Professional Development Director

Post Date: 
April 5, 2013
Closing Date: 
June 28, 2013

The Professional Development Director is a senior level position within NYLC.  This role requires a dynamic, engaging leader to take us to the next level in working with schools and districts to improve academic outcomes using service-learning as a strategy.  In summary, the Director will oversee the strategic development, planning, and implementation of all of NYLC’s professional development initiatives for adults and youth.  The Director will provide expertise on instructional methodologies, working as a team with the Research Director, Program Development Director, and Professional Development Managers to create and improve standardized offerings and materials. Working with the creative and fun program team, the Director will ensure consistency in the delivery of trainings by staff, and lead efforts in building relationships to increase earned income, helping NYLC bring this effective strategy to scale.

Essential Functions

  • Provide leadership on setting overall professional development strategy intended to meet specific outcomes.
  • Lead the development of short- and long-range program plans, goals, and budget development, aligned with the organizational mission and strategic plan. Develop and monitor indicators of program performance.
  • Explore, negotiate, and secure client contracts and funding leads for professional development, in partnership with Program Development Director, and Development Director.
  • Oversee the implementation of NYLC’s professional development initiatives and programs, including in-person and online, including:
    • Serve as the lead trainer, guiding and coaching professional development staff to ensure consistent, high quality delivery of all NYLC trainings.
    • Understand the demographic makeup of schools nationally, and work to increase the cultural competence of NYLC’s trainings and staff to meet clients’ needs.
    • Work with the Research Director and the Program Development Director to ensure integrity of professional development content and that it aligns with evidence-based practices in education, youth development, and related fields.
    • Supervise the team of professional development and program managers. This team currently operates within a peer-accountability model, and the Professional Development Director will support that team by serving in a mentorship role.
    • Oversee Professional Development and Program-related budgets; hire and manage staff with budgetary and management oversight.
  • Lead the coordination of efforts organization-wide to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of NYLC’s professional development offerings to districts, schools, teachers, students, youth workers, and young people themselves.
  • Communicate effectively with the CEO and other department leads on program direction, trends, messaging, long range planning, and to ensure alignment of research, evaluation, and reporting results and impacts to funders.
  • Coordinate programming and professional development with the National Service-Learning Conference and/or other national training or programmatic opportunities. 
  • Assist the research and evaluation team in efforts to track and report on the reach and impact of professional development initiatives. Utilize results to improve services. Present at conferences and represent NYLC at local, state, or national meetings as needed.

Requirements:

  • Advanced degree in education, service-learning, youth development, or related field
  • 7+ years’ experience in education and instructional methodologies; serving as a classroom teacher, employed at the district level, and managing large scale professional development initiatives for K-12 teachers and/or administrators preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to provide professional development to teachers and administrators
  • Knowledge of urban, suburban, and rural education as a teacher and/or school district administrator.
  • Familiarity with, and utilization of, service-learning as a strategy preferred
  • Experience in networking with superintendents, district administrators, teachers, supervisors and other district personnel. Established network of Superintendents and high level education leaders preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead development of strategic plans and initiatives aligned with organizational goals
  • Cultural competence and ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders and staff
  • Strong management skills, including budget oversight and staff supervision preferred
  • Experience negotiating complex agreements with school systems preferred
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
  • Ability to quickly learn about existing and new product lines
  • Ability to travel as needed, as trainings are implemented to scale

To Apply: Submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@nylc.org with the title of the position in the subject line. Open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning April 18, 2013