Director of Career Pathways - ReadyCT

Director of Career Pathways

Job Description

Location: 350 Church Street, 10th  Floor / Hartford, CT 06103 

Website:readyCT.org

Salary: starting at $90k  - - commensurate with experience

Who We Are: 

ReadyCT is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to advance academic excellence and career-connected learning for all public school students in Connecticut through collaboration with business, civic, and education leaders. ReadyCT accomplishes its mission by offering dynamic career readiness programming in school buildings that, with intention, bridges the gap between public education and the employers who will, ultimately, hire their future workforce from our public schools. Businesses continue to respond well to the programming; last year, over 100 Connecticut businesses of all sizes and across all sectors worked alongside ReadyCT to inform our programming efforts.

ReadyCT also maintains a presence in legislative circles, advocating for policies that systematically improve Connecticut public education, with an emphasis on advancing access and equity. 

ReadyCT has a formal affiliation with CBIA, the CT Business & Industry Association, which is the largest, most representative business organization in the state. CBIA members include businesses of all sizes from nearly all industries in Connecticut. ReadyCT partners with CBIA business members to bring career-connected learning to students across the state.  

What We’re Looking For:

Reporting to the executive director of ReadyCT the director of career pathways will advance ReadyCT’s K-12 career pathway programmatic priorities. The director of career pathways will work directly with a wide range of stakeholders -- including school/district leadership, school staff, business leaders, students, families, funders, community-based organizations, and ReadyCT colleagues. A key objective of the position is to establish and maintain partnerships that help schools to implement innovative and meaningful career-connected learning opportunities for students; accordingly, the successful candidate will have an interest in and proclivity for communicating in ways that resonate with each unique stakeholder population.  

The director of career pathways must possess a deep understanding of the K-12 education and workforce development landscapes, with a strong vision for how they can and should intersect across Connecticut. The ideal candidate should be familiar with best practice K-12 career pathway models at the local and national levels and should have experience building trust with students and families, as well as public school leaders and staff/faculty. Since ReadyCT emphasizes cross-sector collaboration, it is also essential that the candidate be experienced in working with business and civic leaders so as to introduce programming that brings both relevance and rigor to students’ learning experience.

What You’ll Do: 

Work closely with public school/district leaders and faculty, as well as community and corporate partners, to implement innovative career pathway initiatives aligned with ReadyCT’s priorities, through methods including:

• Developing and driving initiatives designed to support K-12 innovation and improvement at the state and local levels.
• Organizing and leading conferences, workshops, and other events on key topics aligned with ReadyCT’s career pathway programming priorities.
• Creating and facilitating networks and communities of practice to allow district/school leaders, industry partners, and other key stakeholders to share successes and challenges and solve problems related to implementation of key strategies/initiatives.
• Surveying key stakeholders to identify implementation challenges and needs.
• Tracking and using data and indicators of student achievement, as well as school and district performance, to define and assess the effectiveness of programming with an eye towards continuous improvement.
• Identifying the need to recruit and/or engage partners to amplify the impact of ReadyCT’s programming efforts.
• Codifying best practices and seeking out ways to bring these to scale through the development of tools, protocols, convenings, etc.

Serve as part of the ReadyCT leadership team and supervise members of the Career Pathways Team in order to consistently and effectively implement career pathway programming by:

• Leading, coaching, and supervising existing and future career pathway program personnel.
• Guiding the current and future development of career pathways that consists of four key components: academic coursework, technical/industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, and support services.
• Coordinating with the executive director to manage relationships and requests from the district, school administration, Industry Advisory Board (IAB), and employer partners, prioritizing requests, as appropriate.
• Completing certification and evaluation of programs as required by supporting entities/frameworks, such as NAF, and early college/dual enrollment partnerships.
• Working with postsecondary institutions, industry, and community-based organizations to develop enrichment opportunities aligned with the career pathway programs.
• Supporting districtwide or regional advisory groups in support of career pathways efforts.
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of career pathways programs.
• Designing and developing events to recognize and celebrate student outcomes and effective collaborations.

Advance organizational stewardship, inclusive of fundraising strategy, by:

• Strategizing with ReadyCT staff, during team meetings and in other settings, about upcoming projects that advance priority needs of Connecticut-based school systems.
• Identifying and prioritizing grant and general funding opportunities, with a focus on those opportunities related to career pathways.
• Writing grant documents, managing the application process, and drafting reports on successful grant applications.
• Supporting special projects and initiatives, as necessary, to ensure organizational success.

This job description is intended to be a comprehensive overview of the director of career pathways role. All ReadyCT team members are charged with other duties as may be required. In-state travel is required.

Desired Skills:

• 5-8 years in a supervisory/management role. 
• A passion for improving the public education landscape and developing the potential of all students!!
• A bachelor's degree (required); master’s degree or higher (preferred).
• Professional experience within a public school and/or workforce development setting (preferred).
• Direct experience with corporate engagement or corporate/education partnerships (preferred).
• Strong understanding of the NAF model and/or work-based learning (preferred).
• Familiarity with principles and implementation of change management.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Active listening and strong facilitation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to build new relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• The ability to both work independently and collaborate with a team.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills and strong attention to detail and record of delivering on-time results.
• Comfort with and aptitude for learning new technology systems, including Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to adapt to new situations and remain impact-focused.
• ReadyCT staff members must be flexible and responsive to changes in the scope of duties.

Summary of Benefits:

Full time employees are eligible for the following benefits

• Healthcare, dental, and vision plans
• Retirement plans
• Short term disability 
• Long term disability 
• Group Life insurance 
• Generous PTO

In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, ReadyCT offers a competitive salary, opportunities for professional development and growth, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in the education sector.

ReadyCT is an equal opportunity employer. 

Requirements: