Manager of Alumni Engagement

Teach Western Mass seeks a Manager of Alumni Engagement & Retention to join our growing team. This position is based in the Springfield area of Western Massachusetts and begins in September, 2024.   

Founded in 2016, TWM has been responsive to regional teacher-talent needs for close to a decade, creating and launching teacher recruitment, training, and support programs to meet the most acute challenges of the most-in-need local school districts. We fearlessly pursue educational equity by supporting and elevating BIPOC and antiracist educators who currently teach in Springfield and Holyoke schools. We are growing, evolving, and continuing to learn together, and we are seeking teammates who bring creativity, flexibility, and a growth mindset to their work. We are entering the second year of a five-year strategic plan with clear goals and objectives and plenty of enthusiasm around the possibilities of how to strengthen the local education workforce by developing powerful teachers reflective of their students’ life experiences and identities. If you’re energized by the opportunity to build something truly meaningful that has a real impact on local schools, then we might be a great fit for you 

Our core values include:

• Equity and advocacy. We advocate for equity in education, ensuring that every student has access to high-quality instruction, resources, and opportunities for success
• Student-centered approach. We actively incorporate student identities, cultures, and experiences into our curriculum, instruction, and learning environments to foster meaningful connections and close opportunity gaps
• High standards with support. We set high expectations for individuals while providing the necessary guidance and resources to help them meet those expectations.
• Sustainable change. We strive to integrate new models and insights into our practices, ensuring that positive transformations are enduring and impact on the education system is long-term
• Collaborative community engagement. We actively seek collaboration with the community to create a collective impact on education. We believe that meaningful partnerships with families, schools, and community organizations are essential for strengthening educational outcomes and opportunities for every learner.

What You’ll Do

The Manager of Alumni Engagement and Retention (MAER) position is a unique opportunity to be part of the solution by supporting our majority BIPOC graduates to thrive in their instructional roles and, ultimately, stay in our districts to improve student outcomes.  In the first year, the MAER will design an alumni program plan, in collaboration with the Deputy Director of Programs and TWM team, for a launch date of June 2025 for our current teacher cohort. The program will be based on a TWM alumni program outline with the goal of supporting our alumni to thrive in our partner schools. The position will include close collaboration with our school leadership teams to ensure our alumni support equip them to support positive environments for our BIPOC and antiracist educators.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Design and implement a built-out alumni program, in collaboration with the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP), in line with the TWM alumni outline and retention goals to begin June 2025. This can include:
• planning, coordinating and attending alumni events, which include but are not limited to: socials, panels, reunions, local events, etc.
• developing  educational programs for alumni, including professional development, seminars, and workshops or connecting alumni to such programming
• implementing effective advising for alumni that: assists alumni in obtaining continued education resources (higher education, professional certifications and continued education training opportunities), includes career advising, and supports interested alumni who choose to pursue a school leadership track
• Work with DDP to establish goals and a project plan for partnership feedback and collaboration regarding alumni programming that supports school TWM alumni retention, especially for BIPOC alumni
• In year two, after the alumni program has been designed, work with the Director of Retention to equip partner schools to support positive environments for our antiracist and BIPOC educators.
• Create a timeline and procedure for dispersal of alumni stipends over the SY 2025-2026 and SY 2026-2027 as part of the TWM retention strategy 
• Coordinate and conceptualize communications for the alumni program which include but are not limited to: the monthly newsletter, posting weekly on social media outlets, managing our LinkedIn page and content on the TWM website
• Plan and execute an alumni data plan which includes: 
• maintaining an accurate and up-to-date alumni database in Airtable, ensuring that contact information, employment details, and other relevant data are properly recorded 
• conduct and analyze a yearly alumni survey and current cohort survey to inform alumni programming and retention efforts for program improvement and marketing/fundraising documents(collaborate with the Development Director); report out results to organization and partners
• Responsible for consistently meeting alumni/retention goals of 65% participation in the program SY 2025-2026 with a goal of 85% by 2028
• In collaboration with the Director of the Residency and the Manager of Teacher Development, transition currently enrolled Residents, including our Black, Latine, Educators of Color (BLEC) Fellows, into the alumni program 
• Collaborate with the Directors of Recruitment and Residency for ways to incorporate alumni into TWM Residency recruitment and programming
• Own alumni budget, with DDP approval, to support tasks and key metrics for our TWM Retention Goal

What You Bring

We are looking for passionate people who have diverse backgrounds and experiences and are inspired by our mission to strengthen the local education workforce by developing powerful teachers reflective of their students’ life experiences and identities. You’ll be right at home if you constantly seek opportunities to learn and grow, are skilled at cultivating strong relationships, and always push yourself, your work, and the people around you to the next level. 

We expect the Manager of Alumni Engagement & Retention to:

• Commit to Anti-Oppression. You commit to discussion and self-reflection around what it means to be antiracist and operate within systems of oppression. You strive for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and you participate fully in staff workshops, training, and shared learning opportunities. 
• Embrace a fast-moving organization. Deadlines, changing priorities, and new projects don’t overwhelm you. Instead, they inspire you to rise to the occasion. 
• Seek out and incorporate feedback. You bring a growth mindset and are eager to learn and grow together. 
• Plan and execute smooth projects with a high level of autonomy. Your project planning will be the backbone of an efficient Manager of Alumni Engagement & Retention. You’ll take initiative to gather feedback, clarify objectives, and move work forward to meet agreed-upon deadlines. 
• Deliver crisp, clean messages. Whether in writing or on the phone, your communications are clear and concise. You understand your audience and know how to deliver inspiring messages and tough news with ease and tactful finesse.
• Love Data.  Your inclination to analyze data and make it come alive will be crucial in informing the work of the team. 
• Tech Fearless.  You enjoy learning about and working with new software platforms.  
• Love the 413. You’re local and/or have local ties to Western Massachusetts and you can be in person at our office in Springfield, MA. Our hybrid work model allows for tremendous flexibility in WFH, however, we come together one day a week in person, and our program team spends significant time in schools alongside teachers who are enrolled in the Residency. 

Qualifications

• Background in education(experience in a district school preferred) 
• Demonstrated experience providing teacher supports with positive outcomes
• Experience planning for and facilitating the support of BIPOC educators
• Proven experience working with multiple stakeholders towards a common goal
• Demonstrated success creating partnerships
• Experience building and maintaining relationships
• Developed new programming with a successful launch
• Experience with event planning, social media and data entry
• Excellent project management skills
• Experience listening to/giving feedback and creating action steps
• Excellent communication skills
• Commitment to supporting and retaining BIPOC educators
• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Experience working with a successful alumni program (preferred)
• Spanish fluency (a plus)

What We Offer

• Remote work 4 days per week
• Unlimited PTO
• Holiday break in December 
• Two org-wide respite weeks (April and August)
• Medical plan- 75% employer paid
• Dental plan, life insurance, Simple IRA with employer matching
• Company laptop & home office stipend 

To Apply

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis and positions can fill quickly. Please apply here. If applicable, we recommend including a cover letter in your application addressing why you are interested in Teach Western Mass and how your experience has prepared you for this position. Please note that Teach Western Mass does not hire outside of the contiguous United States. Questions or concerns? Please email careers@teachwesternmass.com 

Teach Western Mass Equity Statement

If our work resonates with you, and you want to explore a current role, we encourage you to apply, regardless of your prior work experience or education level. 

Our practices consciously challenge institutional racism, mindful of the current socio-political climate and its implications. We are dedicated to forming and enhancing a connection between education and the local community, imbuing an enthusiastic, symbiotic relationship, because we believe that, together, we can realize a better future for education.