Chief Innovation Officer

FirstLine Schools•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

FirstLine Schools seeks a strategic and forward-thinking Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) to lead the responsible integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies across the organization. This role will design and implement a network-wide innovation strategy that accelerates student learning, strengthens teaching practice, and modernizes organizational workflows. The CIO will partner closely with teachers, school leaders, and network teams to pilot new approaches, learn from practice, and scale what works. This leader must be comfortable leading change in complex educational environments—acting as a thoughtful disruptor who challenges systems, tests ideas alongside educators, and ensures innovation remains grounded in strong pedagogy and FirstLine’s mission. The CIO will also help prepare students and staff to thrive in an AI-enabled world by building systems that promote ethical, responsible, and equitable use of technology. Why This Role Is Unique: This role offers a rare opportunity to shape how artificial intelligence is integrated into a public school system from the ground up. Rather than simply implementing technology tools, the Chief Innovation Officer will work directly with educators and leaders to redesign learning experiences and organizational systems. The role combines classroom-centered experimentation with network-level strategy, ensuring innovation is both practical and mission-aligned. The CIO will have the opportunity to: Pilot and scale AI-enabled learning in real classrooms Work closely with teachers, school leaders, and senior leadership to shape strategy Reduce educator workload while strengthening instructional impact Expand equitable access to future-ready learning opportunities Position FirstLine Schools as a leader in thoughtful, responsible innovation in public education What Success Looks Like in the First Three Years: The CIO will establish a strong foundation for responsible AI integration across FirstLine Schools. Success will be measured by meaningful improvements in teaching, learning, and organizational effectiveness. A Clear AI Strategy: A network-wide roadmap for AI integration aligned to academic priorities, including ethical guardrails and systems for evaluating and scaling high-impact tools. AI-Enabled Teaching and Learning: Pilot programs demonstrating how AI tools can strengthen instruction, accelerate feedback, and support lesson planning, differentiation, and assessment. Student AI Literacy: A K–8 framework that builds students’ understanding of artificial intelligence, responsible technology use, and connections to future careers. Modernized Workflows: Reduced administrative burden for teachers and leaders through AI-assisted tools and improved systems for data analysis and organizational decision-making. A Sustainable Culture of Innovation: Teacher and leader innovation teams regularly piloting new practices, supported by professional learning systems that build internal capacity for continued innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred)
Experience leading innovation, change initiatives, or technology integration in education or a related field
Experience working directly with educators to pilot and scale new practices
Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects across teams or departments
Believe in every student’s ability to achieve in a rigorous college or career prep curriculum
Achieve results based on agreed-upon expectations
Take personal responsibility
Highly detail-oriented
Open to learning and evolving with AI as a tool at work
Comfortable challenging existing systems in service of improvement
Excited to work alongside teachers, leaders, and senior staff to co-design solutions
Collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
Share a commitment to creating great schools in New Orleans
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to embed and model the FirstLine Commitments: We Keep Learning, We Work Together, We Are Helpful, We Are the Safekeepers of our Community, We Share Joy, We Show Results!

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing AI or emerging technologies in education
Experience designing professional learning for educators
Experience building partnerships across sectors

Responsibilities

Lead the development and implementation of a network-wide AI and innovation strategy.
Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap for AI integration across schools and the network office
Establish clear expectations and guardrails for responsible AI use
Lead pilot programs to test and evaluate emerging tools
Build systems to monitor impact and scale effective practices
Identify and manage partnerships with universities, technology organizations, and research groups
Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team on innovation and future-facing strategy
Partner with academic and school teams to integrate AI tools that support strong instruction.
Collaborate with the Chief Academic Officer to integrate AI thoughtfully into teaching and learning
Support implementation of high-leverage tools such as adaptive tutoring, feedback systems, and literacy supports
Facilitate teacher innovation teams that pilot and refine instructional uses of AI
Design and deliver professional learning that builds teacher and leader capacity to use AI responsibly and effectively
Develop and oversee a K–8 AI literacy framework.
Design a program that helps students understand how AI works and how it affects society
Teach responsible technology use, digital citizenship, and bias awareness
Connect AI learning to real-world problem solving and future career pathways
Ensure equitable access to AI learning opportunities across schools
Identify ways AI can improve organizational effectiveness.
Support teachers in reducing administrative workload through AI-assisted planning, grading, and communication tools
Equip school leaders with tools for data analysis, scheduling, and student progress monitoring
Partner with network teams to streamline operational processes and improve decision-making
Build staff confidence and capacity to use AI in daily work
Other Duties As Assigned