We are looking for a visionary and experienced leader to oversee our region’s largest team - the Teach For America Los Angeles (TFA LA) Impact Team. The Impact Team is charged with developing the skills and leadership of our first and second year corps members (currently 360) toward path-changing progress for and with their students and, ultimately, systemic change. In this role, you will work in close partnership with the Executive Director and other team leaders to set and achieve an ambitious vision for corps member and coach development and impact; corps member programming and professional development; corps member and alumni engagement; and all related events and experiences. As the leader of these workstreams, you will use our regional vision, Teach For America’s Theory of Leadership, and our organization-wide Breakthrough Goals as primary guides for your strategies, team management and development, reflection, and course correction when needed.
The ideal candidate is on fire about ensuring all students in our corps members’ classrooms achieve dramatic academic and socio-emotional growth given the instructional and leadership skills of their corps member teachers. Toward that end, you can successfully lead, support, and evolve a thriving and accountable team across all lines of difference (within and beyond the team) and ensure they have the information, freedom, and coaching needed to be effective in the most challenging and unexpected circumstances. You are strong at connecting and collaborating with others while holding empathy, equity, and inclusivity at the center of your work and without compromising expectations or our progress. You have experience setting vision for a team, effectively empowering and coaching team members, managing through layers to achieve ambitious results, and building strong relationships with a wide range of key internal and external stakeholders.
In addition to the aforementioned expectations, you will serve as a key leader across our region including impact, progress, and stakeholder experience, and in ensure collaboration, alignment, and progress toward all TFA LA and Teach For America priorities, including external affairs and partnerships, financial and staff sustainability, and regional culture. You will prioritize this part of your role at all times, but in particular when you are needed to represent the Executive Director and region. You will also ensure the region is informed of and engaged in the state of our students, classrooms, corps members and alumni, and the broader state of education and justice across Los Angeles. Please include a cover letter with your application.
Program Leadership
- Shape the vision, strategy, and operational plan for how we will increase educational outcomes for students in Los Angeles through the coaching, development, and support of our team members and TFA LA corps members from the first day after their summer training concludes throughout their two-year experience and through the lens of Teach For America’s Theory of Leadership and the TFA LA vision.
- Ensure the development of team members’ leadership and skills through coaching, modeling, and providing excellent feedback for your mid-level managers.
- Partner with staff leader driving alumni engagement to better understand and incorporate opportunities for partnership between Impact Team and alumni leaders, in particular alumni school leaders.
- Explore, monitor, and represent the general state of teaching and learning in LA, especially within the communities we serve.
- Chart our student achievement course in the region to maximize and support communication of our impact in the short and long term, and evolve our plan as necessary given changes in the environment
- Advance a strong, outcomes-focused performance culture within the team and the corps that compels corps members not only to continually advance their practice but also effectively stewarding their transition into alumnihood regardless of preferred career path.
Team Management
- Develop, lead, support, and sustain a diverse team of 17 full-time team members staff charged with coaching, supporting, and developing approximately 360 corps members and engaging more than 2500 alumni in the region.
- Cultivate and hire high-performing and diverse team members, as needed.
- Foster both a strong Impact team and a strong regional team grounded in our organizational core values and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness.
Regional Team Responsibilities
- Set a high bar with the Executive Director for your performance across the region and as a team leader, and the expected performance and outcomes of your team as part of the overall performance of TFA LA.
- Serve as a member of the regional leadership team to set vision and strategic direction for the region and effectively execute the related priorities across the region and for functional team.
- As needed, represent the region, our program, and our performance in both internal and external settings while also including team members who are ready for that opportunity.
- Model and hold high expectations for team compliance with budget, expense deadlines, and timesheet submission and serve as a steward of the organization’s fiscal policies.
- Participate in region- and organization-wide initiatives and events such as corps member selection, staff learning and development days, as well as new corps member confirmation and induction, etc.
- 7+ years work experience demonstrating progressively greater responsibility and success in setting and achieving ambitious goals
- At least 3 years experience setting vision for and inspiring a large team to achieve measurable cultural and performance outcomes
- Experience coaching, developing, and leading adults
- Experience building community with a diverse group of internal and external constituents
- Experience working directly with low-income communities (Los Angeles strongly preferred)
- Prior experience as a school, system, or senior program leader strongly preferred
- Teach For America corps and staff experience strongly preferred
Work Demands
- Some weekend and evening work required
- Ability to travel to school sites around Los Angeles county
- Occasional (2-4 times per year) travel outside of LA
Skills
- Ability to set an inspiring vision and motivate others to reach goals in support of that vision
- Demonstrated deep commitment to TFA’s mission, core values, and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
- Commitment to learning from past experiences and growing from mistakes
- Ability to provide others with effective professional development, coaching, and mentoring
- Knowledge of systems and policies influencing the Los Angeles educational landscape
- High level of attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong modeling of stewardship and modeling of respect and humility