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ROLE SUMMARY

The Alliance’s Manager of Community Schools Initiatives serves as a member of the community schools leadership team and manages program activities to maximize program impact, ensure compliance with all agency and funder regulations, and achieve strategic plan objectives.  Responsible for the implementation, integration, alignment, and coordination of the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) and will lead community school strategy with school sites. Will work closely with local schools, community-based organizations, elected officials, community leaders, and residents to implement collaborative solutions to meet student and community needs.  Will develop and manage two regional consortia across 8-12 schools to improve coordination of grants, programs, and services, which will benefit students, parents, and community members.  The CCSPP supports schools’ efforts to partner with community agencies and local government to align community resources to improve scholar outcomes. These partnerships provide an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement. 



The ideal candidate has a collaborative leadership style with a minimum of 4 years’ experience leading school and/or nonprofit program development and implementation, demonstrated ability to develop collaborative partnerships, a successful track record of achieving strategic and project goals and objectives, strong working knowledge of outcomes management principles, and experience with government funding from proposal to final reporting and contract monitoring. The Manager, Community Schools Initiatives, will report to the Director, Community Schools Initiatives in the Alliance Home Office Equity Programs Division, and will work closely with the Community Schools Coordinator at participating school sites, with occasional collaboration and professional development with administrators. The Manager, Community Schools, will plan and align all programs, services, and opportunities collaboratively for the duration of the CCSPP grant and progress monitor. This is a grant-funded role that is anticipated to last until June 30, 2029, but evaluation of funding to determine continuation of the role will happen on a year-to-year basis. 



ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES



School Support and Portfolio Management

• Provides regular check-ins and consultation to Community Schools Coordinators at each school in their portfolio

• Serves as a mentor to Coordinators to build the cohesiveness, capacity, and competence of program staff to support their growth and development while empowering them to participate in decisions that affect their work

• Supports schools to execute their overarching vision and long-term Community Schools goals and strategies 

• Manages and supports the implementation of Community Schools Initiatives across a portfolio of schools across the Alliance network

• Engages and supports key school support staff in their implementation of Community Schools initiatives 

• Supports the oversight and execution of programs and services to ensure excellence and measurable impact for both the individuals served and the community

• In coordination with the Director, Community Schools Initiatives and leadership team, is responsible for the development of evidence-based programming that bolsters the community safety net and promotes resilience



Professional Development Design and Delivery

• Co-delivers outcomes-based, relevant professional development monthly to the Alliance CS Coordinator cohort

• Design portions of professional development for CS Coordinators and Parent Engagement Specialists in alignment with the year-long PD arc

• Identifies trending needs for professional development across the portfolio and provides group learning experiences as needed



Goals, Data, and Progress Monitoring

• Effectively leads and coaches Coordinators to meet program and grant compliance goals, including meeting work plan deadlines and deliverables

• Uses data to inform programmatic and operational decision-making

• Works with program leadership and staff to establish and track results for annual program goals and objectives in support of the strategic plan

• Regularly monitors progress to goals, creates and implements plans of action, and communicates roadblocks in a timely manner to the Director, Community Schools Initiatives, in a solutions-oriented way that proposes plans of action

• Ensures the execution of objective program performance standards of accountability within the portfolio of schools

• Owns a subset of the collection and monitoring of evaluation data used to measure ongoing program effectiveness of services and program outcome measures, with an emphasis on their portfolio of schools



Grant Management and Reporting

• Supports their schools’ development of budgets, cost analyses, and forecasts for programs and grant-funded projects

• Works closely with the finance department to ensure fiscal compliance with government funders as needed 

• Contributes to the preparation of high-quality narrative quarterly, final, and ad-hoc project reports for grantors

• Manages internal data collection system, files and tracks documentation for accountability with grantors

• Develop, manage, and coordinate documents needed for internal and external program audits and compliance requirements

• Ensure the timely submission of all required reports and supporting materials

• Works collaboratively with the Director, Community Schools Initiatives, in the completion of government grant proposals



Relationship Building and Partnerships

• Establishes strong, productive, and trusting relationships with the administrative team, school personnel, staff, scholars, and community to seek input on needs and address barriers to learning, equity, and inclusion

