SchoolWorks Job Opportunity
SchoolWorks Consultant
Organizational Overview
SchoolWorks is an educational consulting group with the mission of advancing all aspects of student learning and well-being by building the capacity of educators and educational institutions to assess, plan for, and achieve student success. With decades of insight into best practices across domains, SchoolWorks provides actionable improvement support by helping schools, districts, networks, and education agencies identify strengths and weaknesses, develop and execute meaningful and achievable action plans, and monitor ongoing progress. We represent a diverse client base, including departments of education, school districts, charter school authorizers, charter management organizations, charter schools, district schools, K-12 service providers and foundations, and individual practitioners.
Core Values
- Accountability: We believe accountability for results is an essential component of every successful organization.
- Based on Evidence: We seek to understand the context and practices of schools, districts, school networks, authorizers, and communities through evidence-based processes.
- Collaboration and Learning: We serve our partners best by collaborating and learning with them.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Through our work, we advance diverse, equitable, and inclusive policies, both within our organization and with our partners, in order to dismantle inequalities in school communities.
- Effective Practices: We identify effective practices across the education landscape and interpret and apply them in all aspects of our work.
We know that the largest driver of our success is the people who work in our organization every day. Our staff has an immediate impact on our ability to reach our mission and change the lives of our students. We strive to attract, develop, and retain a team that is diverse by race, ethnicity, culture, income background, gender, sexual identity and orientation, and a variety of other factors. See our statement on diversity here.
Research has shown that people of color and women are less likely to apply for jobs if they do not believe they meet every one of the qualifications described in a job description. Our highest priority is finding the best candidate for the job. We encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet every one of our qualifications described or you have a less traditional background.
Role Overview
Working with SchoolWorks’ diverse client base to address national issues in education, the primary responsibility of a consultant is to facilitate the activities and produce the outcomes outlined in a project’s scope of work. A consultant is able to participate in multiple SchoolWorks projects simultaneously.
The list of service areas in which a consultant may engage includes:
- Accountability and Authorizer Supports – we help State Departments of Education, charter school authorizers, charter management organizations, and large districts build, refine, and implement outcome-driven accountability systems.
- Quality Reviews – we provide objective on-site and/or virtual Quality Reviews of academic programs conducted through document review, classroom observation, and interviews/focus groups. During our reviews, school practices are measured against SchoolWorks Quality Criteria – a research-based set of standards linked to positive student outcomes. We also provide more targeted reviews, such as Equity Audits and Special Education Reviews for schools and districts to measure their effectiveness in service delivery to students.
- Instructional Supports – we offer a variety of instructional supports that aim to elevate the use of research-based effective practices linked to positive student outcomes. These include but are not limited to, the SchoolWorks MORE System, which offers a variety of instructional supports that aim to elevate the use of research-based effective practices linked to positive student outcomes, leadership and teacher professional development, and Learning Walks.
- Leadership and Governance Supports – we develop outcome-driven leadership and governance by engaging in partnerships that include coaching, training, planning, and progress monitoring services. To date, our experts have directly supported more than 150 school leaders and provided customized planning and training support for governing boards facing a variety of challenges.
- School Developer Supports – we provide charter application development support for school founders nationwide by writing charter applications and/or providing feedback and support on founder-written applications. To date, our experts have helped launch more than 100 schools.
- Special Projects – we meet the unique consulting needs of our clients through intensive, focused engagements that result in a specific set of outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Throughout the scope of the project, the consultant will:
- Follow the scope of work, as outlined in both the Work Order and project-specific training.
- Work collaboratively with the project manager and team members to deliver services to clients as outlined in the scope of work, ensuring client satisfaction.
- Guide and manage teams of adults through project meetings and activities, including, but not limited to, organizing schedules, serving as team liaison with school and/or client, facilitating team deliberations, and leading the process of coming to findings and/or ratings.
- Submit strong, compelling, evidence-based written products
Competencies
The exceptional candidate will excel in the following competencies:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Understands that bias, privilege, power, and systemic racism exist, and they impact decisions on a daily basis. Works to become anti-racist and helps ensure SchoolWorks is an anti-racist organization. Is empathetic and closely connected to cultural competence that enables the ability to see the world through others’ eyes and understand their unique perspectives.
- Stakeholder Management: Develops strong, trusting, respectful relationships with others; is respectful to all stakeholders, even in extremely challenging circumstances.
- Planning and Execution: Manages time and resources effectively; prioritizes efforts according to organizational goals. Compares actual progress to planned milestones and adjusts plans accordingly.
- Collaboration: Works in conjunction with multiple stakeholders across projects and within the organization to ensure the overall success of clients and the company.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Gathers information from different sources; sifts through complexity; analyzes and synthesizes information (the big picture and details) and proposes relevant solutions; has the ability to think holistically, recognize patterns, and make imaginative leaps based on those patterns.
- Intellectual Curiosity: Has a deep hunger to learn and grow, and a willingness to experiment in order to learn.
- Achievement Orientation: Sets challenging goals and follows through to get results. Has a history of personal success and achieving excellence.
- Management: Develops and encourages personal development of self and others to improve performance and models continual learning
Qualifications
- Advanced degree in education, policy, or management.
- At least 1-2 years of school, district, or network administration experience with successful turnaround experience a plus.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong project management skills.
- Experience in relationship-building and relationship management skills.
- Strong knowledge of data-driven decision-making practices.
- Ability to travel throughout the year.
Compensation
This is a contract position. Compensation will be based on the project and commensurate with experience. Candidates must be able to travel during our peak seasons in the spring and fall.
Application Process
Application > Phone Interview > Performance Task > Trial Visit or Project
Contact
Questions: Please contact talent@schoolworks.org
SchoolWorks is an equal opportunity employer.
To apply, please complete the application form below and upload your resume and cover letter.