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 Portfolio Management (OPM) ensures every student in Chicago has a choice of well-resourced schools in their neighborhood that best meet their unique learning needs by building coherent and aligned systems for enrollment, regional school planning, incubation of quality schools options, and school accountability across the district.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Project Manager of Grants, the OPM Community Coordinator will be responsible for engaging and collaborating with various stakeholder groups in designated communities to co-create their educational vision, as a part of the United States Department of Education (USDE) Foster Diverse Schools grant project. In addition, the OPM Community Coordinator will serve as a first point of contact for community partners and coordinate with the Office of Equity and Office of Portfolio Management to ensure all community engagement metrics outlined in the grant are tracked and manage resource allocation for all engagements.

The grant-term and the position will end on September 30, 2025.

The OPM Community Coordinator will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Engaging communities and stakeholders to identify needs and priorities related to education planning for their neighborhoods;
• Reviewing and synthesizing district data with community partners and stakeholders;
• Collaborating and empowering community stakeholders to develop plans and proposals to address identified needs and priorities that align with the district mission and vision, including the Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency Policy, Equity Framework, and the District’s Three-Year Blueprint;
• Forming planning committees comprised of community, school, and local education stakeholders, and facilitating discussions at community meetings;
• Support efforts to ensure open communication between district leadership and community stakeholders;
• Plan and oversee the successful execution of community meetings, facilitation, research district and community information in preparation for meetings, lead/co-lead presentations, support the scheduling and implementation of focus groups and surveys to collect critical feedback from broader community;
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with a diverse network of parents, community members, teachers, schools, elected officials, and other key stakeholders

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the OPM Community Coordinator must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university

Experience Required:

• Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience engaging Chicago communities, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, or educational organizations
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred

Other Requirements:

• Access to reliable transportation to travel within the City of Chicago to CPS schools and other sites
• Occasional evening and weekend work hours required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Possess an unyielding commitment to equity and an unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels
• Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and effectively guide communities
• Strong communication skills (written, verbal, listening, presentations)
• Effective planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
• 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
• Strong facilitation and team-building skills
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
• Relentless results-orientation and history of executing against a set of clearly defined metrics
• High-level relationship-building skills with the ability to build consensus, engage a wide range of stakeholders and allies, and navigate complex community and political dynamics
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and priorities based on stakeholder and leadership feedback
• Ability to quickly learn about Chicago’s education landscape and policies impacting equitable access to a high-quality education
• Ability to cultivate relationships with families, promoting two-way communication and incorporating their voices in decision-making processes

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.