SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BOSTON

The Special Assistant to the Executive Director of Boston is a unique opportunity to work with the head of Citizen Schools Boston, who is also one of the founding members of Citizen Schools.  The Executive Director is the leader of Citizen Schools, Boston - supporting entrepreneurial campus directors, creating volunteer-taught apprenticeships, developing corporate partnerships, leading excellence across the network, and playing a leadership role in the growth strategy of Citizen Schools.  Citizen Schools Boston includes nine middle school campuses and 8th Grade Academy (a combined total of 1000 students), as well as student alumni services (450 alumni, building towards 1,000 by 2008). The Special Assistant will be joining a dynamic team committed to impacting the national out-of-school time field and education reform through leadership in Boston.  The Special Assistant is a member of the 5-member Boston Leadership Team.  This is also a unique opportunity to help cultivate and maintain key partnerships with corporations and institutions, civic leaders, foundations and other community partners in order to provide high-quality programming to apprentices and alumni, and to help accomplish the goals of the organization as a whole. 

The Special Assistant will support the Executive Director in raising significant funds for the Citizen Schools and will assist in strategic field-building, through innovative efforts such as advisory councils (Boston Council of Champions).  This is a full-time position and will report to the Executive Director of Citizen Schools, Boston. 

Responsibilities Include:

Coordination and Planning (Partnership Development)

·          Help support in the development of a high-functioning Boston Program team and Boston Leadership Team through support of work plan development, staff building, and quality program planning efforts.

·          Coordinate and conduct appropriate follow-up after meetings, events, and volunteer activities for the Executive Director, and other member of the Boston Leadership Team.

·          Interface with other departments across Citizen Schools including the National Program, Apprenticeship, Development, Evaluation, Curriculum, Network Support Services, and National Network Departments.

·          Coordinate Boston-wide communication and calendar in partnership with Boston Operations Manager, Program Director, and Program Quality Coordinator.

·          Manage details for city-wide events, both internal and external (program events, fundraising, etc.).

·          Help with press and media and presentations for various audiences: youth, educators, corporate leaders, etc.

·          Contribute to a Boston Visitors Program: campus and headquarters visits for guests of the Executive Director and Boston Leadership.

Special Projects

·          Manage e-newsletter to be distributed widely across the organization.

·          Design and write reports, analysis, work plans for projects.

·          Benchmark program innovations and present recommendations for pilot opportunities to Executive Director (and other senior leaders, as necessary).

·          Support field-building efforts; develop presentations on Boston Program for external audiences.

·          Document Citizen Schools events and manage photograph cataloging.

·          Manage and/or support special projects related to marketing and new initiatives.

·          Support policy efforts, specifically helping to grow the Massachusetts state budget line item.

General Communication/Administrative Support

·          Draft letters, e-mails, agendas, notes and memos for Executive Director.

·          Schedule, and organize/plan where appropriate, Executive Director’s internal and external meetings.

·          Assist with daily communications including incoming emails, voicemail, and mail.

·          Support Executive Director in instilling pride among team members in Boston as the founding city of the Citizen Schools Network.

·          Represent Executive Director at select meetings, internally and externally.

·          Organize, file, edit, distribute, and copy documents.

·          Maintain contact information; return and place calls.

·          Work with Executive Director and Development Department to coordinate maintenance of grant requirements related to Boston Program and coordination of corporate fundraising activities related to Boston Program.

Qualifications:

The successful applicant will possess excellent communication skills (writing, editing and speaking); attention to detail; strong work ethic; and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment.  Other qualifications include:

·          Strong writing ability

·          Command of Microsoft Office Suite; specifically Outlook & PowerPoint

·          Knowledge and interest in Boston – its history, and current trends

·          Ability to present and engage Citizen Schools’ 5 primary constituents (young adults, funders, staff, community, and families)

·          Excellent oral and written communication skills

·          Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work with a diverse array of stakeholders and a growing national team

·          Demonstrated commitment to diversity and serving diverse constituents

·          Excellent project management skills

·          Interests in marketing; command of Adobe In Design and Photoshop preferred

·          Passion, idealism and a great sense of humor

·          Embodiment of the seven Citizen Schools Values: Pride, Joy, Respect, Courage, Teamwork, Perseverance, and Vision.

·          Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary will be commensurate with experience.  Full benefits include health care, 403B, three weeks vacation, and professional development opportunities.

Next Steps:

Please complete an online application (including cover letter and resume) at http://www.citizenschools.org/careers .  Candidates will be reviewed on an on-going basis.

Citizen Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.

About Citizen Schools

Citizen Schools is a leading national education initiative that uniquely mobilizes hundreds of staff and thousands of adult volunteers to help improve student achievement among urban middle schoolers by teaching skill-building apprenticeships that promote academic and leadership development after school. Our mission is to enable these students to achieve access to the American dream by promoting high school success and college completion.  Citizen Schools has been recognized as a national model program by the U.S. Department of Education, has been named a national winner of Fast Company Magazine’s Social Capitalist Award in 2004, 2006 and 2007, and 2008 and has been chosen by the Skoll Foundation as a winner of the Skoll Social Entrepreneurship Award. 

Building on twelve years of powerful programming and results in Boston and greater Massachusetts, Citizen Schools is expanding across the country.  We currently operate 37 campuses in 6 states (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas), serving approximately 3,500 students.  By 2012, the organization will serve almost 8,000 students in 8-10 states.