The primary purpose of the Director, District & School Partnerships (DDSP) role is to drive the strategy behind and the execution of the corps member placement and school partnerships work of Teach For America in Arizona. The DDSP will ensure that our approximately 145 corps members are placed in high impact placements that will begin to create transformational change for the students most in need in the Phoenix area and, potentially, across the state.
This will be one of the most external-facing roles on our Arizona staff and it is essential that this director sees her/himself as a constant, professional steward of Teach For America’s work and theory of change. The DDSP will be charged with creating strong partnerships with external constituents, including principals, school district personnel, education leaders, and others. In addition, the DDSP will support our efforts to expand to other high-need areas in Arizona.
Partnership Strategy & Cultivation (30%)
- Build strong relationships with school and district leaders to maintain and grow existing partnerships, as well as build new partnerships for corps member placement
- Design and execute a partnership strategy for placing corps members in the near- and long-term
- Negotiate and secure partnership agreements with all of Teach For America’s potential school and district placement partners
Corps Member Placement (30%)
- Annually manage and help design the process for the strategic placement of up to 85 corps members in classrooms, schools, and districts across the region in a pre-k-12 continuum that maximizes our collective impact at the school-wide level
- Build relationships with corps members and provide professional development to help them navigate the interview and school placement process
- Build and manage a team of Teach For America corps members and alumni interested in supporting our placement strategy, district governing board strategy, and corps member matriculation campaigns
Cross-functional collaboration and communication (30%)
- Communicate with corps members and external constituents regarding corps members’ matriculation into the corps, teacher certification requirements, orientation to Teach For America, and interview and hiring processes with individual partner schools and principals
- Work closely with school partners and the broader external affairs team to collect up to $850,000 in school placement fees annually
- Plan and articulate meaningful stories and external pitches around Teach For America’s impact and theory of change
- Actively participate as a member of the corps member policy team, and collaborate with the regional Program team to support corps members and school partners alike when challenging issues arise between our corps members and their placement school
Fulfilling our Mission through Organizational and Regional Priorities (10%)
- Attend and participate in all-staff team meetings and retreats
- Engage in committees and initiatives that drive the culture of the Phoenix
- Own and support broader regional and organizational priorities, including selecting new corps members, recruitment, encouraging alumni and corps members to join our staff, and supporting regional initiatives
- 4-6 years professional experience
- Experience building senior level external relationships
- School leadership experience a plus
- Prior work with Teach For America corps members and/or alumni a plus
Work Demands
- Some weekend and evening work required
- Ability to travel to in-person meetings across the city and state
Skills and Approach to Work
- Knowledge of Arizona policies and politics a plus
- Knowledge of Arizona teaching requirements a plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proven ability to develop and cultivate beneficial internal and external relationships and networks in order to achieve results