Job Summary
The goal of Proving Ground is to make evidence-based continuous improvement natural part of how education agencies conduct their daily work by making it easier for network members to identify, pilot and test solutions to problems of practice and share what they learn. The Network Manager will support education leaders in the network as they learn what’s working and what’s not in education and move their agencies towards an evidence-driven culture.
The Network Manager will be based in Cambridge (though it may be possible to work remotely under certain circumstances). The Network Manager will be a key part of the Proving Ground program team and will support network member learning through the provision of professional learning and ongoing technical assistance. The Network Manager may own ongoing relationships with several network members and, in collaboration with the Proving Ground Director and Senior Network Manager, will be responsible for development and project management of Proving Ground Jumpstart, a new service that allows Proving Ground to build district capacity primarily through on-demand content delivered via the Proving Ground Web App. This work will include planning and running meetings and conversations with partner agencies’ senior leadership teams, managing, developing, and adapting content and tools to support the network and change management process, managing the state’s role in data transfer, support and analysis and ensuring all legal and logistical needs of the network are addressed.
Job-Specific Responsibilities
PG Jumpstart Project Management (50%)
Maintain open and clear communications with the Proving Ground Director, Senior Network Manager and research team to facilitate effective work.
Create project timelines and time-to-completion.
Plan and execute workshops to support PG Jumpstart partners.
Participate in recruitment efforts to ensure PG Jumpstart meets its annual partner targets.
Develop and support systems for efficiently providing technical support to PG Jumpstart partners
Develop on-demand tools and resources, including how-to videos, to support the change management and continuous improvement processes. This may include managing contractors who create or help create content.
Collaborate closely with Proving Ground team members to ensure PG Jumpstart aligns with Proving Ground’s other services.
Develop and participate in presenting key partnership findings to both internal audiences and partner agencies.
Present at national conferences on findings.
Participate in the evaluation design and collect and review data to monitor implementation and impact to continuously improve PG Jumpstart.
Other Partner Support (40%)
Own the relationship with a set of partner agencies as part of Proving Ground’s other services as needed, including leading strategic development and management of relationships with partner agencies’ senior leadership teams (e.g., superintendent, executive director, etc.).
Serve as primary liaison between partner agency teams and Proving Ground, maintaining in-depth understanding of organizational priorities and the ways in which Proving Ground’s services and support can advance their progress. Provide technical assistance to districts. Facilitate data exchange when needed.
Work with partners’ leadership team and program team to develop strategy implementation plans.
Develop, manage, and facilitate in-person and/or virtual site visits with partner agencies to understand district context, how the Proving Ground model is working on the ground and reasons for implementation successes and challenges, and support subsequent stages of the work.
Identify emerging issues with partners and develop strategies as appropriate.
Develop reports and presentations to clearly communicate project progress for all internal and external partners, including school boards, superintendents, and principals.
Ensure that all contractual, operational and data management logistics are moving forward to facilitate full engagement by partner agencies and ensure that internal and external contacts adhere to all contract terms.
Train and manage contractors and consultants working with partners
Identify emerging areas of common interest/need across partner agencies and develop strategies to connect participants to relevant innovations, solutions, and approaches to common concerns leveraging Proving Ground resources and expertise.
Support the planning and logistics of the annual convening.
Serve as a facilitator for Proving Ground events as needed.
Create and manage delivery and content for network-specific webinars.
Curate and manage the content for the PG WebApp and facilitate on-line partner discussion.
Maintain connection with education sector thought leaders (both Harvard faculty and outside experts).
Develop and adapt tools, resources, and trainings to support change management work.
Facilitate opportunities for participating agencies to serve as model districts for other education agencies, including statewide conferences, webinars, and other peer-to-peer networking efforts.
Other Duties and Responsibilities (10%)
Participate in and support organizational management and improvement efforts for both Proving Ground and CEPR, including joining committees as needed
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in education, public policy, political science, economics, psychology, sociology or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years professional work experience; relevant coursework may count towards this experience.
Minimum of 3 years professional work experience in education; experience in or directly supporting local education agencies strongly preferred.
Experience creating and delivering instructional content strongly preferred.
Understanding of program evaluation, including impact evaluation and conditions necessary for causal inferences; experience managing program evaluations strongly preferred.
Demonstrated success managing projects to completion.
Candidates wishing to be considered must submit a resume in addition to a cover letter.
All candidates invited to interview may be asked to complete a memo and present their recommendations during the in-person interview.
Any applicant wishing to be considered for this position must indicate that they meet all the basic requirements in either the cover letter or resume.
This position may require up to 20% travel.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
Demonstrated capacity to analyze and interpret data and synthesize and present findings to both technical and non-technical audiences
Proven ability to work under pressure, accurately assess problems, and develop solutions
Change management, systems management, or management consulting experience a plus
Working Conditions
Please Note once Harvard resumes operations this position will no longer be remote and work will be performed on campus in Cambridge MA.