The Connecticut RISE Network (RISE) is a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure all RISE high school students graduate with a plan and the skills and confidence to achieve college and career success. Founded in 2016, RISE partners with Connecticut public high schools to lead statewide networks where school communities work together to use data to learn and improve. We partner with school communities across the state to understand complex challenges, unpack data, pilot new innovations, and scale effective practices.

Today, the RISE Network represents a collaboration between nine high schools and eight public school districts that form our core partnership network, reaching over 13,000 students; the majority of RISE students identify as Black, Latinx, and/or low-income. RISE high schools work together to ensure all students experience success as they transition to, through, and beyond high school.ng with a strong foundation in Grade 9, RISE high schools pursue school-wide improvements in Grades 9 through 12 that support college and career readiness, access, and success.

Position Summary and Essential Job Functions:

As part of the RISE Network’s Engagement Team, the School Improvement Consultant will manage consulting relationships with partner high schools, districts, and organizations working to promote freshman and postsecondary success. These consulting engagements generally involve coaching with school and district leaders, collaborative strategy formulation and implementation support, and design and facilitation of adult professional learning experiences.   Reporting to the Deputy Director of Engagement, the School Improvement Consultant will work collaboratively with the Engagement Team to lead improvement coaching with educators and plan and deliver other contracted services as we seek to scale our impact in new school communities. The work of the School Improvement Consultant will be central to RISE’s scale and sustainability efforts in years to come. 

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a highly motivated or entrepreneurial individual who is skilled in developing, launching, and managing new strategies and partnerships, is energized by cultivating relationships with diverse stakeholders in and around public schools, and excels at coaching and building the capacity of educators.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Consulting project support and strategy

• Deliver excellent products and services aligned to consulting scopes of work.

• Support change management and program design in schools and districts through strategic coaching and planning.

• Build strong relationships with school and district leadership, and networks of peer organizations.

• Develop organized toolkits of resources and project planning tools. 

• Prepare well-written agendas, session descriptions, and other professional learning materials to support coaching and professional learning.

• Develop and maintain organized and transparent project management systems.

Coaching and facilitation of cross-school collaboration

• Build educator capacity to lead and sustain improvement efforts.

• Develop a vision for leadership development for ongoing multi-school, goal-specific networks of high schools.

• Provide strategic coaching to high school educators, leaders, and teams.

• Share coaching resources and promising practices across schools.

• Build, maintain, and grow excellent partnerships with school and district leaders.

Educator professional learning 

• Facilitate collaborative processes to set the vision for educator professional learning opportunities.

• Co-lead school and district outreach and the marketing of professional learning opportunities and support services.. 

• Plan professional learning gatherings and conference sessions, including the design of highly engaging and impactful content with high-quality materials. 

• Facilitate professional learning sessions and deliver presentations. 

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Deep understanding of urban schools and strong belief that all students can achieve at high levels.

• Demonstrated commitment to equity and ability to lead and develop others through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Demonstrated skill as a dynamic facilitator of adult learning and an effective manager of consulting engagements.

• Ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and to motivate school and district staff.

• Excellent strategic thinker able to support leaders in adopting new strategies and navigating challenges in implementation.

• Knowledge of best practices in secondary education, school leadership, and/or team formation.

• Understanding of principles of continuous improvement and the use of data to drive improvement.

• Strong organizational and project management skills.

• Ability to work effectively under pressure and to meet competing demands.

• Excellent written communication skills.

• Excellent computer skills; ability to use Google apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) and the Internet.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required; master’s degree in a relevant field preferred.

• Minimum of seven years of professional experience in education with at least two years of experience facilitating improvement in urban schools and/or districts, and a preference for experience in or with high schools.

• Prior experience working as a coach, consultant, or in another capacity supporting educators and/or administrators in reflection on and improvement in their practice.

• Prior experience in program development/management and account/client management preferred.

RISE is an Equal Opportunity Employer