Director of Postsecondary Initiatives

Company: Intrinsic Schools
Location: Chicago
Posted on: January 27, 2023

Job Description:

Introduction to Intrinsic SchoolsIntrinsic Schools is a public charter network whose mission is to create a revolutionary new school model that prepares all students for postsecondary success and world-changing endeavors. We offer a chance to make a unique impact in urban education by creating an academic model that leverages great teaching and the precision of technology to personalize education for each student. At our Belmont campus, we serve students in grades 7-12. At our downtown campus, we serve students in grades 9-12. Our student demographics are 90% people of color, 86% free and reduced lunch and 19% students with disabilities.Why IntrinsicWe offer a chance to make a unique impact in urban education by creating an academic model that leverages great teaching and the precision of technology to personalize education for each student. Our goal is to prepare all students for post-secondary success as demonstrated by high quality student work, growth on assessments and "noncognitive" factors such as empathy, student identity, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity.Our Postsecondary ModelWe individualize the postsecondary process for each student, provide students with information needed to make informed choices and celebrate all decisions: 4 year college, 2 year college, workforce, Military, or service. We are committed to helping each student create the best plan based on their interests, skills, values, and finances. We have a data-driven approach to college match and help students through each step of the college application process. Finally, we believe families are a crucial part of the postsecondary process and are committed to involving parents, families, and other influencers in the decision making process.In order to help students and families make the best postsecondary decision, we believe in providing enriching experiences throughout a student's academic career. Students engage in C Day (a weekly choice day with club and academic blocks), Student Led Conferences (quarterly check ins with students, families, and the student's advisor), and Seminar courses (9th, 11th, and 12th grade classes where students explore their strengths, interests, and values while strategically planning their academic future) in addition to other schoolwide enrichment activities, field trips, events, and opportunities.Intrinsic offers annual scholarships up to $5,000 to students who attend schools with graduation rates of 67%+. Intrinsic also offers loan forgiveness to alumni who attend schools with a graduation rate of 67%+ and meet certain academic requirements.The OpportunityIntrinsic's Belmont Campus graduated our first class in 2017, and our Downtown Campus will graduate our first class in the spring of 2023. 90% of our students choose college, with ---- of them choosing 4-year college. We have strategic college partners who offer our students strong financial aid packages as well as workforce development partners who offer our students job placement in competitive fields. We have a strong team of collaborative and mission-driven counselors and time-tested systems for data collection and analysis. We are now ready for new leadership to push our team towards two big goals:

• Get even smarter about where we are sending our students of all academic ranges
• Create partnerships with strategic competitive schools outside of the Midwest
• Create partnerships with scholarship programs and funders to eliminate financial barriers for families
• Continue to identify college partners for students at all GPA ranges, especially students with less competitive GPAs, to ensure that all students have affordable and supportive college options.
• Broaden our college visit opportunities
• Invest families in the process as early as possible
• Create network-wide momentum around Competitive Access
• Inform Intrinsic teachers and staff about college and career access trends
• Motivate Intrinsic teachers and staff to support and encourage students to earn strong grades and take more competitive courses
• Collaborate with network leaders to offer more rigorous coursework, particularly in 12th grade
• Champion our competitive access metrics in all conversations and spacesJob DescriptionThe Director of Postsecondary Initiatives is the most senior leader at Intrinsic focused on the core of our mission: to prepare all students for postsecondary success and world-changing endeavors. The Director of Postsecondary Initiatives serves on the senior leadership team at Intrinsic and reports to the CEO. Through their leadership, Intrinsic will have two of the best non-selective high schools in Chicago, seeing students matriculate to colleges and careers that will empower them to have choice-filled lives. Additionally, the Director of Postsecondary Initiatives will serve as a leader in the national education community, collaborating with a national network of practitioners and sharing Intrinsic's practices to the benefit of hundreds of thousands of students around the country.Responsibilities include:
• Lead the Postsecondary Teams at both our Belmont and Downtown Campuses
• Manage and support the Heads of Counseling
• Maintain and/or create systems to ensure students are on track for strong postsecondary plans (strong college lists, application completion, FAFSA completion, strategic scholarship applications, verification and appeals processes, decision making, matriculation)
• Collaborate with principals on key school issues
• Maintain network accounts and databases (Overgrad, National Student Clearinghouse, SalesForce, etc)
• Manage 1-2 direct reports. Team roles and responsibilities to be designed after the Director is in place to allow for input. Team responsibilities will include:
• Ensure that 80% of all Intrinsic students have participated in an enrichment program by the time of graduation
• Provide opportunities for parents to engage with and lean about the postsecondary process
• Plan and execute key exploration events (Networking Night, college fairs, college visits)
• Collaborate with network leadership
• Apply knowledge of changing college and career landscape to ensure both campuses have the most informed policies and practices to reach our goals (including but not limited to grading philosophy, transcripts, school profiles, competitive access metrics, college-going mindsets)
• Share knowledge and expertise across Intrinsic on topics relating to college completion and career success. This includes advising Principals, other senior leaders, and Intrinsic staff
• Create strategic college and career partnerships
• Identify partners who will best serve our students after graduation socially, academically, and financially
• Attend local, state, and national conferences to represent Intrinsic and maintain our reputation and presence in these spacesOur ideal candidate is:
• Compelling: Has a track record of influencing, motivating, leading, and uniting others toward a common mission. 5+ years of management experience preferred.
• Personable: Can build relationships across lines of difference with students, families, staff members, senior leaders, and partners.
• Experienced: Has 5+ years of experience in the college access and success space (high school, CBO, private, or higher education)
• Analytical: Has a strong command of data analysis, including building and interpreting reports in Google Sheets or Excel.
• Innovative: Unafraid to find creative solutions to complex problems facing students, families, and schools in times of uncertainty and opportunity.Application Process

• Candidates should apply to all positions of interest through the job posting .
• After you apply you will be contacted by a member of the Intrinsic Recruitment Team.Equal Opportunity EmployerIntrinsic Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Intrinsic Schools ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. Intrinsic Schools has a policy of active recruitment of qualified minority teachers and non-certified employees. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact the Department of Human Resources.

Keywords: Intrinsic Schools, Chicago , Director of Postsecondary Initiatives, Executive , Chicago, Illinois