SUMMARY:
Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Director of National School and Program Partnerships (“Director”) innovates and directs mission-furthering work in the areas of program development and expansion, online content and product development, training, technical assistance, dissemination, and outreach in accordance with Education of the Deaf Act (EDA) mandates to provide high quality programs and services to professionals and families working with deaf and hard of hearing students. The Director leads the Clerc Center’s School Partnership for Transformation Initiative, building partnerships with schools and programs nationwide to design professional development programs tailored to the needs of individual schools or state-wide services for deaf and hard of hearing students. The Director also oversees the Gallaudet University Regional Centers ensuring a comprehensive plan for services, expansion, outreach and partnerships for stakeholders from early intervention through college graduation; leads the innovation and implementation of the Clerc Center’s national face to face and virtual events; oversees project managers to ensure all projects are brought to completion according to established timelines; works with team of Directors to develop a comprehensive outreach strategy to further the reach of the Clerc Center and develop engagement strategies with a diverse audience of stakeholders; Works with the Clerc Center Public Relations team as a Subject Matter Expert to design and implement a marketing plan for national programs and services; develops and oversees assigned budgets; and allocates and manages resources for approved projects.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Innovation:
Innovates and directs mission-furthering work in the areas of program development and expansion, online content and product development, virtual and face to face training, technical assistance, dissemination, and outreach in accordance with Education of the Deaf Act (EDA) mandates to provide high quality programs and services to professionals and families working with deaf and hard of hearing students; ensures the Clerc Center’s portfolio of programs, products, and services is strong, of high quality, relevant to stakeholders, and supports the Clerc Center’s long-term success and the goals of the Clerc Center strategic plan.
Leads the Clerc Center’s School Partnership for Transformation Initiative; Creates partnerships with schools and programs serving deaf, hard of hearing and deaf blind students to work collaboratively to review instructional offerings and strategies, professional development opportunities and needs, and additional areas at the request of the school; leads program assessment efforts and develops tailored proposed action plans for program development, training, technical assistance, and family engagement.
Engages trainers, mentors, and cohort learning teams to support the continued growth and development of partner schools through short and long term action plans; identifies common needs and frequently requested training content as well as innovative practices in partner schools; and, together with the Director team, develops plans for future content development on the Clerc Center’s National Learning and Engagement Platform.
Leads the Clerc Center’s National Outreach Planning and implementation efforts; maintains a national leadership role through collaboration and partnership with national educational organizations; and develops a multi-year conference and engagement plan, including conferences, exhibits, Board relationships, and collaborative efforts, to raise visibility of the Clerc Center’s work across key organizations and partner programs.
Oversees the Gallaudet University Regional Centers (GURCs); developing plans in partnership with the regional Directors for the GURCs work in alignment with the Clerc Center’s Strategic Plan; develops plans for program expansion efforts and build an outreach network for all levels of education and service, birth through post-graduate education, and continuously striving to meet the needs to traditionally underserved populations and a variety of educational environments.
Innovates and leads the Clerc Center’s national face to face and virtual events including a series of national webinars and engagement events for topics based on needs identified through the Clerc Center’s Strategic Plan, Research Agenda, and through requests from school and programs.
Program Development and Oversight:
In collaboration with the team of directors, defines the scope and systems for technical assistance. Oversees the development of mechanisms and processes to support the effective provision, evaluation, and documentation of technical assistance activities.
Ensures all programs, products and services incorporate the principals of diversity, equity and inclusion; engages a diverse group of stakeholders early and throughout the program development process; and establishes quality assurance mechanisms to review products and services and revise as needed to ensure language is inclusive and actively considers and incorporates the perspective of traditionally underserved groups and in a variety of educational environments
Works with the Clerc Center Public Relations team as a Subject Matter Expert to design and implement a marketing plan for all national programs and services with an emphasis on reaching educators and families of traditionally underserved groups and in mainstream education environments.
In collaboration with other Directors, provides leadership, direction, and vision for the Clerc Center’s strategic planning process to establish organizational priorities; oversees implementation and ensures all planning efforts comply with external measures and mandates and that other Clerc Center planning processes are aligned with the strategic plan; and works collaboratively with other directors to establish and maintain effective interdepartmental systems to facilitate ongoing organizational planning and monitoring.
Oversees project managers to ensure all projects are brought to completion according to established timelines; ensures products, publications, and trainings address the needs of professionals and families, traditionally underserved groups and a range of educational environments as stipulated by the EDA; and as appropriate, incorporates the involvement of internal and external stakeholder groups through avenues such as project collaborations, advisory groups, and expert panels.
Leadership:
Works with members of the Clerc Center Leadership Team to develop cross-unit collaborations and two-way engagement. Actively seeks high quality teaching and learning strategies underway within KDES and MSSD and works collaboratively to engage personnel in producing content for a national audience; Ensures all training opportunities are available to KDES and MSSD personnel; and recommends and provides training and resource opportunities to teachers and staff based on observation and discussion with other Clerc Center leaders.
Seeks, establishes, and maintains external and internal collaborations in support of product and publications development, training, technical assistance, and outreach activities.