• Cultivates collaborative partnerships and builds a coalition of partners 

• Enlists strategic support and fosters alignment across pertinent home office teams in support of schools and scholars

• Work with community partners, public officials, local schools, community residents, and staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, and address community needs

• Work with the partner agency’s leadership team to identify strategic directions for recommendations to the Director and/or school leadership within the portfolio



THE IDEAL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE

• Commitment to Alliance’s core beliefs, educational philosophy, low-income communities, and communities of color;

• Excellent communication and media skills, both verbal and written;

• Coaching experience in a school setting

• Understanding of the CA Community Schools Framework

• School leadership experience

• Strong data collection, entry, and analysis skills, in platforms such as Excel, CoBro, and other data systems;

• Entrepreneurial spirit to thrive in a fast-paced and achievement-oriented environment;

• Detail-oriented with excellent organization skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build and cultivate relationships with teachers, counselors, school leaders, and other home office departments

• Value in diversity among team members promotes cooperation and interaction within teams.

• Composure in the face of high workload, competing or conflicting demands, ambiguous assignments, interruptions, and distractions

• Ability to recognize and respond to unanticipated events and requirements, and is willing to do what is necessary to get the desired result 

• Willingness to go above and beyond to contribute to the success of a dynamic team committed to a new future for urban education;

• Understanding of the nuances of urban school environments and school culture;

• Experience managing multiple projects with strong administrative and organizational skills



KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• At least four (4) years of progressive professional work experience leading school-system-based program development and implementation of services for underrepresented populations 

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university 

• At least 2 years of working in a leadership position in a public school or school system



WORK LOCATION

This position is a hybrid role, which will include a combination of working from home, our network office, and travel to school sites. The successful candidate will be given a $400 work-from-home set-up allowance and receive a monthly stipend of $100. 



BENEFITS

In alignment with our commitment to equity for our scholars, Alliance is committed to equity and transparency for our team and offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience as well as generous retirement and health benefits. This position is exempt.

IR-4 Project Executive Director



Primary Function of Organizational Unit.

The primary function of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS) unit is to develop the knowledge and technology needed to improve productivity, profitability and sustainability of industries in agriculture and the life sciences; develop ways to conserve and improve the state’s natural resources and environment; improve the health, well-being and quality of life of North Carolina’s citizens; and provide the science based research for academic and extension programs.



The IR-4 Project is a national Federal/State partnership research program to assist farmers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, ornamentals, and other specialty crops by facilitating registration of safe and effective chemical and bio-based pest management products. The IR-4 Project is needed because the crop protection industry focuses their research efforts on major crops such as corn, soybean, and cotton that provide the companies adequate return on their development investment. The IR-4 proactively identifies available and emergent products to provide strategic pest-management tools to enhance profitability and sustainability outcomes for farmers of specialty crops. IR-4 Project Headquarters provides national leadership, coordination and regulatory compliance for the IR-4 Project research activities performed by approx. 125 scientists at over 20 public sector research farms and four analytical laboratories throughout the United States.



Position Description/General Scope of Duties

The IR-4 Project Executive Director position will report to the Associate Dean for Research CALS. The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

Responsible for coordination, oversight and management of the research, regulatory activities and long-term leadership of the national/international IR-4 Project (30%)

• Empower the 125 full time scientists and staff associated with the IR-4 Project at the headquarters and numerous Land-Grant Universities/State Agriculture Experimental Stations, and USDA-Agriculture Research Service(ARS) to successfully perform regulatory research and develop regulatory dossiers. Efforts are to support the registration of safe and effective bio-based and chemical pesticides on fruit, vegetables, nuts, herbs, ornamentals, other specialty crops and minor crop protection uses on major crops (corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat/small grains, etc.).

• Develop and implement policies/strategies for all elements of the IR-4 Project operations: 1) Participate as voting member of the IR-4 Project Management Committee (aka PMC or IR-4’s Board of Directors). 2) Implement technical and policy decisions of the PMC for USDA NIFA funded research at IR-4 Project Headquarters, IR-4’s four regional offices, two analytical laboratories, 15 Field Research Centers and other field research sites. 3) Provide oversight and guidance to USDA ARS’s two analytical laboratories and five field research sites.

• Engage with the specialty crop and crop protection industries to be aware of challenges and changes to ensure that IR-4 remains nimble and can address, incorporate, and/or innovate in response to challenges/changes.

• Facilitate and obtain annual funding (approx. $20 million) from USDA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Foreign Agriculture Service), State Agriculture Experimental Stations (aginnovation), commodity associations, crop protection industry and other sources that are necessary to perform the IR-4 Project’s regulatory research priorities.

Provide program and fiscal management/oversight of IR-4 Project Headquarters (30%)

• Provide high level direction to a team of 28 highly motivated scientists and staff who are responsible to coordinate and manage the IR-4 Project’s research programs with pesticides, biopesticides and other pest management technologies on specialty food and non-food crops. Main tasks of team include: 1) Maintain a database of specialty crop pest management voids that IR-4 has answered, that IR-4 is currently solving or voids that are awaiting IR-4’s attention. 2) Facilitate establishment of IR-4’s research priorities with significant input from stakeholders collected from a mix of on-line tools and face to face workshops. 3) Development of research protocols. 4) Direction of studies, including studies required to be performed under federal Good Laboratory Practice regulations. 5) Development and submission of dossiers to US Environmental Protection Agency and other national/international regulatory authorities. 6) Facilitate partnership with international groups with similar goals and objectives.

• Fiscally responsible for approximately $20 million dollars per year in grants and gifts from various government and non-government sources that are needed to perform IR-4 Headquarters responsibilities.
• Serve as institution’s Principal Investigator in grant submission, grant management, and reporting.

Advocate for the IR-4 Project (20%)

• Interact with stakeholders of the IR-4 Project to keep them informed of the opportunities available through “partnership” with the IR-4 Project.

• Attend numerous conferences, workshops and symposiums and serve as a spokesperson for the IR-4 Project.

• Manage in-house and outsourced communication and outreach activities of the IR-4 Project including the production of an annual report.

• Be a resource and assist the IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee, Minor Crop Farmers Alliance, Friends of IR-4 and other commodity associations in their ongoing efforts to raise awareness to the IR-4 Projects’ funding challenges and needs to the US Congress, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget.

Fundraise (20%)

• Unrestricted funds – Solicit donations of funds from agriculture products companies, commodity associations and food processors. The funds come into IR-4 with no agreement to perform research on a specific research study and can be used to strategically enhance IR-4 goals at the discretion of the Executive Director.

• Cooperative research funds – Solicit donations of funds or in-kind service (e.g. analysis of residue samples) from agriculture products companies, commodity associations and food to offset the cost of a planned or on-going IR-4 research study.

• Priority setting workshops sponsorship – Seek sponsorship funds from agriculture products companies, commodity associations and food processors to offset the cost of the IR-4 Project annual stakeholder priority setting workshops. Donated funds are used for food/beverages, meeting space, AV and other expenses.

• Seek new opportunities for funding IR-4 from multiple sources including international governments, Foundations, US state and federal government, and private entities.

This position is an in-person position, located in Raleigh, NC, at NC State University.

Proposed Minimum Education and Experience

• PhD in horticulture or other plant sciences, pest management (Entomology, Plant Pathology, Weed Science), chemistry or related area, with years of experience in regulatory science, applied pest management research, or related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications, Skills and Education

• PhD in horticulture or other plant sciences, pest management (Entomology, Plant Pathology, Weed Science), chemistry or related area, with at least 15 years’ experience in regulatory science, applied pest management research, or related discipline.

• Willing to travel, including IR-4 meetings throughout the United States as well as international meetings.

Department Skills

• Ability to maintain attention to details, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work well in both team and independent environments.
• Ability to motivate, empower and manage others.
• Committed to excellence in customer service relations with internal (IR-4 Management, peers, field personnel, lab personnel, researchers) and external (producers, commodity/trade associations, registrants, EPA) stakeholders.
• Be willing to assist others when needed.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment.