Reports to: Executive Director
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience
Location: New Haven, CT with some in-state travel
Overview:
The Connecticut RISE Network (RISE) is a Connecticut-based non-profit organization with a mission to empower educators to achieve breakthrough results, helping all students realize and achieve their full potential. Leveraging its innovative partnership model, RISE facilitates networks for school improvement by bringing together exceptional educators working in different contexts to advance shared goals. By empowering school communities to improve, we invest in a cycle of lasting and scalable impact.
RISE districts and schools commit to sharing resources and expertise, pursuing innovative solutions, strengthening school and district systems, and empowering educators and leaders through continuous improvement. Currently, RISE represents a multi-year partnership between nine school districts across Connecticut, serving 14,000 students across ten high schools to support educators striving to ensure every RISE high school student graduates college and career ready.
Position Summary and Essential Job Functions:
The Family & Community Engagement Specialist will play an integral role leading RISE’s collaboration with families and community partners. RISE is seeking a talented and highly motivated individual to build deeper connections with families and stakeholders in the communities we serve. This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment, and is passionate about closing achievement gaps, empowering families and communities, and developing the potential of all students regardless of life circumstance.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Community Connections:
Establish RISE’s presence in local communities outside of the traditional school setting.
Build awareness in RISE communities around the importance of on-track achievement during high school, as well as the importance of college and career readiness, access, and success.
Build bridges with community partners, including local nonprofits, parent advocacy organizations, local leaders, and other stakeholders, to advance our collective impact.
Collaborate with RISE’s Communications Team to ensure that print and digital materials proactively provide resources for families and partners in a compelling and accessible manner.
Host informational sessions about RISE programming for families in collaboration with school partners; lead presentations and facilitate conversations with diverse audiences.
Relationship Management:
Build and maintain deep and meaningful relationships with families, community partners, key stakeholders, and local leaders.
Collaborate with families and community leaders to identify ways to better support students in achieving success, both during and after high school.
Work inclusively with families and partners, encouraging diverse perspectives and new ideas, while maintaining ongoing communication and deepening relationships.
Listen to and learn from families and community members; develop a deeper understanding of challenges and experiences limiting student success.
Support high school partners in strengthening relationships with families and community partners; support efforts to better align community partnerships in service of shared student outcome goals.
Support ongoing communication with families and partners through multiple means.
Program Development:
Identify ways to strengthen or enhance the RISE by 5 network-wide strategies, incorporating deeper opportunities for family input and engagement.
Increase family and student voice in the design, implementation, and refinement of the RISE by 5 network-wide strategies.
Understand how schools currently engage families around the middle to high school transition and postsecondary planning; identify strengths and growth opportunities.
Support RISE staff in better engaging families in network strategies and practices; build capacity around purposeful family engagement.
Develop materials, tools, and templates that can be implemented and adapted across school sites.
Facilitate and model meaningful programming and forums with families and community partners.
Support communication with families around resources and opportunities facilitated by the RISE Network.
Required Knowledge and Skills:
Experience leading family and/or community engagement efforts in a K-12 education and/or nonprofit context. Familiarity with local Connecticut communities strongly preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and experience building durable relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to ramp up on new content and work in an independent and self-motivated manner.
Desire to work in a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and results-driven environment.
Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft and Google apps.
Strong sense of accountability and responsibility for results.
Outstanding collaboration and teamwork.
Sense of humor, positive attitude, and willingness to work in a collaborative environment.
Commitment to systems-driven solutions for scalable and sustained impact.
Strong organizational and project management skills.
Ability to work effectively under pressure and to efficiently balance and meet competing demands.
Strong belief that all students can learn and achieve at high levels.
Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish strongly preferred.
Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience.
RISE is an Equal Opportunity Employer.