Director, State Engagements

Reports To: Chief Services Officer

FLSA Status: Full-time, exempt

Department: Services

Pay Range: $100,800-$151,200 annually

Supervisory Responsibilities: Management of ELSF staff and consultants

Travel Requirements: up to 20% travel

About ELSF

The English Learners Success Forum (ELSF) is a collaboration of researchers, teachers, district leaders, and funders who are passionate about improving the quality and accessibility of instructional materials for English learners (ELs). Our mission is to expand educational equity for multilingual learners by increasing the supply of high-quality instructional materials that center their cultural and linguistic assets.

Position Summary

The Director, State Engagements will lead ELSF’s state and district services portfolio, which furthers our mission by supporting states and districts to adopt and implement high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners (MLL). The Director is primarily responsible for developing a coherent strategy and delivering high-quality services to our clients that positions ELSF to reach our impact goals through our work with states and districts.

Responsibilities and Tasks

The Director, State and Engagements will execute on the following areas of work. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list but outlines the major responsibilities of the role.

Strategy: Develop and manage the state and district partnership strategy and project outcomes to advance the inclusion of multilingual learners in curriculum adoption, implementation, and professional learning.

• Build a service strategy that simultaneously supports individual states or districts around adoption decisions and builds demand more broadly in the field for high-quality instructional materials for MLLs.
• Refine service offerings through client feedback and an understanding of emerging trends to continually address market needs and support ELSF’s reach goals.
• Clearly and compellingly articulate ELSF’s service offerings and how they help state and system leaders adopt MLL-inclusive high-quality instructional materials.
• Work with ELSF’s partnership team to set annual targets for state and district service offerings and align efforts to support those goals.
• Support business development activities including developing proposals and project budgets and participating in calls/meetings with potential clients and partners.
• Understand state and district landscape, including adoption timelines, key MLL-related policies, and other state context that will inform ELSF’s strategy.
• Attend and present at key national and regional conferences to help build ELSF’s reputation in the field and expand our reach.

Execution and Client Management: Manage the delivery of high-quality services to state and district clients.

• Manage and implement the overall state and district portfolio, supporting clients through key challenges and making recommendations that can drive systemic change.
• Work to secure client engagements aligned to the strategy by seeking out and growing relationships with key stakeholders in states and districts.
• Ensure high-quality, on-time, and on-budget delivery of services and project deliverables.
• Meet clients where they are and approach problems with a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Develop, manage, and ensure high-quality services are provided to SEA/LEA leaders and teams to support change management and system-level decisions related to adoption, implementation, and professional learning.
• Support the organization’s impact strategy by ensuring data systems and collection are in place and current.

Management: Build and grow a team of ELSF staff and consultants by providing coaching, mentoring, and professional learning.

• Create and cultivate a team culture that exemplifies ELSF’s Core Values.
• Manage the hiring, staffing, and development of contractors and staff on SEA/LEA projects and services.
• Supervise consultants and staff around client management challenges and constraints while serving as an escalation point for those conversations.
• Manage multiple workflows and complex projects by setting clear expectations for priorities, scopes of work, and deadlines.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

Required:

• Experience in and working with various state departments of education.
• Knowledge and experience in how state adoption processes work; familiarity with challenges faced by state and system leaders.
• Background in teaching K-12 education with knowledge of ELA and math MLL best practices and experience implementing high-quality instructional materials.
• Deep understanding of the national education landscape, particularly college and career-ready standards, and the agreements and disagreements within the field.
• Understand state and federal education policy with regard to MLLs.
• Understanding of how elements of the instructional system (standards, instructional materials, assessment, professional development, etc) do–and don’t–work together to drive classroom experiences and outcomes.
• Knowledge of ELA/literacy and/or math for MLLs including the research and instructional practices for biliteracy development.
• Superior ability to build relationships, and have strong interpersonal and partner-facing communication skills.
• Track record of success in either developing, managing and/or scaling new services and/or initiatives, and communicating their vision, strategy, and lessons learned with ELSF teams to drive organizational goals and priorities.
• Previous experience responding to RFPs.
• Proven ability to think analytically and strategically, and with agility to translate ideas and insights into action through coherent and viable project work.
• Commitment to ELSF’s mission, vision, core values, theory of change, and unique positioning in the field.

How to Apply

Please complete our job application which includes a set of questions following your resume submission. You must answer the questions in the application in order to be considered for this position. We will accept applications on a rolling basis, but those who apply prior to April 30 will be given priority. The steps in this hiring process are as follows: (1) hiring assessment, (2) 30-minute interview, (3) 1.5-hour video interview, (4) 1-hour interview, and (5) reference check.

Compensation

A salary within the range of $100,800-$151,200 annually will be provided to the successful candidate having met the minimum requirements for the position consistent with the ELSF compensation philosophy. Salary is based on experience, and to ensure equity within the organization, ELSF does not negotiate salary. Candidates can typically expect a salary offer around the midpoint of the salary range. In addition, ELSF offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance; paid holidays; and vacation and sick leave.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

English Learners Success Forum is a 501(c)(3) and is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. ELSF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.