Director of Postsecondary Success

About Innovation Charter High School

At Innovation Charter High School, we believe schools can be places where young people are deeply known, challenged, and prepared to shape their futures, and where educators do some of the most meaningful work of their careers. We are a mission-driven public charter high school in New York City serving students with ambition, care, and urgency. Our team is fiercely committed to improving student outcomes and continuously strengthening the school we are building together. This is a place for educators who believe:

• Feedback is essential to growth, for students and adults
• Curiosity is a driver of strong teaching and learning
• Great schools are built through reflection, collaboration, and persistence
• Students thrive when adults hold high expectations and provide deep support
• Supporting one another as a community and showing up as strong team players matters just as much as individual excellence

We are not interested in maintaining the status quo. We are actively working to create new ways of supporting students and new ways of working together as colleagues. That takes humility, experimentation, resilience, and heart. Our staff cares deeply. We challenge one another. We learn in public. We keep improving. If you are energized by joining a dedicated team that is building toward something better, for students and for each other, we'd love to meet you.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Principal/CEO, the Director of Postsecondary Success leads the College & Career Readiness Department including the development and oversight of Innovation’s Career and Technical Education and Work-Based Learning programming. The Director is a member of the School Management Team and collaborates closely with the Principal, Assistant Principal of STEM Instruction, the Assistant Principal of Humanities Instruction, and the Director of School Operations to engage the entire school community in preparing Innovation students for postsecondary success with a variety of pathways and options. The Director also leads the College & Career Readiness team and supervises staff who deliver instruction for Innovation’s elective courses.

Responsibilities

Program Development & Partnerships (40%)

• Lead the CCR team’s work to provide effective coursework and programming focused on postsecondary readiness such as resume writing, career exploration, interviewing, employment and college applications, scholarships and other financial aid, and other skills and habits that support postsecondary success
• Lead the CCR team’s work to provide effective individual and small group counseling focused on postsecondary goal-setting and planning; Collaborate with the Manager of Student Supports, Counseling team, and other key staff to ensure that all Innovation students receive relevant, inclusive postsecondary planning supports
• Collaborate with the Dean of Academic Operations, Counseling team, and other key staff to monitor credit accumulation, progress towards graduation and postsecondary readiness, and other relevant data
• Monitor relevant workforce/labor market trends and data to inform Innovation’s postsecondary readiness strategy and programming as well as student and family feedback and interest
• Lead Innovation’s work to strategically partner with businesses and other employers in support of internship placements and other college and career readiness experiences for Innovation students; Maintain a network of college admissions representatives and other contacts relevant to Innovation students
• Lead the planning and implementation of out-of-classroom experiences and school events that support Innovation students and families with postsecondary success and awareness of postsecondary pathways and options such as college visits, guest speakers, family nights, and field trips
• Collaborate with other SMT members and key staff to build a culture of enthusiasm and participation related to postsecondary exploration and readiness

Teaching & Learning (35%)

• Supervise and evaluate the work of all teachers and staff in the CCR Department with the support of the Principal including frequent observation of classroom instruction (Culinary Arts, Software Engineering, CCR, and elective courses) and feedback to support improvement of instructional practices that lead to positive student outcomes
• Collaborate with the Assistant Principals and other key staff to identify opportunities for alignment and infuse college and career readiness across the school-wide curriculum
• Ensure that CCR and CTE courses and experiences utilize effective curriculum, instructional practices, and relevant assessments and are aligned to relevant standards, in compliance with regulations, and informed by trends in student data
• Collaborate with other members of the SMT to make any necessary adjustments to Innovation’s curriculum and/or instructional model to align with policy changes such as the New York State Education Department’s Portrait of a Graduate

School Leadership (15%)

• Collaborate with others on the School Management Team and key staff on school-wide administrative work streams such as programming/scheduling, leave and substitute teachers, testing coordination, management of student information systems, mandated services and accommodations for multilingual learners and students with IEPs, and others
• Collaborate with the Principal, HR staff, and others throughout the school to recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified, mission-aligned staff
• Collaborate with the Director of School Operations and other staff to generate and submit reports to the school’s authorizer, the New York State Education Department, and other oversight entities
• Make periodic reports to the Board of Trustees on relevant topics in collaboration with the Principal
• Collaborate with Counseling team to support a student cohort including co-facilitation of grade team meetings, course planning, monitoring student progress (attendance, behavior, and course completion), and building relationships with families

School Culture & Community (10%)

• Maintain a consistent, visible presence throughout the school and model healthy adult-youth relationships and other behaviors that exemplify Innovation’s core values
• Collaborate with others on the School Management Team to ensure that arrival, lunch, dismissal, transitions, and other spaces are aligned to Innovation’s vision for school culture and serve as the adult presence in these spaces whenever necessary
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous reflection, and improvement among staff to enhance student outcomes
• Meet with Innovation families regularly to promote parent engagement, resolve issues that they or their students are experiencing, and identify opportunities for Innovation to effectively support them

Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum of five years of experience in relevant direct service such as supporting students through counseling and/or instruction in youth workforce development, CTE, work-based learning, college prep, or other postsecondary readiness programming
• Minimum of three years of experience leading teams to effectively deliver counseling and/or instruction in youth workforce development, CTE, work-based learning, college prep, or other postsecondary programming
• Demonstrated track record of experience cultivating and maintaining partnerships to support work-based learning and other postsecondary readiness experiences
• Experience with relevant program design and development highly preferred

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills
• Outstanding project management and organizational skills
• Strong judgment, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills
• Strong team management skills such as capacity to motivate and inspire teams, demonstrated ability to effectively lead through empowering others, and a balance of clear expectations, support, and accountability
• Extensive knowledge of different approaches and best practice in postsecondary readiness
• Working knowledge of effective, student-centered instructional strategies and instructional leadership practices (observation and feedback, instructional coaching, etc.) or openness to learning; Expertise in project-based learning and other experiential learning is highly preferred
• Knowledge of New York State CTE regulations and requirements preferred

Values & Mindset

• Passion for Innovation’s core values of collaboration, tolerance, respect, activism, safety, and innovation; persistence at consistently modeling these values by example
• Deeply held belief in the power of diversity and community; an assets-based orientation to students, families, community, and staff, and a commitment to a school environment that fosters and respects the voices and opinions of students
• Deeply held belief in inclusive classrooms, in the value of high expectations, and in the idea that all learners deserve to have their needs met
• Adaptability, a solution orientation, and openness to new ideas and perspectives
• Commitment to authentic collaboration and to the development and empowerment of leaders throughout the school community
• Belief in the importance of holistic support for young people, including restorative practices to strengthen relationships, and a full-service community school approach to meet the wide-ranging needs of students and parents

Other Qualifications

• Relevant bachelors degree is required; Masters or other graduate degree in education, school counseling, school leadership, or other related field is preferred
• Flexibility to work evening hours and weekends on occasion
• Authorization to work in the U.S. is required

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, 12-month position and the ideal start date is December 14th, though an earlier start date is possible. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications and is in the range of $135,000 - $160,000 per year. Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with up to 5% employer match
• Life insurance
• Paid family leave
• Professional development and coaching
• A collaborative team deeply committed to growth and support

Innovation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

*This search is being supported by talent consultant, Mike Jolley. Any questions or referrals can be directed to Mike at [email protected].