Goodwill Education Initiatives Project Manager

The GEI Project Manager creates and identifies programming to improve gaps in performance and redundancies within Goodwill Education Initiatives (GEI) and the National Office.  This role strengthens communication, programs, training, systems, and processes within the respective schools and across all GEI schools.  The GEI Project Manager reports to the Vice President of Education Initiatives and works in tandem with the GEI Regional Directors as they support school directors, GEI Central Office, and school staff to strategize, problem-solve, create, and share best practices to ensure all schools are meeting or exceeding expectations and guidelines set forth by GEI, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Charter School Board and the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office.

Example Duties and Activities

Project Management

• Tracks and prioritizes ongoing projects, tasks, and deadlines in direct support of the GEI Regional Directors.
• Serves as liaison between GEI Regional Directors, GEI schools, Goodwill internal support areas, and external stakeholders to drive projects to completion.
• Runs point on all new school openings.
• Serves as logistics lead on all legislative, community partner, operating board, and national office school tours.
• Facilitates the execution of the school director/principal interview processes.

Charter Applications and Renewals

• Oversees and facilitates the charter renewal process for all GEI schools.
• Facilitates the new charter application processes.
• Serves as liaison for compliance meetings and school authorizer site visits.
• Oversees timely data submissions to authorizers and responds to additional requirements/requests.

Accountability and Data

• Facilitates the communication of school-specific data (including enrollment data, disaggregated equity data, end-of-term data, IMET dashboard, etc.) to school leaders in anticipation of school director performance reviews.
• Creates and maintains the master graduation tracking document and implements the graduation audit process for all GEI schools.
• Assists the Business Support Manager with the creation and rollout of End of Term data, Mastery Cycle Dashboards, Weekly Engagement data, Equity Data, and other similar data reports.
• Verifies data for specific state reports after each term and mastery cycle, including certification data, dual credit data, and graduate data.

Administrative Support

• Ensures all positional liaisons:
  • Maintains agendas and positional meetings at scheduled times throughout the year.
  • Implements processes with fidelity and updates Standard Operating Procedures documentation and other relevant documents specific to the position on a timely basis.
  • Completes relevant employee evaluations, site visits, and other forms of assistance alongside central office/directors/administration members across the network.
  • Fosters a culture of collaboration and communication among groups to solve local and systemic issues facing the position.
  • Identifies areas of opportunity and training for positional groups.
  • Assists in onboarding new employees from the positional groups in conjunction with the school directors.
• Ensures compliance with handbooks, graduation guidance, school calendars, minor processes, and other system documents.
• Supports national school and network needs through partnering in the translation and communication of Indiana’s work on The Excel Center model.

Required Competencies

• Degree and Credential Requirements – Bachelor’s degree in education, business management, or project management.  A Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is highly desirable.
• Project Manager (Education) – Develops project management plans and the day-to-day management of project activities and deliverables, which includes but is not limited to scheduling, implementation, fieldwork, direct stakeholder engagement, and funder and regulatory reporting either in an education or social services environment.  Oversees multiple workstreams and delivers against scopes implementing strategies that outline time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and answers to unexpected events in order to streamline the process.  Demonstrates leadership skills, especially around communication/innovative solutions to problems, concerns, issues, and roadblocks.
• Proven Leadership – Leads, develops, and gets results for a team, department, and organization through qualities of integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity, ideally in a school leadership role.
• Communication Skills – Articulates thoughts and expresses ideas effectively using oral, written, visual, and non-verbal communication skills, as well as listening skills to comprehend others’ needs. Delivers information in person, in writing, and in a digital world.
• Organizational Aptitude – Plans and attends to details and pursues quality in accomplishing multiple tasks in an organized and timely fashion. Exhibits careful attention to detail and follow-through.
• Autonomy – Takes initiative without waiting to be directed, does what is asked, and works until the job is completed. Takes ownership of mistakes and learns from them rather than makes excuses.
• Resilience – Performs effectively when faced with time pressures, adversity, disappointment, or opposition.  Remains focused, composed, and optimistic in difficult situations and bounces back from failures or disappointments.  Meets or exceeds specific goals as quickly as possible.  Focuses on results and will leverage resources available and solve problems creatively to get the job done.
• Technical Knowledge – Has working knowledge of G Suite, MS Office, and the Internet, as well as student information systems.

Preferred Competencies 

• Industry Standards – Displays a working knowledge of the Indiana Academic Standards, Indiana Graduation PathwaysNext Level Programs of Study, Common Core State Standards, and 21st Century Skills and knowledge of disciplinary literacy.

Other Requirements

• Background Screening – All candidates must pass a pre-employment background check. Must have a valid driver’s license, up-to-date auto insurance, and a good driving record.

Benefits: Full-time employees may participate in a comprehensive benefits program that includes:

• Continuing education and leadership development as well as tuition reimbursement
• Comprehensive health plan
• Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Life, dental and vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability plans
• Nationally recognized preventive health and wellness program
• Section 125 pretax health spending account, dependent care spending account, and premiums
• Retirement plan with generous match or contribution into Teachers’ Retirement Fund for eligible employees