Reports to:        Chief of Strategy, Innovation, and Accountability

Duration:           Two-year position (subsequent years will be contingent on funding availability)

Summary of Position

The Portrait of a Graduate Project Manager will be responsible for managing and monitoring the effective implementation of the Springfield Public Schools’ strategic plan. This will include coordinating across the work of numerous teams each responsible for the implementation of specific strategies and initiatives. Work of the Project Manager will include scheduling, organizing, and following-up from team meetings; tracking completion of tasks against strategic plan deliverables; tracking communication with external partners supporting the implementation of the plan; communicating regularly with team co-chairs to assess progress and follow-up needs; collecting and analyzing data related to strategy or initiative outputs and outcomes; creating updates for multiple stakeholders on implementation progress; and, other duties necessary to ensure that implementation of strategies and initiatives outlined in the plan is effective and timely.

Background

Over three years, from 2019 to 2022, the Springfield Public Schools engaged our entire community in a process of developing a Portrait of a Graduate and next strategic plan. The Portrait of a Graduate is a vision of the knowledge, skills, and mindsets all students should have when they graduate high school; and the strategic plan identifies the work that the district will undertake over the next six years to ensure all students realize the vision contained in the Portrait.

Duties

The Portrait of a Graduate Project Manager’s responsibilities will be:

• Managing a high-level six-year project plan and annual operational plan for the implementation of strategies and initiatives defined in the strategic plan;
• Scheduling and organizing meetings of the District Strategic Planning team, PoG Community Cabinet, cohort school learning community, and other teams as needed;
• Communicating regularly with strategy and initiative team co-chairs to monitor progress, identify emerging challenges, and provide support as needed for teams to advance their work;
• Collaborating with the PoG Core Team to set meeting agendas, develop professional development plans, and adjust operational plans as necessary;
• Coordinating the delivery of resources and supports to cohort schools;
• Monitoring cohort schools meeting of expectations and outcomes;
• Tracking efforts of teams and completion of plan deliverables, proactively identifying risks to successful implementation;
• Gathering, analyzing, and sharing data on outputs and outcomes as well as best practices for replication;
• Developing and implementing sustainable and efficient systems and structures for tracking strategic plan implementation and the work of numerous disparate teams and schools; and,
• Completing related duties of a similar nature.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required, Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in program or project administration or management including the organization and monitoring of complex tasks requiring consistent communication and follow-up with numerous stakeholders.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively with school leaders, district leaders, community partners, other staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a preference for strong skills in the succinct verbal and visual presentation of the essential themes emerging from complex information.
• Experience using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Microsoft Teams, or like platforms, for document collaboration and communication required.
• Experience working in a K-12 school system’s central office preferred.
• Experience working on grant-funded projects and reporting on grant outcomes preferred.

• Experience managing complex project budgets preferred.

Reach out to Valerie Williams, the Senior Administrator of Talent and Diversity Development at williamsv@springfieldpublicschools.com.  She will be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Nondiscrimination Statement

The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, age, disability or military service or marital status. The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access or treatment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

Title IX Notice of Nondiscrimination

Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  Springfield Public Schools is required by Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 not to discrimination on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  The Senior Administrator of Human Resources, Kathleen O’Sullivan, Springfield Public Schools, 1550 Main St. Springfield MA, 01103, 413-787-7100,  ext. 55428, has been designated as the employee responsible for coordinating Springfield Public Schools efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX.  Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 to Springfield Public Schools may be referred to Kathleen O’Sullivan or to U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202-1100, telephone 800-421-3481.