Connecticut Education Association is a dedicated educators’ labor union whose mission is to champion for educators, students, and public schools. We have been a leading voice for teacher professionalism and school improvement since we were formed in 1848.

The Connecticut Education Association (CEA) is seeking applicants for the position of Director of Affiliate Services and Member Training (ASMT), with a focus on managing field organizing and outreach to members. The Director is a member of the management team and is responsible for the coordination of CEA’s field program that promotes the vision, mission, and core values of CEA, and advances CEA’s strategic priorities.

The Director is responsible for working closely with CEA’s Senior Director of ASMT, effectively sharing in the responsibilities of supervising all field staff, including supporting, mentoring, coaching, and evaluating UniServ, and Associate and Confidential Staff. CEA desires an individual who possesses sound project and management skills, works well in a team environment, and monitors and addresses the needs of staff and the members they serve. The ideal candidate will be creative, flexible and enjoy performing a wide variety of tasks.

Education and Experience Required

• A minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Education, Management, or pertinent experience in a related field.
• Experience with training, supporting, and mentoring employees.
• A minimum of three years of experience in either project or personnel management related to member representation and organizing; organizing and representing members directly; or related fields or experience.
• Two years of experience in at least two of the following: contract bargaining, member rights advocacy, developing or implementing training programs; leading a union organizing campaign.
• Experience in union member engagement.

Experience Desirable

• Employment experience in public education.
• Employment or leadership experience in an advocacy organization such as national or state education associations, or other labor organizations, or community organizations.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Experience in supervision and motivation of staff and leaders in a team based, high-performance work environment, including a school, organization, or equivalent experience.
• Ability to manage, mentor, coach, and develop others by developing performance outcomes and accountability, accurately assessing employees’ strengths and improvement needs, providing feedback, and creating action steps to ensure development of staff over time.
• Models and inspires accountability: Inspires and motivates others to take action and meet goals. Delegates skillfully. Holds the team accountable (self and others).
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in managing a variety of programs within a membership-based organization.
• Manages a high volume of work with efficiency: Has, or can create, a system for keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. Able to juggle competing demands and prioritize without sacrificing quality. Plans backwards to make deadlines. Asks for help when needed.
• Acknowledges mistakes and turns them into learning opportunities.
• Strong sense of ownership and resilience: Plans ahead and finds alternative paths, when needed, to get to the finish line. Bounces back from setbacks and rejections. Holds a high bar even when things are hectic.
• Leadership skills, including the ability to think strategically, facilitate dialogue for shared results and facilitate problem solving through a variety of strategies.
• Desire to deepen a culture of organizing within the organization.
• Ability to build and support collaboration across staff within the department and collaborate with other departments.
• Strategist’s mind: Quickly grasps the subtleties of complex issues and identifies patterns in challenges. Comes up with insightful, pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable ways to tackle common challenges and produce positive change. Has a successful track record of taking a concept from idea to implementation.
• Vision and goal setting: Adapts to the evolving needs of the organization and thinks steps ahead to develop solutions that achieve goals in their realm.
• Entrepreneurial and resourceful: Consistently overcomes challenges and leverages resources to creatively solve problems. Proposes solutions to issues without much guidance (but is not afraid to ask questions). Proactively asks for help, anticipates problems, and course-corrects where needed.
• Attentive, empathetic leadership: Enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people. Empathizes with the communities we serve. Able to put people at ease, especially when there are lines of difference. Listens closely to understand needs or concerns and takes steps based on that input. Gets back to people in a timely manner. Takes pride in providing clear, helpful information. Builds authentic relationships across lines of difference, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, gender identity, citizenship status, or other identities. Follows through on commitments.
• Support and facilitate integrating racial and social justice goals into the work of the department.
• Effective communication skills and ability to build and maintain positive working relationships while working with a variety of leadership styles and perspectives.
• High standards of excellence, personal integrity, the use of sound judgment, and knowledge and sensitivity to cultural and personal differences.
• Willingness to work long hours including evenings and weekends and travel extensively to local associations within the state.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Person to Whom This Manager Reports

• CEA Executive Director
• Collaborates with ASMT Senior Director

Pay and Benefits
The salary range is $177,243 to $202,564 annually determined by experience. We also offer medical, dental and vision plans, a retirement plan, and paid holidays, vacation days, personal days and sick time.