Program Director, Far Westside

Reports to: Senior Regional Director, Westside

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt

Team/District Oversight: Benton Harbor Area Schools, National Heritage Academies (Grand Rapids, Muskegon)

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At Communities In Schools of Michigan, we are “all-in” for kids. It is our passion—it is our mission. We provide resources and create communities of caring adults who work hand-in-hand with educators to make sure young people have the tools they need to stay in school and achieve in life. We are the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization, serving 1.5 million students in 2,400 sites across the country. We achieve this mission by hiring bright, creative, and innovative team members who have a passion for what we do.

At CIS, we are committed to cultivating an engaged culture where all are recognized and valued for their contributions. We intentionally build experiences and provide space for individual and group voices across multiple dimensions. We also hold the following talent beliefs:

• Every staff member is passionate and committed to our mission.
• Our work is grounded in the success of our students.
• Our decisions and priorities are guided by how we can fulfill our mission and serve kids with quality.

Communities In Schools of Michigan believes relationships are the cornerstone to unlocking a student's potential. We will succeed by including in our strategies, ingraining in our culture, and reflecting in our behaviors, anti-racist principles and practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a result, we break down immediate and systemic barriers to create sustainable equitable outcomes.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Reports to the Senior Regional Director. The Program Director is responsible for the data oversight and supporting the training of Student Support Coordinators, alongside the CISM Learning & Equity Supports. The Program Director will ensure fidelity to the CIS Model and quality delivery of services. This person will work with the Programs Team to ensure all Student Support Coordinators are providing consistent programming, utilizing best practices, and updating data according to CIS National’s Total Quality System (TQS) standards. The Program Director will directly supervise and support a team of Student Support Coordinators.

Initial Implementation Role (since this position oversees new districts):

In April-June 2024, the Far Westside Program Director will lead the process to conduct Needs Assessments (NA) and Support Plans (SP) for schools that are new to the CIS partnership (4 schools in Benton Harbor). CIS of Michigan will support with making initial connections to district staff and principals, and the Program Director will be responsible for building and strengthening those relationships to aid in the NA and SP process.

The NA and SP process will involve regular travel to these school sites and communication with school- and district- level staff, students, families, and community members. It will also involve a detailed writeup of findings into the NA and SP templates, and entry into our proprietary data management system. Strong organization, communication, and writing skills are required. The Program Director will receive training in how to conduct a CIS Needs Assessment and Support Plan. These Needs Assessments and Support Plans are due in June 2024.

Additionally, the Program Director will work with a Student Support Coordinator in our new partner schools to design and implement Tier I supports April-September 2024.

Beyond September 2024, the Program Director will directly supervise Student Support Coordinators in their usual capacity as described above.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Highly recommended: Minimum of 2 years supervisory experience
• Highly recommended: Minimum of 3-5 years experience in social service programs
• Experience working in education programs or school settings
• Experience working with children and adolescents and knowledge of trends and standards affecting the CIS program
• Commitment to educational equity
• Adaptability as the landscape of CIS of Michigan continues to change and expand
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and strong interpersonal skills
• Strong relationship-building skills
• Ability to work with leaders from all different parts of CIS of Michigan, communities, and school districts

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Directly supervise and coach Student Support Coordinators (SSCs) in Benton Harbor Area Schools and National Heritage Academies (Grand Rapids and Muskegon)
• Monitor program activities on a regular basis; address gaps and highlight effective practices
• Evaluate staff twice a year using CISM’s evaluation structure
• Engage in Collaborative Communication Plans and Performance Improvement Plans with staff as necessary
• Provide timely updates, feedback, and expectations to staff

PROGRAM STAFFING AND TRAINING:

• Support the recruitment, interviewing, and placement of well-qualified SSCs at school sites
• Collaborate with the Learning & Equity Supports Team to ensure thorough and timely training and onboarding of staff (including in CISDM, CISU, and other required materials)
• Identify and support professional development needs for continued learning of program staff

DISTRICT RELATIONSHIPS:

• Build and maintain relationships with district and school leadership to ensure consistency and point of contact
• Communicate regularly with principals to build relationships, provide updates, and seek feedback
• Along with the Director of Partnerships and Volunteers, build and maintain relationships with local community partners for programming purposes

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Support the implementation of programming in new schools, which includes completion of Needs Assessments and Support Plans, as described above
• Provide initial Tier I supports to schools and students, as described above
• Collaborate with the Senior Regional Director to monitor and spend funds available for program implementation

DATA/REPORTING:

• Run and review data reports and provide feedback to SSCs to ensure that all TQS reporting standards are met
• Collaborate seamlessly with the team’s Data Manager to support SSCs and ensure adherence to data best practices
• Contribute to reports for the Board of CIS of Michigan and other funders

MONITORING/FILE RETENTION:

• Ensure all data and files are monitored, filed, and tracked appropriately

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Frequent travel throughout the Benton Harbor, Grand Rapids, Muskegon areas
• Must have access to reliable transportation
• Flexible work environment—the ability to work at home when not needed in-person for services
• Consistent attendance
• Ability to meet deadlines
• All Administrative positions are year-long

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

• Mileage reimbursement at current IRS rate
• Ability to work from home
• Employee cell phone reimbursement ($30/month)
• Employee Health Insurance covered at 100% and access to employee paid insurance for dependants; stipend offered for medical coverage opt-out
• Access to employee paid vision, dental, and life insurance plans available
• Employer paid short-term disability and access to employee paid long-term disability
• 401k employer match up to 3.5%
• 3 weeks vacation, 10 holidays, and the week of July 4th off
• One sick day a month
• Salary: $50,000

Please submit a cover letter and resume to the Hiring Manager at hiring@cismichigan.org.

Communities In Schools is committed to a workforce that is representative of the varied communities we are privileged to serve. We provide a work environment that does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. Communities In Schools prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Benton Harbor, MI 49022