Ensures knowledge gathering, sharing, and integration of nationwide developments, trends, current events, needs of constituents, and politically sensitive issues in the fields of deaf education, general education, and related areas; and conducts policy analyses on emerging issues relevant to the Clerc Center mandate and federal accountabilities.
Ensures the execution of performance measures for federal accountability reporting; Works with department leaders to systematically document organizational planning, project development, and outreach efforts for reporting, historical, and other purposes. Ensures preparation of reports as needed for the Board of Trustees, U.S. Department of Education, GPRA and other purposes.
Provides leadership and direction to assigned personnel, ensures alignment between Clerc Center strategic goals, unit priorities, and staff annual performance objectives and accountability metrics; cultivates a sense of teamwork and shared vision within the unit; and evaluates performance and recommends salary increases.
Develops and oversees assigned budgets; allocates and manages resources for approved projects; and directs contractual arrangements as appropriate and monitors their progress.
Provides overall leadership to the Clerc Center by serving as a member of the Clerc Center Management Team and other leadership groups within the Clerc Center; serves as an active, contributing member of the Clerc Center and Gallaudet communities; serves as essential personnel and responds to emergency situations according to Clerc Center Crisis Leadership Team procedure; and assumes responsibility for the management of the Clerc Center when assigned.
Advises the Chief Academic and Chief Administrative Officers, providing extensive professional consultation and recommendations.
Represents the Clerc Center at University and external meetings and functions as appropriate including but not limited to special events, symposiums and conferences.
Effectively engages the staff in discussion of the Clerc Center’s values, vision, and direction; respects and uses the skills, expertise, experience, and insights of staff members; anticipates conflicts and facilitates resolution; expects staff members to accept responsibility for their actions; coaches staff members to success; and leads by example.
Works to support the Clerc Center mission in alignment with organizational priorities and the Clerc Center Strategic Plan.
Establishes and maintains a positive and supportive working relationship with co-workers and supervisor.
Shows a genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and participates in activities and workshops to foster continuous learning.
Serves as a mandatory reporter under Title IX; and commits to completing Title IX training and other compliance requirements on an annual basis.
Performs other related duties, as assigned.
SPECIFICATIONS
Required Minimum Qualifications (When the candidate’s resume meets these qualifications, it will be screened in.)
Master’s Degree in Education or a related field.
A minimum five years of direct student instruction experience at the K-12 level, and a thorough knowledge of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf blind learners, and of the unique educational and linguistic needs of deaf youth especially those from traditionally underserved populations.
A thorough knowledge and experience with bilingual education and instructional strategies for deaf and hard of hearing youth will also be required for success in this role.
Evidence of increasingly responsible leadership experience.
Ability to converse in high-level professional discourse in American Sign Language and written English and to communicate clearly with deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing audiences.
Preferred Qualifications (While not required, it is an advantage for what the position needs.)
A proven and impressive track record as a leader with the ability to build a team, motivate them, help them develop, and hold them accountable for the achievement of agreed upon organizational objectives.
Experience with strategic planning and utilizing educational research and program evaluation and a demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans and complex projects.
Broad managerial skills and experience, detail oriented, and a proven record of sound fiscal, organizational, and management practice.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Qualities that will help the incumbent be more successful in the position.)
Demonstrated commitment to the effective education of deaf and hard of hearing students from birth through high school, from diverse backgrounds and cultures, and with a broad range of skills and abilities.
Evidence of excellence in writing, communicating, and interpersonal relationships.
Demonstrated ability to design and develop comprehensive professional development programs and sequence based on the skills assessment of various audiences.
Demonstrated ability to conduct a comprehensive review of an instructional program and design and provide a tailored professional development series will also be required.
To ensure success with this work, the candidate will have experience providing instructional feedback and coaching.
Demonstrated ability to assess and provide a comprehensive review of both the instructional and operational components of a school/program, to design and sequence professional development programming to address needs based on program review, and the ability to recommend a variety of curriculum and assessment materials and provide detailed instructional feedback and coaching.
Demonstrated understanding addressing equity, diversity and inclusion; social justice; and anti-bias issues within school and organizational programming, to promote an equitable and inclusive climate, as well as the ability to review curriculum and assessment materials through the equity lens and to recommend a variety of curriculum and assessment materials.
Demonstrated ability to: effect change; maintain a harmonious work environment as well as a climate for successful innovation; and fulfill a national mission broad in scope and reach.
Ability to foster the use of technology and innovative strategies to promote learning on a national level.
Demonstrated ability to form and sustain productive relationships with state and national leaders in the field of deaf education and effectively represent organizational efforts and priorities on both the local and national level.
COMPENSATION:
Level: 11
Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications
FLSA: Exempt
Application Deadline: May 31, 2021. Selected candidates will be interviewed during the week of June 3, 2021.
The successful candidate will undergo a background check that must be cleared prior to working at Gallaudet University.
Gallaudet University is an equal opportunity employer/educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, age, hearing status, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, place of business or residence, pregnancy, childbirth, or any other unlawful basis. This policy is in compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, and other applicable laws and applies to all procedures affecting applicants and employees including, but not necessarily limited to: recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, reassignment, reappointment, tenure, demotion, selection for training, layoff, furlough, and termination, compensation, and all other conditions or privileges of employment.