Chief, Intergovernmental Affairs

Chicago Public Schools • Chicago, IL

138d

About The Position

Reporting to the CEO, the Chief of Intergovernmental Relations leads the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs whose primary focus is advocating for CPS students before every level of government to shape education policy. This role leads the District's intergovernmental relations strategy, establishing and maintaining collaborative partnerships with elected leaders while ensuring the District proactively monitors and responds to the planning, development and execution of federal and state legislation, and municipal ordinances that affect CPS. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university; Focus in Business Administration, Education, Policy, or Public Administration preferred.
• Juris Doctorate degree preferred.
• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of related experience, including a minimum of ten (10) years of professional government relations experience required.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience leading high-functioning teams required.
• Policy experience at a strategic senior leadership level in a large, fast-paced urban school district or public institution strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Strong understanding of current developments in state and national education policy.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state legislative procedures, functions, committee organizational structure, and decision-making processes.
• Understanding of local, state and federal legislative and executive processes, including budget and appropriations processes; proficient understanding of all timelines and procedural rules related to legislative and rule-making processes.
• Understanding of and ability to comply with state and federal lobbying laws, ethics rules and applicable regulations.
• Ability to read, understand, and clearly draft proposed legislation.
• Ability to set a vision, set high standards, build capacity, and effectively guide and coach in realizing expectations set.
• Expertise in leadership development and building a positive work culture.
• Ability to work collaboratively with community partners, including families, educators, and local organizations.
• Demonstrated success in designing and implementing initiatives aimed at promoting equity, family, and community empowerment in educational settings.
• Strong communication skills (speaking - including presentations - listening, and writing).
• Skill in legislative advocacy, negotiation and persuasion.
• Strong interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to ethically form and maintain relationships with government officials and government entities.
• Demonstrate high levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions.
• Effective strategic planning capabilities, including establishing long-term vision and goals and aligning/managing activities toward goal fulfillment.
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g., developing high-performing teams united around a clear vision for serving the District and achieving student success.
• Ability to manage Office operations and budget.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support CPS.
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps.

Responsibilities

• Advise the CEO, District leadership, and the Chicago Board of Education on local, state, and federal public policy.
• Lead the development and implementation of the District's intergovernmental affairs strategy.
• Manage the operations, performance, and effectiveness of the Intergovernmental Affairs Office and team, including the successful development, monitoring, and achievement of the team's shared goals and continuous improvement strategy, and the creation and management of the Office's budget.
• Actively advocate for initiatives and legislation favorable to CPS and work to deter legislation that does not benefit student progress.
• Work closely with executive leaders as a strategic thought partner to support effective policy decisions that result in positive student outcomes.
• Partner with outside organizations, government agencies, and elected officials to secure additional external resources for CPS students.
• Provide appropriate supervision, mentoring, and development opportunities to Intergovernmental Affairs staff, including regular performance reviews and professional growth plans.
• Promote and model a positive culture and brand for the Intergovernmental Affairs team by ensuring accurate and transparent information is shared with all CPS stakeholders.
• Build critical support for and understanding of CPS policy and initiatives to help build strong relationships with key decision makers.
• Other duties and work streams as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Education Level: Master's degree