Head of Program Implementation - Innovation Team

About This Role and This Work

DREAM will develop and scale AI-enabled teaching and learning models designed to expand opportunity for students across the Bronx. Over the next three years, we will partner with 15 schools in the Bronx to help them implement an AI literacy curriculum, use AI tools to accelerate learning, and pursue new school models that prioritize real-world learning and future-ready skills. We will recruit partner schools, provide training and embedded coaching to leaders and teachers, and help educators implement and adapt these practices, curriculum, and tools in their own classrooms. Through rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement, this new initiative aims to improve academic outcomes while creating more time for collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and other future-ready skills.

The Head of Program Implementation, Innovation Team, will lead the training, development, coaching, and implementation support required to bring DREAM’s Innovation programming to partner schools and school systems. This leader will manage the Innovation Program Implementation Team, supporting school and system leaders and teachers, leading high-quality professional development, setting the quality bar for AI and future-ready leadership and teaching, and building the guides, playbooks, and systems that enable strong implementation at scale.

This is an exciting opportunity for an education and school-system leader with a background in teaching and school leadership, expertise in adult professional learning and coaching, a record of supporting model dissemination or consulting across schools, and excitement about AI and future-ready skills in education.

Responsibilities

AI Program Implementation and Team Leadership

Manage and develop the team responsible for facilitating training, development, and coaching partner school teachers and leaders implementing DREAM’s AI and future-ready skills programming (a two-person team for now, with the potential for growth);

Set and maintain the quality bar for excellence in AI and future-ready skills leadership and teaching;

Oversee the creation of guides and playbooks for how to implement DREAM’s AI and future-ready skills model at the school and school-system level;

Design and facilitate excellent professional development experiences for leaders and teachers who are implementing DREAM’s AI and future-ready skills curriculum and programming, modeling the highest standards of execution for the team;

Provide high-quality feedback to PD developers and facilitators, ensuring learning experiences meet a high standard of quality;

Establish metrics, monitor outcomes, and use data to assess impact, drive continuous improvement, and inform strategic decision-making;

Stay up-to-the-minute on AI and future-ready skills in education, including peer-reviewed research, identified best practices, and relevant political influences, translating that knowledge into implementation design and strategy.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Coach and support Principals and other leaders at our partner schools to build the systems and conditions required to implement DREAM’s AI and future-ready skills work effectively;

Collaborate with the AI and future-ready skills Program Design team to ensure all professional development and learning experiences clearly communicate DREAM’s vision for teaching and learning;

Interface with external academic researchers to study the effectiveness of DREAM’s AI and future-ready skills work and apply findings to strengthen implementation and learning;

Other responsibilities related to the role as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Education or a related field preferred;
• Minimum 8 years of experience in education, including experience as a teacher and school leader, required;
• Minimum 4 years of experience as a leader on one of the following teams: a professional learning team at a network of charter schools, an education consulting firm, a curriculum provider, or an ed-tech customer success team, required;
• Experience leading and coaching other people leaders, required;
• Experience regularly leading large scale professional development trainings to more than 50 people, required;
• Expert facilitator of adult professional learning, with strong knowledge of adult learning theory and a clear vision for a high standard of excellence;
• Ability to model and coach other leaders quickly and effectively, without relying on established managerial authority or established relationships;
• Demonstrated success managing or developing teams;
• Ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity;
• Strong collaborative, interpersonal, and communication skills;
• Data fluency and a data-systems orientation, with the ability to use data to assess and improve implementation;
• Ability to stay up-to-date on AI as it evolves and to use data to inform decisions and improve outcomes;
• Exceptional attention to detail, superb follow-through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines;
• Deep commitment to DREAM’s mission, values, and graduate vision, with a strong belief in the power of families as partners and leaders.

Benefits and Paid Time Off

We offer comprehensive benefits including:
• Flexible Medical Health Plans,  subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, their spouse/domestic partner and children;
• The ability to select between a variety of medical plans according to what best suits the employee’s needs;
• Dental and vision plans;
• Disability benefits;
• Life insurance;
• Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave; 
• Flexible spending account options;
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (parking and transit);
• Fitness and entertainment discounts;
• A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP);
• A 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching up to 4% after one year of employment;
• Access to a professional development fund;
• Referral bonuses;
• All full-time Network Support employees are eligible for approximately 48 days off throughout the year including holidays, sick days, personal days and summer Fridays;
• Benefits are subject to change.

Compensation

• DREAM offers a competitive salary commensurate with relevant experience with the potential for an annual performance-based increase. The incoming salary range for this position is $170,000 to $190,000 per year. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary closer to the start of the range depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. All staff are eligible for annual performance-based increases. Because we value staff tenure in each role, we do not currently cap salary ranges.

Working Expectations

The ROLE is part of the Innovation Team, which currently works 3 days in the office and up to 2 days remote per week, with some weeks requiring more in-person work.