Senior Manager of Partnerships + Learning

Position Summary

The Senior Manager of Partnerships and Learning is focused on providing professional development, coaching and consultative support to arts partners, aligned to the Arts Partner Standards of Practice. It is a key member of the Ingenuity team working toward our mission of ensuring that every Chicago Public Schools (CPS) student, in every grade, in every school, has access to the arts as part of a well-rounded education. They contribute to the collective success of the organization and its other primary program areas (Data & Research, Advocacy and Communications, and the Creative Schools Fund), as well as the collective success of the Chicago arts education sector.

The role and work environment are both complex and rigorous, requiring an ability to balance multiple priorities and projects simultaneously, while also tending to the learning and development of arts partners . This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for a practiced leader to contribute to the internal and external workings of a dynamic, fast-paced, and nationally-recognized arts education organization working in the nation’s fourth largest public-school district.

Key Responsibilities

Sector Capacity Building (60%)

• Develop structures and strategies to inform the continuous development of arts education learning and development plans for arts partner organizations.
• In collaboration with key stakeholders, lead the design, coordination, and implementation of an annual P&L program plan that delivers critical support and services to the arts education community.
• Develop strategies to support, connect, and align arts partners and CPS by planning, presenting, and/or coordinating Ingenuity’s Learning Institutes, annual Arts Education Conference and annual State of the Arts Convening.
• Provide consultative support that consists of new partner orientations, prospective partner meetings, CPS vendor process navigation and office hours, to arts organizations and independent Teaching Artists, in partnering with CPS schools.
• Develop sustainable and equitable systems that provide arts partners with critical tools and supports necessary to more efficiently foster school partnerships and navigate CPS Procurement and Safety and Security procedures.
• Source, develop, and share learning resources and opportunities with arts partners.
• Support the planning and facilitation of the Partner Designation process between Ingenuity, the Chicago arts education sector and Chicago Public Schools.

Outreach, Collaboration, and Communications (25%)

• Facilitate knowledge sharing throughout the sector and seek opportunities to partner with other organizations to facilitate seamless exchange of information.
• Develop and maintain a supportive relationship with the arts organizations that provide services to Chicago Public Schools.
• Conduct research, make site visits, and find resources to help staff make decisions about arts program possibilities in CPS schools.
• Build relationships with, and understand the needs of, the arts partner community and collaborate with stakeholders and Ingenuity’s ArtsEd Leadership Advisory Panel in order to develop annual learning and development plans.
• Facilitate meetings and present to internal and external stakeholders on P&L work and strategies.
• Support key arts education initiatives and programs to help partners navigate and work more effectively within CPS and accomplish the mission of the organization.
• Partner with the CPS Department of Arts Education to accomplish shared goals through professional learning systems of support.
• Partner with the Creative School Fund team on partnership best practices and supports.
• Work with the Manager of Program Operations to develop and implement a P&L communications strategy in collaboration with the Communications and Advocacy teams.
• Work with the Manager of Program Operations to develop a timeline document with key communication touchpoints with arts partners throughout the school year and work with the Communications team to strategize and implement a plan.
• Update events on Ingenuity calendars.

Administration (15%)

• Work with the Director of P&L to develop annual departmental goals, benchmarks, and strategies as well as broader contributions to organizational strategy initiatives.
• Work with the Director of P&L to manage P&L program budget, invoicing, and reporting.
• Collect and analyze data on projects and report on outcomes.
• Provide proactive and responsive program reports to senior leadership.
• Develop and track progress on department key performance indicators, and report on outcomes.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Relationship Building: Strong relationship-building skills with all stakeholders - arts community leaders, teachers, school leaders, and arts education organizations.
• Professional Learning: Experience designing, facilitating and implementing large-scale learning programs.
• Coaching & Development: Experience supporting the development of Teaching Artists and/or teachers.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Skilled in aligning multiple groups toward common objectives.
• Public School Systems: Familiar with public school systems, preferably Chicago’s.
• Lifelong Learning: Identifies as both a learner and an educator.
• Personal & Social Awareness: Mature, ambitious, and politically savvy.
• Collaboration: Working with organizational leadership teams to integrate initiatives and ability to build consensus to work toward common goals.
• Communications: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Work Ethic: Committed to quality work and personal excellence.
• Project Management: Independent project execution with high attention to detail.
• Data Utilization: Experience utilizing data to track arts education progress, and adjusting strategies and programs to meet evolving goals and needs.
• Knowledge & Systems Management: Design, management, distribution, and evaluation of online and/or virtual tools, trainings, and resources.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Equity: Disposition, knowledge and practices grounded in anti-racism values.

Desired Background

• 4-7 years of experience in arts education, public education, arts administration, policy field, and/or community organizing.
• Existing knowledge of the Chicago arts partner community/landscape and Chicago Public Schools.
• Experience in large scale program design and implementation.
• Experience navigating and agility working with large bureaucracies.
• Experience in complex, multi-audience, multi-channel communications environments.
• Proven track record of making progress and meeting goals even under extremely challenging circumstances.
• Extensive project management experience.
• Access to a car or reliable source of transportation.
• Previous lived experience, interest in, or connection to Chicago’s arts/arts education, youth development, and/or civic community.
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Significant work experience may substitute for the degree(s).

Ingenuity recognizes that there is no such thing as a perfect candidate. Even if you do not meet all the requirements for the position, we encourage you to apply. You might just be the candidate we are looking for!

Ingenuity offers a generous health insurance and benefits package, matching retirement plan contributions, personal days, and paid vacation and sick time. Our current excellent benefits package includes:

• Medical and dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Paid vacation time
• Paid sick time
• Paid personal time
• Twelve (12) standard company holidays per calendar year
• Pre-tax Commuter Expense Reimbursement Plan
• 401K retirement plan with up to 4% employer match
• Funds to support professional development related to work
• Employee Assistance Program

Please note that all employment-related pay and benefits provided to Ingenuity employees are subject to all applicable policies, practices, processes, and legal requirements, including changes to them that may occur from time to time.