Training and Resource Manager - Oakland Teaching Fellows

Training and Resource Manager - Oakland Teaching Fellows
Oakland, CA
 
The New Teacher Project (TNTP) helps school districts and states fulfill the promise of public education by ensuring that all students—especially those from high-need communities—get excellent teachers. A national nonprofit organization founded by teachers, TNTP recognizes that although teachers matter more than any other school factor in student success, the nation’s education systems are not aligned with the goal of an effective teacher in every classroom. In response, TNTP develops customized programs and policy interventions that enable education leaders to diagnose their teacher quality challenges and find, develop and keep great teachers. Since its inception in 1997, TNTP has recruited or trained approximately 33,000 teachers—mainly through its highly selective Teaching Fellows™ programs—benefiting an estimated 4.8 million students. TNTP has also released a series of acclaimed studies of the policies and practices that affect the quality of the nation’s teacher workforce, most recently including The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness (2009). Today TNTP is active in more than 25 cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York, and Oakland, among others. For more information, please visit www.tntp.org.

We are currently seeking a full-time Training and Resource Manager for the Oakland Teaching Fellows program.  The Training and Resource Manager will be a TNTP employee based in the Oakland Unified School District office. This position is available for a full-time start date of July 15, 2010, with the ability to start part-time beforehand. 


The Program
TNTP works in partnership with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to run the Oakland Teaching Fellows program.  Oakland Teaching Fellows (OTF) is an alternative certification program established in 2004 to recruit, select, and train talented recent college graduates and mid-career professionals, who do not have a traditional background in education, to become committed, effective educators in Oakland’s highest need subject areas.  Fellows undergo a rigorous selection process and complete an intensive Training Institute over the summer.  There are over 200 Fellows teaching in schools throughout Oakland.  For more information on Oakland Teaching Fellows go to www.oaklandteachingfellows.org.  Currently TNTP also works in partnership with OUSD to credential all special education Fellows through a District Internship Program, the Oakland Practitioner Teacher Program (OPTP).  The programs are tightly linked and share the same big goal: To ensure that all OUSD students have access to effective teachers.

Role and Responsibilities

The Training and Resource Manager will be responsible for the successful planning, implementation and evaluation of the OTF/OPTP Pre-service Training Institute which Fellows must complete in the summer prior to their first year of teaching.  In addition, the Training and Resource Manager is responsible for ongoing program administration, which involves ensuring that first-year teachers are effective, evaluating their ongoing performance, and connecting Fellows in their first and second year of teaching to resources throughout the school year to ensure their success in the classroom and complete orientation and commitment to OUSD. 

Pre-Service Training Institute Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

In June, new Fellows begin a five and a half week Pre-service Training Institute designed to prepare them for teaching in a high-need Oakland public school.  Fellows will benefit from a curriculum with an emphasis on raising student achievement and will attend seminars and workshops on standards and planning, foundations of teaching, and classroom management.  Specifically, the Training and Resource Manager will be responsible for:
 

• Leading hiring, training, and management of OTF training staff
• Implementing the Teaching for Student Achievement curricular framework and materials based on District initiatives, culture, and organization
• Developing and implementing an operations and communications plan for Training Institute
• Planning for Training Institute opening and closing ceremonies and other events including securing speakers, panelists, workshop presenters, etc.
• Assisting with the management of pre-summer Fellow activities including school observations, expectation setting, and material ordering and distribution
• Recruiting, hiring, and training Cooperating Teachers to work with Fellows during Summer School
• Ensuring Fellows meet the objectives of the Training Institute and demonstrate evidence of their potential to become effective new teachers
• Ensuring students participating in our summer school program achieve rigorous academic goals
• Managing Fellow interventions throughout the Training Institute to ensure that Fellows who successfully complete Training Institute are as prepared as possible to impact student achievement
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with district staff
• Ensuring that each group of participants becomes a well connected cohort of teachers with a positive culture
• Assessing faculty performance and developing staff skills in order to continually improve Training Institute quality
• Collaborating with the OPTP Site Manager to ensure Fellows have a smooth transition into credential coursework in the fall

 
Program Administrative Support Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
 

• Developing and implementing systems to assess and track ongoing Fellow performance
• Designing next steps for Fellows aligned with data and trends on Fellow performance
• Acting as the main contact person for Fellow concerns (instructional and administrative)
• Providing and/or coordinating classroom observations for Fellows
• Producing and distributing monthly newsletters and/or other forms of communication aligned with program goals
• Planning and facilitating regular professional development meetings during the school year
• Recruiting and managing part-time Transitional Mentors, Fellow Team Leaders, or other staff
• Identifying development areas for struggling Fellows and developing targeted improvement plans
• Developing structures to ensure that Fellows fulfill our program mission of increasing student achievement
• Developing and maintaining ongoing relationships with district staff and ensuring effective communication and collaboration across departments
• Liaising with credentialing programs and district departments to ensure Fellows maximize professional development resources and levering relationships to further Fellow effectiveness
• Ensuring all Fellows are enrolled in and meeting certification requirements either through the district’s credentialing program or through another means
• Manage the AmeriCorps Education Award program enrollment logistics

 
This position offers the successful candidate the opportunity to have a profound impact on how teachers are prepared to teach in hard-to-staff schools in Oakland.


Qualifications
 
We are seeking candidates who believe deeply in our organization's mission, thrive in an entrepreneurial and dynamic environment, and who display a record of achievement.  Successful candidates will also demonstrate:

• Interest in and support of alternative routes to teacher certification
• At least two years teaching experience in high-needs schools in low-income communities, preferably in Oakland  
• Track record of raising student achievement in high-need schools
• Familiarity with California curriculum standards (preferred)
• Previous experience developing and leading teacher professional development
• Interest in, and ability to, pilot new approaches to program challenges and to, as needed, operate in ambiguous situations
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• The ability to identify challenges and actively work to find solutions
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills
• The ability to work effectively with others at all levels of an organization and to consistently display a high level of professionalism in all interactions
• Strong quantitative and computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office suite
• A willingness to work non-standard hours and/or occasional weekends 

 
Compensation
 
The annual salary for this position is $60,000 or commensurate with experience in a similar position.  We also offer a motivated team of colleagues, a collegial atmosphere that values professional development, a comprehensive benefits plan effective on the first day of employment – including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, and a 403(b) plan with matching – as well as the opportunity to impact the direction of a growing, mission-driven company that is committed to the success of our nation’s children.
 
To Apply
 
Please submit your resume and tailored cover letter online athttp://tbe.taleo.net/NA5/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=THENEWTEACHERPROJECT&cws=1&rid=587
 
We review applications on a rolling basis – so it is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible.  We will not consider applications without a cover letter tailored to this position, which can be addressed to the Human Capital Team.  The New Teacher Project is committed to fostering and capitalizing on the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.  If you would like to learn more about our mission, please visit our web site at www.tntp.org.