher Leadership.
Ensure that we Fully Leverage our School & Licensing Partners (5%)
- Partner with TFA-Colorado’s Program Continuum Team in order to manage relationships with our school partners
- Leverage school-based coaches as the first line of support for our teachers
- Empower our licensing partners to serve as the primary source for teacher training
- Regularly communicate with our licensing partners and our schools in order to ensure we are providing wrap around support that is agile and responsive to our teachers
Leverage Alumni Teachers to Provide Additional Support (5%)
- Lead efforts to refine our regional approach to “collectivist coaching”
- Work with a team of part-time Teacher Leaders who are able to provide supplemental support to teachers who request or require it
- Leverage school-based alumni members working and living in the neighborhoods where we place teachers in order to provide socio-emotional support
Ensure High Retention for our Region by Serving as an Instructional Interventionist (50%)
- Partner with the Managing Director for Early Childhood Systems Leadership to provide instructional support for our Early Childhood teachers
- Regularly visit classrooms in order to determine which corps members may need additional support
- Partner with school teams and our licensing partners to create individualized support plans for corps members who require wrap around support
- Serve as an “interventionist” to a sub-set of teachers who require intensive support from Teach For America
- Leverage other members of the Teacher Leadership and broader Program Continuum Team to provide prioritized corps members with support
Partner with Teacher Leadership Team on Key Member-Engagement Strategies (30%)
- Oversee cohort experiences for our Early Childhood Initiative as well as our Launch Fellowship
- Foster member engagement on the Teacher Leadership Team by orchestrating cohort experiences. This may include supporting initiatives such as the Corps Council, The Collective, the SPED Support Group, and other member groups.
Fulfilling our Mission through Organizational and Regional Priorities (10%)
- Participate in our region’s corps member selection, matriculation, induction, and ongoing engagement initiatives
- Attend regional retreats held throughout the year, monthly staff meetings, and occasional conferences and trainings
- 4+ years of leadership experience within the education sector with at least 1+ year of experience as an instructional coach
- Familiarity with grassroots campaigns, advocacy, and/or community engagement/organizing preferred for our cohort experiences
- A track record of success as an instructional coach
- Ability to motivate and influence stakeholders
- Must be comfortable working across lines of difference in order to build broad and diverse coalitions
- Knowledge of Denver’s education ecosystem and its various players highly preferred
Work Demands
- The Senior Manager for Teacher Leadership will be traveling across the city on a regular basis in order to meet with our ~50 school partners and/or licensing agencies
- The Senior Manager for Teacher Leadership will work occasional evenings and weekends for the purpose of engaging with our teachers and alumni members