Program Coordinator

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 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. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Talent Office supports and empowers employees through all stages of their Chicago Public Schools (CPS) careers, with the understanding that the department’s success enables employees to better serve the students of Chicago. In this work, the department prioritizes building new teacher talent pipelines to ensure all students have access to diverse, quality educators; empowering principals and managers with effective talent management tools; and promoting excellence with clear expectations, accountability, and recognition for employees.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Program Manager, the Program Coordinator will complete a variety of assigned administrative and support tasks in support of P-STEP, and the student teaching program more broadly, in CPS. This role will contribute to the program’s success with the main objective of supporting student teachers to successfully complete their pre-service experiences in CPS and later teach high-needs subjects in underserved communities in Chicago. In addition to directly supporting pre-service teachers towards that end, this role acts as a key lever in communicating with and building consensus among university and college partners in this process as well. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Program Coordinator will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Work collaboratively with the Student Teaching Program Manager and the Student Teaching Coordinator to streamline candidate supports and resources and identify critical opportunities for program improvement

Quickly assess and prioritize requests and issues both from candidates and from the internal team as they arise on a day-to-day basis

Plan and execute program events in partnership with the Program Manager and Coordinator, including securing vendors, venues, and materials and managing technology for effective presentation

Collaborate across teams to support candidates and program partners

Build effective partnerships and manage relationships with key organizations and vendors

Manage and approve stipend distribution for candidates and cooperating teachers enrolled in the program

Develop, implement and review operational policies and procedures to guide the internal team and program candidates in understanding operational and technical intricacies of the program

Contribute operations information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; prepare and complete action plans and identify operational risks and trends

Manage and direct candidate inquiries about the program structure and requirements via phone and email

Other duties as assigned

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

Education Required:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required

Experience Required:

Minimum three (3) years of professional work experience is required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

In-depth understanding of office management procedures, including balance sheets and cash-flow management

Strong negotiation skills to support vendor and partner service management

Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail (including proofreading, editing, data entry and presentation), and an ability to consistently deliver high-quality work products

Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, combined with strong initiative and a team player attitude

Strong interpersonal skills, including confidence and ease with individuals at all levels throughout the organization and externally

Ability to be flexible and quickly adapt to change

A customer-service based approach to candidate and partner management that is also highly collaborative and results-oriented

Strong service and support orientation towards schools and school communities

Comfort and efficiency in time management and delegating key tasks and projects to effectively manage projects to completion

Demonstrated success working in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment

Must be able to travel to various locations around the city and work flexible hours, including occasional evening hours and occasional weekends

Proficiency with Microsoft Office/Google Suite, specifically Excel/Sheets, PowerPoint, Word/Docs

Working knowledge or Oracle and Salesforce platforms

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health & EAP

Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

<span style="background-color%5