Director of Community Engagement and Partners

Who is Purpose Built Schools Atlanta?

Through a first-of-its-kind innovative partnership with Atlanta Public Schools (APS), Purpose Built Schools was formed in 2016 to operate three historically under-resourced schools in south Atlanta: Slater Elementary School, Price Middle School and Carver STEAM Academy (high school). Our model is designed to deliver outstanding results for students and the surrounding communities through high-quality instruction, intentional enrichment opportunities and a strategic approach to serving families’ needs beyond the school walls. By combining the best of traditional public schools with the best of charter schools, Purpose Built Schools offers a proven program designed to put all students on a trajectory for success through college and in their careers.

How does our model make us different?

Project-Based Instruction:

A culturally relevant curriculum helps students love learning and achieve their potential. Our research-based instructional approach includes project-based learning, STEAM, targeted interventions, and student enrichment programs.

Whole-Child Development:

When given opportunities to explore unique programs, learn new skills and discover their own potential, students thrive. We offer a robust college and career readiness program designed to address inequities in employment and college acceptance and graduation rates, all of which are tied to social mobility. We provide enrichment programs designed to narrow the opportunity gap, thus giving students the same exposure and experiences for career advancement and income earning potential.

Positive Climate & Culture:

We cultivate a safe and positive climate and culture through social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices. Through school-based services and programs, we help students overcome both academic and nonacademic barriers to success. We believe the diversity of individuals, experiences and ideas make us stronger. We encourage our students to do their best, pursue excellence, and reach their highest potential.

Student & Family Support:

We partner with more than 60 organizations to engage outside the school walls to support students and families with holistic wraparound services. Many students have faced challenges such as trauma and mental health issues, housing instability, lack of secure adult relationships, food and income insecurity.

What would my role be?

The Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships is responsible for ensuring that PBSA has a strategic and effective Community Engagement strategy along with a robust Partnerships Management approach. The Director will be responsible for creating, implementing, and managing the success of our Community Engagement strategy. They will oversee all external PBSA partnerships and directly manage the highest priority cluster-wide partnerships, while partnering with school leadership teams to ensure sufficient school-level oversight and engagement of school-owned partnerships

The Director reports to the Chief Executive Officer, but their responsibilities will also involve a collaborative working relationship with numerous academic, instructional and school-based positions. The Director will manage the three School Engagement Managers, supporting their work at the school level.

What are my responsibilities?

Community Engagement (70%)

• Manage PBSA’s Student and Family Support Program
• Serve as the liaison between the caregiver community and the organization, creating a space for the community to engage with PBSA meaningfully
• Create and implement a robust community engagement strategy with a focus on project planning, tracking progress, and outcomes
• Build relationships with local community partners, service providers, caregivers, and students
• Manage the creation and execution of an overall plan for community outreach and design public engagement initiatives to align with PBSA’s strategic plan
• Work with staff to design and implement evaluation tools to gauge and ensure impact
• Develop partnerships and engagement pathways for individuals, groups, and families to engage with PBSA
• Create and implement a robust strategy for student recruitment and enrollment with a strong project planning and tracking progress towards results at the school and community level
• Manage community event planning and execution involving working some nights and weekends

Partnership Management (30%)

• Oversee all external PBSA partnerships and directly manage the highest priority cluster-wide partnerships
• Partner with school leadership teams to ensure sufficient school-level oversight and engagement of school-owned partnerships
• Continually source additional resources and capabilities for PBSA through partnerships; conduct periodic assessments to identify areas of unmet need (and source new partners to meet them)
• Develop a process to regularly collect feedback from schools and stakeholders on their satisfaction and perceived impact of partners.
• Develop a process to, and on an ongoing basis, manage partner-related data, e.g., student rosters, student outcomes, other programmatic impacts
• Leverage best practices and research to maximize student impact from partner strategy (e.g., by targeting partnerships in the areas of potential greatest impact on learning)
• Ensure a high level of customer service and responsiveness to partners
• Ensure all partners meet PBSA’s legal and other obligations through written MOUs and other agreements
• Build communities of support for PBSA and host supporter events that engage current partners, funders, and other supporters and attract prospective new supporters
• Maintain relationships with a growing base of community ambassadors, supporters, and donors
• Attend community events to build good relationships for the network and recruit community partners

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, masters degree preferred
• A minimum of 5-7 years of leadership and or project management experience at a school, college, university, or non-profit setting
• Strong track record of people management along with effectively leading a team to results
• Ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized community based strategies preferably in the K-12 education or non-profit space
• Experience in community organizing and organizing models
• Unwavering commitment to family centered programs and data driven program evaluation
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to build relationships and develop high performing teams and set and achieve strategic objectives
• Past success working in high need/high poverty communities with the ability to cultivate existing relationships and establish new relationships
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
• Strong communicator (written and verbal) with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
• Action-orientated, entrepreneurial, adaptable, community-centered approach to community engagement and partnerships
• Partnerships management experience, highly preferred

Benefits:

Purpose Built Schools Atlanta offers a competitive health and benefits package to its full-time employees and their eligible dependents. These benefits include, but are not limited to, medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as additional benefits such as voluntary pre-paid legal services. PBSA also offers short- and long-term disability at no cost to the employee. Coverage will begin on the first day of the month following your date of hire. Additionally, you will be entitled to 10 paid leave days in addition to holidays and breaks according to the approved calendar each year. PBSA also has a very generous bonus and yearly salary increase model.

Purpose Built Schools Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Purpose Built Schools Atlanta assures Equal Employment Opportunities and equal education opportunities for employees and students as required by Federal and State Orders and Laws. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks. This job description is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements. However, management and administration reserve the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position.