Director of Curriculum and Design, Public Service Leadership Institute

ORGANIZATION 

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy. We believe that our future and our democracy depend on our ability to solve big problems—and that we need an effective federal government to do so. For more than 20 years, we have helped make this vision a reality, helping our government—the public institution most fundamental to our democracy—address current and future challenges.  

Our staff is diverse in experience and perspective, but at our core, we share a lot of the same traits: we are mission-driven, creative, collaborative, optimistic and inclusive.

Our work is strategic, fast-paced and guided by our values:  

• Passion for public service and our work toward a more effective government   
• People who promote a culture of learning, leadership, collaboration, inclusion and respect  
• Persistence to drive change, take strategic risks and deliver results  
• Promise to be trustworthy, nonpartisan and fiscally responsible  

We hire smart and friendly people who are great at what they do and good to one another in the process.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Partnership for Public Service seeks a Director of Curriculum and Design for the Public Service Leadership Institute. The Director will partner closely with the Institute’s facilitators, coaches, and program managers to design, develop curriculum for, and enhance open enrollment programs, agency retreats, workshops, seminars and other leadership offerings, which are foundational for the Institute’s work. They will also generate and help implement innovative, forward-thinking ideas related to content, program delivery, and scaling reach and impact.

The Director will report to the Partnership for Public Service’s Vice President for Public Service Leadership, will act as an important thought partner, and will play a key role on the Institute’s Leadership team. The Director will engage in high-level planning and idea generation around strategy and vision as well as be responsible for the details of day-to-day design, curriculum development, planning and execution. They will also work in close partnership with other internal teams (e.g., Operations, Research, Business Development, and Monitoring and Evaluation) to build and align on new ideas and implementation plans, where relevant. Ideally, the Director will also be able to design and facilitate programming with senior level audiences, as needed. This position is ideal for a highly collaborative, innovative manager with a deep understanding of design and curriculum development as well as a passion for leadership and public service.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work in close partnership with the Institute’s facilitators, coaches, and program managers to design, develop curriculum for, and enhance open enrollment programs, agency retreats, workshops, seminars and other leadership offerings.
• Play a key role in setting the vision for curriculum development and design for in-person, hybrid, and virtual offerings.
• Develop and implement ways to increase the scale and broaden the reach of the Institute’s programming and related thought leadership.
• Serve as a member of the Public Service Leadership Institute’s leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making, tracking and implementation.
• Work closely with internal teams (e.g., Operations, Business Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Communications) to align on new ideas, contingency planning, and implementation plans related to design and curriculum (e.g., if a new idea would have implications on technology use, infrastructure investment, data analysis, new hiring capacity, physical space etc.).
• Proactively generate and implement innovative ideas for content and delivery.
• Engage with program participants, government officials, and experts to incorporate feedback from key stakeholders into design and delivery.
• Engage with external stakeholders across fields to develop a deep understanding of content, innovations, and program delivery possibilities.
• Share knowledge and best practices related to curriculum development and program design with the Institute team.
• Build and maintain a deep understanding of the realities, dynamics, challenges, and objectives of government employees.
• Support business development efforts through proposal development (i.e., providing program design and subject matter expertise), relationship building, idea generation and implementation.
• Help expand the reach of the Public Service Leadership Model and advance the Institute’s leadership assessment tools.
• Facilitate leadership development sessions for senior government officials.
• Motivate, mentor and/or coach members of the Institute team, including acting as a supervisor.
• Identify, build plans for, and help implement program improvements informed by survey data analysis and other forms of feedback.
• Contribute to thought leadership and represent the Partnership at external meetings and events, as needed.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Passion for public service leadership and leadership development.
• Extensive design, curriculum development, and adult learning knowledge and skills.
• Highly collaborative team-player, with exceptional ability to partner with the Institute team and coordinate across internal teams more broadly.
• Entrepreneurial, innovative, and creative, with the ability to excel with minimal supervision. 
• Ability to advance strategy and vision while also playing a hands-on role in implementation.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including meeting facilitation skills.
• Excellent ability to design content for a variety of programming across in-person, hybrid, and virtual environments.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
• Ability to design and deliver/facilitate programs and retreats for senior level audiences.
• Consistent, sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to handle challenges and obstacles with tact, diplomacy and flexibility.
• Strong strategic and systems thinking skills, with the ability to drive results and impact.
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with external stakeholders.
• Creative problem solver, with the ability to proactively propose and execute enhanced processes and approaches.
• Advanced organizational skills to successfully plan, track and complete projects from initial conceptualization to the timely delivery of high-quality deliverables.
• An understanding of how technology and infrastructure investments can be used to streamline and scale.
• Ability to quickly build credibility and trust with stakeholders.
• Adept at working in a fast-paced and high-energy environment.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred or equivalent professional work experience or military service.   
• At least ten years of experience as a manager of projects and people, with significant experience in curriculum development and design. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY/REPORTING STRUCTURE 

This position reports to the Partnership’s Vice President for Public Service Leadership. 

This position may supervise staff at various levels, ranging from senior managers to associates as needed.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a hybrid (remote + office) environment in Washington, DC, and requires the candidate to be a permanent resident in the Washington, DC, Maryland or Virginia area. The person in this role is expected to work in the office, on average, two days per week. This position requires consistent use of office equipment such as computer, telephone, printer/scanner and MS Office.    

 In assessing employee performance at the Partnership, we consider collaboration, results, demonstration of our values and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Our performance review process runs the calendar year; we conduct a performance check-in at mid-year and complete a formal full-year assessment at year end. Salary increases are based on the full-year performance assessment.   

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

This is a full-time position with regular work hours Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Occasional evening or weekend activities may be required. Please note that Partnership allows flexibility in work schedules.   

TRAVEL

If travel occurs, it is usually during the business day. 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The starting salary range for this position is $125,000 - $135,000. The Partnership offers a compensation package that includes a competitive salary; medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; long- and short-term disability insurance; a 401(k) program with a 4 percent employer match; commuter benefits; opportunities for training and development; 15 days of annual leave per year, 10 days of sick leave per year, plus all federal holidays and the day after Thanksgiving off; and subsidized use of an on-site exercise facility. 

AAP/EEO STATEMENT

The Partnership is an inclusive organization that fosters learning, collaboration and respect. We actively recruit for diversity in our workplace, believing that a range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences contributes to our mission of revitalizing government. The Partnership for Public Service is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any application for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, caste, immigration status, national origin, veteran status, disability; or on any other basis prohibited by law.