Affiliate Senior Director

Job Description

Job Description

Job Purpose/Summary 

At Communities In Schools of Nevada (CISN), the Affiliate Senior Director, is the Senior affiliate leader and leads the day-to-day programming and operations of the affiliate team, overseeing multiple programs and staff to achieve affiliate-wide outcomes. The Senior Director helps to shape strategy for the affiliate, guiding data-driven program quality and alignment, analyzing affiliate-wide outcomes and trends, and driving improvements. They drive the relationship with the local school district and principals, strategizing to strengthen community and school partnerships and expand the reach and quality of CIS programming. They build and lead highly effective teams, shaping culture, building systems, and constantly asking how we can better serve students through both internal improvements and partnership with the broader community. As the senior leader of the affiliate, they hold authority and accountability for day-to-day decision making and partner with the Executive Director on long-term strategy, resource allocation, and the Affiliate Advisory Council.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Affiliate Program Strategy and Priorities

• Set strategy for the affiliate in consultation with the Executive Director across the Integrated Student Supports program, Full Service, General Youth Services (GYS), and any other programs utilized by the affiliate, including but not limited to, identifying potential school sites and staffing allocations, building affiliate growth plans, prioritizing Academy offerings, and developing long-term district and government partnerships
• Translate organization-wide strategy and state directives into affiliate strategy and best practices, creating programmatic vision and the annual operating plan (AOP)
• Plan multi-year strategy in alignment with the affiliate AOP and the organization-wide strategic plan, in collaboration with the Executive Director
• Engage in ongoing learning, research, data analysis, and other activities to ensure the affiliate is implementing research-based programming and is a leader in student support services and drop-out prevention.
• Strategize around personnel and resource management, participating in the annual budget process led by the Executive Director and shaping budgets across programming and operations, including personnel, school site budgets, training, travel, employee expenses, and other budget domains.
• Analyze resource allocation against outcomes, assessing return on investment and adjusting strategy to align with stronger outcomes.
• Lead initiatives within the affiliate, defining strategy, goals, resources, and measurement for pilots and new programs.
• Support cross-departmental alignment and strategic planning.

Programmatic Fidelity and Quality

• Hold accountability for school and student outcomes across the affiliate.
• Ensure alignment to and fidelity of practice of the Integrated Student Supports (ISS) model, utilizing best practices, national and state-wide research, and data to drive program quality. 
• Ensure alignment to and fidelity of practice of the Full Service Community Schools (FSCS) model, utilizing best practices, national and state-wide research, and data to drive program quality. 
• Analyze affiliate data monthly, quarterly, and yearly; use data to direct priorities, training, collaboration, and strategy to improve outcomes.
• Analyze program trends to identify areas of resource, service, or partnership gaps and determine next steps. Own the process or delegate to the appropriate teams to close identified gaps, including researching and finding curriculum, programs, or resources, partnering with the state programs team, and/or partnering with affiliate partnerships leader(s).
• Utilize multi-year data to drive program strategy and priorities.
• Represent the organization externally, especially with prospective schools, district partners, and nonprofit executive leadership.
• Closely monitor principal relationships, retention, and satisfaction to identify affiliate-wide trends, cohort-specific or staff-specific gaps, and opportunities for collaboration; manage principal relationships through layers, working with Program Directors (PDs) and Program Managers (PMs) who own those relationships.

Team Building & Culture

• Hire, train, assign placement of, support and develop the affiliate team.
• Train, broker, and/or partner with the state team to develop program leaders, creating and executing an annual program leader training plan.
• Train and support other managers in affiliate hiring practices, supporting hiring of all roles in an effort to ensure staff have high capacity and are aligned to the mission and values. 
• Engage appropriately and effectively in all Human Resources (HR) processes for direct reports including, but not limited to, hiring, time sheets, leave policies, employee relations, or other duties.
• Lead Employee Relations responsibilities for the affiliate, following all HR processes for documentation, employee relations concerns, and employment decisions. Support and coach other Program Leaders and managers to effectively and proficiently handle all Employee Relations matters. Collaborate with the Executive Director on larger ER issues and any considerable risk. 
• Develop the skill and knowledge of Program Managers/Directors to build effectiveness and efficiency of their staff, driving student outcomes.
  • Develop the skill and knowledge of Program Managers/Directors as function leaders who set strategy and drive program outcomes for functions within the ISS program
  • Develop team members into leaders; drive long-term organizational success through talent development
• Hold accountability for direct reports meeting their performance goals
• Monitor internal systems including but not limited to data, hiring, badging/district access, storage, facilities, finance, and other systems to ensure systems are efficient and timely, easy to navigate, and operating as the best-value resources for the affiliate. 
• Identify repeated gaps in policies or procedures, especially those that cause frustration or slowed work, and build processes and policies to minimize disruption and maximize staff output.

