Director, Career Readiness

Director Of Career Readiness

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is in the midst of the most far-reaching transformation plan in its history to dramatically improve educational outcomes for Cleveland's public-school scholars. We are seeking a Director of Career Readiness to systematize support strategies that assist school leaders and teachers in developing, planning, managing, organizing, and implementing all career and technical education (CTE) programming and career readiness initiatives for CMSD scholars. This Director of Career Readiness position requires an individual with superior leadership, analytical, executional, and change-management skills. This position will serve as a key contributor to the postsecondary success of Cleveland's teachers, leaders, and scholars.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides direction and leadership in the development of a coherent career readiness program that includes career exploration, integration of academic and technical skills, hands-on learning to develop technical skills, work-based learning opportunities, and internships and/or apprenticeships
• Works with school leaders, counselors, and teachers to ensure that students complete all of the courses in a career pathway and to ensure that career pathways are aligned to workforce and industry needs in order for students to earn recognized credentials
• Provides professional development for and/or coaching in the area of career and technical education, specific to the courses outlined for each pathway, to ensure that students demonstrate competency and readiness upon course completion
• Collaborates with school leaders and teachers to monitor student attainment of career experience and technical skills (through WebXams, industry-recognized credentials, pre-apprenticeship programs, work-based learning, readiness score on WorkKeys, Ohio Means Jobs Readiness Seal, etc.) and diploma seals that incorporate components of career pathways
• Assists in reviewing and revising department work systems and procedures as necessary to improve the efficiency and productivity of the department
• Monitors and supports the implementation of the PACE program
• Develops and sustains systems for accountability at the District level regarding resource support provided by the department to schools for career and technical education
• Conducts partner outreach on behalf of the District in alignment with collaborative outreach plans and with the District's core measures for academic achievement and college and career readiness in mind
• Develops and sustains strong relationships with school principals, counselors, teachers, and other stakeholders in order to ensure equitable access to career and technical education programming
• Collaborates with various departments to create an annual course catalog for the upcoming school year to provide scholars, families, and the community with a clear and concise depiction of the career pathways offered at each school
• Develops, monitors, and reviews the process through which school leaders apply and are approved for revisions to the career pathways in individual schools
• Provides leadership and support in achieving the District's core measures for college and career readiness and academic achievement
• Creates and sustains systems for compliance and accountability for all career pathways for CMSD schools
• Promotes CTE programs to all students, staff, families, members of industry, and local postsecondary partners, and actively recruits students and teachers for the program
• Fosters ongoing, meaningful partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, including those from small, medium, and large businesses, industry representatives, community members, as well as workforce and economic agencies
• Develops strong, positive relationships with other department managers to ensure alignment of career and technical education for CMSD scholars
• Monitors and supports CTAE youth organizations in all high schools
• Performs other duties as assigned

Level Of Supervision

Supervises Career and Technical Education Program Managers and Managers. May direct other staff outside of the span of control for special projects and/or initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years teaching at the high school level required. Experience as a high school administrator/counselor preferred.
• Must have a strong understanding of Career Pathways
• Ability to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate program goals and initiatives
• Possess a strong understanding of data, formative/summative assessment, and a familiarity with the interpretation and delivery of data acquisition of data to support principal and teacher understanding of class/school level data in support of learning (e.g., ODE Assessments)
• Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks, projects, and responsibilities
• Strong written and verbal communication/presentation skills
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and the public

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

• Expected to move, walk, and standing consistent with an office environment and occasionally lift up to 15 pounds
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms
• The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment.
• Local travel may be required for training/meetings.

Note: The above stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of a similar nature or level of responsibility.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and application using Workday, our online human capital management system. Please note that an offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of an FBI/BCI background check and drug screen.

EEO Statement

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.