POSITION SUMMARY STATEMENT

An experienced, passionate and creative leader and manager who aligns and connects the purpose and work of United Way of Central Maryland’s (UWCM) Education initiatives to UWCM’s vision, mission and other programs. This role is focused on program management, staff supervision, strategic planning, program evaluation and evolution of UWCM’s On Track 4 Success (OT4S) initiative. Having completed our 7th year of OT4S implementation and recognizing wide-sweeping changes to the education landscape over that time, we are at an exciting program juncture of re-evaluating the intersection of school and district goals, UWCM strengths and unique value-adds as an external partner, and post-pandemic shifts impacting our communities. This offers a unique opportunity for the incoming Senior Director of Education Programs – On Track 4 Success, to lead the team through a strategic planning process over the course of the next year to explore potential program modifications that will continue to strengthen UWCM’s ability to support school systems, schools, families and students to address their evolving needs.

 

ON TRACK 4 SUCCESS PROGRAM OVERVIEW/RESPONSIBILITIES:

OT4S is a collaborative approach among public school educators, administrators and community partners committed to using data effectively to keep students on the pathway to high school graduation. The goal of the program is to build school capacity to adopt OT4S as part of a school’s culture and operations, and then, once school staff is able to sustain the program with only limited assistance from UWCM, transition UWCM staff out of day-to-day program implementation at that school so that they may serve additional schools.

The Senior Director of Education Programs is a supervisory position responsible for the training and management of UWCM OT4S staff who coordinate the use of data with key stakeholders within schools to assess each student and their needs, develop appropriate interventions, and then monitor the success of those interventions. This position requires ongoing work with schools/school districts through all phases of the OT4S program (ex. introduction of program into a new school, ongoing training and implementation, transitioning and service post-transition). Relationship-building with current and prospective schools, school districts, and among UWCM staff and volunteers is a critical component of this role.

In addition to onboarding, training and supervising UWCM OT4S team members (OT4S Managers), the Senior Director of Education Programs will also collaborate in training of school staff, working directly with individual school and district partners on data and research initiatives, and determining how to plug into and apply the best practices and components of OT4S to existing district programs and processes. Significant data support is necessary for the success of OT4S and is one of the most critical components in supporting the implementation, growth and expansion of the program.

This position partners with a broad cross-section of UWCM staff to create and execute projects that support UWCM’s education work while building and maintaining superior relationships with key stakeholders such as donors, volunteers, area school systems, other non-profits, government officials, UWCM partners and consultants, and other local United Ways.

 

OT4S UWCM Staff Management

  • Ongoing management and development of OT4S team members, including supporting individual and workplan goal development, holding regular one-on-one meetings, and providing overall guidance, oversight and assessment of their work.
  • Ensure all UWCM OT4S team members that serve as program liaisons are focused on relationship building with school and district staff/partners with an emphasis on meeting their unique needs and building buy-in for OT4S that can positively impact overall school climate.
  • Responsible for all aspects of recruitment and hiring process, including the development of an onboarding plan for all new OT4S team members, orienting them to both program-specific processes and best practices, as well as policies, protocols and opportunities for UWCM overall.
  • Educate and train all new OT4S team members in the JHU research OT4S is based upon, OT4S program development and evolution, OT4S meeting facilitation strategies, as well as program component, protocols, data work and other regular tasks associated with their role.

Data Strategy Development & Execution

  • Oversee UWCM OT4S and school staff on data collection, recording and distillation of the research-based indicators used for monitoring student progress and determining which students need targeted supports.
  • Manage the utilization of data for trend analysis and development of whole-grade or whole-school interventions and small group interventions.
  • Supervise the team’s generation of data visualizations to communicate OT4S’s work effectively with various stakeholder audiences (school leadership and OT4S school teams, district meetings, UWCM volunteers/donors).
  • Oversee the collection and recording of OT4S student intervention data.
  • Over time, build schools’ capacity by working with UWCM OT4S staff in training teachers, administrators and school personnel to assume the roles outlined above.
  • Meet with school leadership, at least twice a year, to review data, discuss trends and any potential interventions to address (at all tier levels).
  • Work with school district staff to help remove the barriers between district and individual schools when it comes to data sharing. Assist district in evolving development of dashboards to be user-friendly for schools.

School Training/Program Management: Implementation and Transition

  • Work with a variety of schools in different phases of OT4S program incubation: Introduction of program, continued training/maintenance of program, transition of program, and post-transition support.
  • Oversee training/refresher training for teachers, administrators and school personnel on JHU research and model as well as OT4S meeting protocol and facilitation.
  • Supervise the preparation/facilitation of OT4S meetings at assigned schools (gradually shifting role to school staff leading up to transition phase, and then tapering support down once school has transitioned successfully).
  • Support the facilitation of interventions and intervention follow-up between OT4S team meetings to ensure team is following through, to serve as a thought-partner to school staff and to help develop new intervention ideas.
  • Establish guidelines and standards for OT4S program and transition strategy including what schools need to demonstrate by end of final year of full UWCM implementation support, what services UWCM will continue to provide OT4S schools and districts following transition, and how schools will retrieve and work with data, etc.
  • Develop and maintain external partnerships to bring into schools as appropriate.

Fiscal/Grant Management

  • Support development of and manage overall program budget, and necessary modifications as program evolves.
  • Work with cross-functional internal teams to explore, foster and support funding opportunities, including assisting Grants team in development of grant proposals.

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

  • Minimum of a bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years of experience focused on data, strategy development, program monitoring and evaluation.
  • Passion for working with and on behalf of children.
  • Experience working in a school environment.
  • Demonstrates leadership, critical thinking and creativity.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Strong Microsoft Office skills, including PowerPoint, as well as data visualization skills.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, approachable personality – willingness to listen.
  • Excellent strategic planning and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail and follow through.
  • Experience and high comfort level with meeting facilitation.
  • Strong presentation skills.
  • Adept in working with cross-functional teams (ex. Marketing, Development, Grants, etc.) to help frame promotion of the program to various internal and external audiences, including reporting on program progress, results and outcomes.
  • Self-motivated, achievement-oriented and proactive; shows initiative and enthusiasm while demonstrating maturity and uncompromising responsibility, courage and self-confidence.
  • Has integrity; is committed to ethical conduct and UWCM’s mission. Is caring with sound judgment.
  • Is adaptable and open to alternative solutions and flexible in interacting with others.
  • Pursues continuous learning and self-mastery analyzing strengths/weaknesses and planning for growth.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Occasional walking or standing is required. The hands are regularly used to write, type, key and handle or feel small controls and objects. The employee must frequently talk and hear. Weights of up to 25 pounds are occasionally lifted. There is extensive use of a computer. Employee is primarily seated while performing the duties of the position.

 

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume via email to:

United Way of Central Maryland 
Attention: Human Resources
1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 340 
Baltimore, MD 21230 
Email: hrrecruiting@uwcm.org