School District Relationships 

• Establish and maintain outstanding working relationships with key constituencies in the affiliate district(s) to include the superintendent, partnership office, assigned liaison, and other key stakeholders in conjunction with the Executive Director. 
• Lead district relationship strategy and strengthening of the partnership; maintain appropriate linkages with school district leadership and the Board of Trustees to ensure a cooperative partnership with the school district in implementing CIS initiatives
• Lead the process for signing a CISN-District Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as needed. Sets strategy for the MOU process and marshals other staff to ensure the MOU will be signed by the district, including directing the Executive Director, Chief Programs Officer, and/or Chief Executive Officer to take action as needed.
• Update partnership agreements with schools and the school district on an as-needed and/or annual basis, following any changes to school sites or staff placements with MOU updates and maintain School Site Agreements with each school annually

Management & Recruitment of a Local Advisory Council 

• Work closely with the Affiliate Advisory Council and chairperson, along with the Executive Director, to support and facilitate all Affiliate Advisory Council functions, including:
  • Assisting in the recruitment of new members; 
  • Helping to plan Affiliate Advisory Council meeting agendas; 
  • Working with individual Affiliate Advisory Council members to ensure that all members understand the mission and goals of CIS.

Sets, builds, and maintains affiliate culture and morale 

• Set affiliate culture and define culture objectives 
• Build a cohesive team – including both the central office team and site-based staff
• Lead the affiliate in times of challenge, upholding CORE values and expectations alongside the Executive Director.
• Communicate regularly and clearly with team members, driving both team culture and task and deadline completion through consistent communication 
• Hold accountability for affiliate culture and staff retention

Function leadership and delegation

• Senior Directors ensure all functions within the program are led and managed effectively. Lead one or more functions within the program and/or delegate functions to Directors or Managers, as appropriate. These functions include, but are not limited to: Level ownership, Academy, Full Service Community Schools, Training, Partnerships, Special Initiatives, or others. 
• Determine and delegate functional needs annually – or more frequently if need arises - and assign functions to staff, including self-assignment, appropriately and effectively to achieve outcomes.
• Functional leadership responsibilities include:
  • Set strategy and direction for the assigned program area 
  • Ensure alignment to larger ISS and affiliate goals 
  • Complete all function responsibilities
  • Manage function budgets and resources
  • Hold accountability for all function outcomes 

CISN Team Member

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, within the affiliate, with the state team, and/or across affiliates to enhance learning, engage best practices, and ensure alignment. 
• Lead and engage in team building, meetings, communication, and culture.
• Identify cross-functional improvement strategies, elevate concerns, and work to improve the affiliate.
• Engage in and seek out ongoing training and development to continuously grow.
• Represent the organization internally and externally in alignment with the mission and CORE values.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Competencies 

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, master’s degree or higher a plus. A combination of education and experience, equaling or greater than 11 total years of relevant education and experience, will be considered.
• 6-8+ years experience working with youth or social services programs required.
• 3-5+ years management experience required.
• License in education (administration or teaching), social work, or another relevant field preferred.
• Proven track record managing program outcomes required, with experience managing through layers preferred.
• High level of interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral communication) a must.
• Knowledge of data collection and proficiency tracking progress.
• Sensitivity to needs of youth and varied populations.

Competencies include:

• Excellent writing, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to set goals, meet deadlines, and evaluate results. 
• Ability to coach and motivate direct reports, manage relationships with various professionals in multiple locations with varied needs and expectations. 
• Ability to support the strategic development of Affiliate programming.
• Ability to independently strategize, set goals, and follow through on functional programming.
• Ability to successfully create and sustain partnerships with District and School leaders.
• Excellent collaboration and teamwork skills.

Work Environment & Physical Demands 

• Work environment is indoors and climate controlled. Maybe exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
• Moderate noise levels as found in a business office and classroom setting.
• Use of own automobile.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check, possible fingerprinting, and drug screen.
• Travel required to and from school sites