Director of Academic Projects  Network - Phoenix Charter Academy

The Opportunity

The Phoenix Network is seeking an innovative and results-focused Director of Academic Projects who would serve in a key role to support the implementation of Phoenix’s academic priorities. The person in this role would serve in an organizational leadership position designed to ensure that students, teachers, staff, and leaders are well equipped with the systems and tools necessary to reach our ambitious goals, as the organization continues to innovate to support our students. The Director of Academic Projects will serve as a member of the Collaborative Practices team and be dedicated to supporting the implementation of the team's academic priorities. This new position is an exciting and challenging opportunity for someone who likes to juggle multiple projects, is able to work with multiple stakeholders, and has exceptional operational skills.

Your Contribution

In addition to demonstrating the qualities of a Phoenix staff member, Director of Academic Projects

will be responsible for the following:

Academic Projects

• The Director of Academic Projects will lead the implementation of critical academic projects and priorities. Examples include:

  • Implement and monitor the Achieve 3000 pilot. If the pilot is successful, then the Director of Academic Projects would launch the implementation of Achieve 3000 organization-wide.

  • Research and pilot a self-paced math self paced program to be launched organization-wide.

• Lead significant academic projects across the organization, including but not limited to overseeing academic projects, supporting the implementation of innovative program pilots, and developing and data management systems to measure impact of programs.

• Create, teach and monitor the research and roll out of academic projects, leveraging best practices for facilitating change management across a complex organization.

• Work with the Collaborative Practices Team to develop, refine, and/or codify academic projects.

• Develop and launch new initiatives as assigned by the Chief Schools Officer.

• Partner with statewide staff as necessary on all statewide-initiatives and systems, including but not limited to technology, talent, post-secondary success planning and development.

• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Programming Support

• Collaborate with the Chief Schools Officer to manage the implementation of academic programming initiatives.

• Work as a member of the Collaborative Practices team and take the lead in codifying/creation of tool kits for use organization-wide

• Support Schools and Chief Schools Officer and Collaborative Practices Team on best practices for change management when working with schools on roll out of new initiatives or pivots.

• Provide support on codifying programming strategies across schools and the organization.

• Share communication as needed across schools and in collaboration with school-based leaders.

• Develop materials for professional development and / or additional statewide work for teachers, staff and leaders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Masters degree preferred

• 3+ years of experience in teaching, strategic initiatives, change management, school leadership and academic programming

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Employment is based on qualifications for the role as well as a successful background check

Our Commitment to Staff

• We commit to providing a supportive environment and giving the professional development, coaching, and resources needed to be successful

• We commit to creating an open and tolerant culture that embraces diversity and fosters equity and inclusion through affinity groups and continuous capacity building supported by our Racial, Justice and Equity working group

Who We Are

Phoenix Charter Academy aims to show the world what all young people can do, and to defy the limitations of societal assumptions, classism, and racism. Phoenix Charter Academy was founded on the unwavering belief that all students can succeed at high levels. While this mantra is typical of high-performing schools, particularly those in the charter sector, Phoenix truly endeavors to reach every student, focusing on a growing number on the margins of the traditional public district education system: students who have dropped out of high school, students who are parenting children of their own, students who are or have been involved with the juvenile justice system, students who are older and new to the country and cannot gain access to public schooling, and students who are under-credited relative to the number of years they have spent enrolled in high school. We believe that these students, like all students, are completely capable of developing the skills necessary to set themselves up for lifetimes of economic prosperity and success. We support our students with individually tailored and academically rigorous curricula and push them to succeed at the highest levels by providing them with the resources and mentoring that they need to reach their full potential.

Why Our Work is Important

Students across America are dropping out of high school at an alarming rate. Dropping out of high school has a substantial impact on a young person’s life. Over the course of their lifetime, an individual who drops out of high school is more likely to have reduced earning power, greater social service dependency, increased rates of criminal involvement, and shorter life expectancy. Phoenix Charter Academies addresses this trend by creating environments where students can demonstrate their talent and resilience and prepare themselves for success through high school, college, and beyond.

Commitment to DEI

At Phoenix, we recognize the importance of forming a school community inclusive of all visible and invisible identities. We act to ensure that our students and staff always see reflections of themselves and their communities.

At Phoenix, we aim to break down systemic barriers by providing access to resources, experiences, and differentiated supports for historically marginalized groups.

At Phoenix, we solicit, value, understand, connect, and leverage multiple perspectives and experiences. We invite all perspectives except those that perpetuate oppression or dehumanization.

At Phoenix we do not just accept difference - we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our scholars and the communities we serve. We believe difference makes us stronger. Phoenix Charter Academy is an equal opportunity employer and as such, we do not discriminate against any team member or candidate because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law. Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to making any reasonable accommodation necessary to support an individual's employment.

Qualities of Phoenix staff member:

• Unwavering belief in our students - Phoenix staff operate with the deeply held belief that all young people want to and can succeed even in the face of substantial systemic barriers and societal constraints.

• Continuous Improvement - Phoenix staff approach problem solving with curiosity and desire to understand the perspectives of others. They carry an internalized sense of “I can always learn more” and know that adults at Phoenix must model the qualities of being open-minded and willing to make mistakes and learn from them. Phoenix staff members embody “lifelong learner” mindsets and strive for constant improvement.

• Eager to Learn - Phoenix staff must be able to learn as they go in a fast paced, ever evolving, urgent environment. They have the desire to receive direct feedback and the ability to implement the feedback into practice quickly.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Phoenix staff commit to understanding the ways that their self-identity and experiences impact and interact with their daily work, their colleagues, and their students, and work toward furthering initiatives that promote a more equitable society.

**The Network retains the right to modify this job description at any time, for any reason, at the Network’s sole discretion**