Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 330,000 students in 600 schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
The Office of Family & Community Engagement (FACE) Operationalizes the CPS Equity Framework by driving positive change, fostering an inclusive and equitable environment, and enhancing collaboration among families and communities. The Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) creates opportunities for parents, schools, families, and communities to collaborate to create meaningful partnerships that ultimately lead to student achievement. FACE teams include but are not limited to Data & Accountability, Local School Council Relations, Faith-Based Initiatives, Parent University, FACE Programs, and School & Community Supports.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief of Family & Community Engagement will serve as a visionary and strategic leader within the district, overseeing multiple teams to create and implement a districtwide strategy that promotes equity, engagement, and empowerment of families and communities with CPS.
The Chief of Family & Community Engagement will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Spearhead the development and execution of comprehensive strategies to actively engage students, families, community organizations, and other critical stakeholders, demonstrating visionary leadership in shaping initiatives that foster meaningful connections and support the overall mission of District
• Establish, communicate, and build commitment to a shared vision to promote equity, engagement, and empowerment of families and communities with CPS, focusing on equity and cultural responsiveness.
• Direct management and oversight of the Office of Family and Community Engagement, including vision and strategy, people management, operations, budgetary oversight and management, and continuous improvement.

• Manage multi-million dollar FACE budget; Collaborate with the finance and budgeting teams to allocate resources efficiently to support family and community engagement initiatives.

• Oversee and support multiple directors and teams responsible for family and community engagement initiatives, including but not limited to Data & Accountability, Local School Council Relations, Faith-Based Initiatives, Parent University, FACE Programs, and School & Community Supports
• Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and support the professional development of directors and team members.

• Provide leadership and direction to systematize an approach for meaningful, equitable engagement practices or approaches that reflect the values of a diverse range of families, as well as systems that foster tailored supports, flexible engagement options, and coordination between families, schools, and the district.
• Champion and embed equity and cultural responsiveness throughout all family and community engagement efforts, ensuring that the needs and perspectives of diverse communities are acknowledged and respected; Advocate for policies that promote equity and inclusivity within the school district.
• Cultivate relationships with families; Serve as a strong advocate for the needs and interests of families and communities within the district, ensuring their voices are represented and incorporated into decision-making processes.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement by proactively establishing systems to gather feedback from families and communities intended to influence both policies and practices at the district level that support equity, engagement, and empowerment of families and communities with CPS.
• Build effective productive working relationships with internal departments throughout CPS to champion and operationalize strategies that support empowering families and communities, centering healing, and building trust with the district.
• Collaborate with district administrators, school leaders, and community stakeholders to develop and implement policies, practices, and culturally responsive engagement strategies that reflect the diverse backgrounds of students and families and ensure alignment with overall district goals and priorities.
• Establish and maintain strong partnerships with community organizations, local agencies, and other stakeholders to expand the impact of family and community engagement initiatives
• Regularly report progress and outcomes to district leadership, school board, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as the district's leading subject matter expert on family and community engagement by participating in media interviews, and reviewing internal and external communications.
• Work with families and community partners to identify systemic barriers to equitable student opportunities and outcomes.
• Lead the development and implementation of initiatives that equitably engage families and community members in the education process, including family workshops, community events, and roundtables.
• Provide leadership and support to district, network, and school leaders, ensuring they have the resources and tools needed to engage with families and communities successfully.
• Create and further develop systems of collecting and analyzing data on family and community engagement initiatives to evaluate their effectiveness and identify areas for continuous improvement to strategies and programs.
• Foster and nurture the evolution of the community with community partners, organizations, and businesses to support the educational needs of students and families.
• Coordinate and support professional learning opportunities for families, community partners, and district and school leaders on topics related to culturally responsive family and community engagement.
• Collaborate with the appropriate departments to develop and manage the budget for family and community engagement programs and initiatives.
• Ensure responsible allocation of resources to support the effective implementation of engagement initiatives.
• Seek additional funding opportunities through grants and partnerships to enhance existing programs.
• Perform additional duties as assigned

To be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Chief of Family & Community Engagement must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:

• Master's degree in Education, Public Administration/Policy, Social Justice, or a related field from an accredited college or university is required.
• Ed.D. or Ph.D. in a related field is strongly preferred.

Experience Required:

• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience, including the following, is required:
• Minimum of seven (7) years of formal leadership experience
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience building and leading high-performing teams to achieve ambitious goals with strong outcomes
• Experience successfully building and leading large-scale complex programs, projects, and change management initiatives
• Experience as a principal of school leadership management (i.e., Deputy Chief/Chief of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent, etc.) is preferred
• Experience with multi-year strategic planning and change management is preferred
• Bilingual (Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Mandarin, and Urdu) preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and effectively guide school, district, and directors in realizing expectations set
• Expertise in leadership development. Ability to coach directors and managers toward excellence, build the capacity of content area teams and develop meaningful and high-impact professional communities for teachers and school leaders
• Ability to work collaboratively with community partners, including families, educators, and local organizations
• Demonstrated success in designing and implementing initiatives aimed at promoting equity, family, and community empowerment in educational settings
• Understanding of federal, state, and local education policies and regulations related to equity and family & community engagement
• Strong communication skills (speaking - including presentations - listening, and writing)
• Demonstrate high levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions.
• Effective strategic planning capabilities, including establishing long-term vision and goals and aligning/managing activities toward goal fulfillment
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g., developing high-performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success.
• Knowledge of operations, budget/finance, management, and organizational development
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support schools and principals
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps

Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.