EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - DISTRICT WIDE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Since 1911, City Colleges of Chicago has been connecting students from across Chicago’s neighborhoods to economic opportunity. By offering a quality education at an unprecedented value, City Colleges provides our students and alumni with a pathway to upward mobility. City Colleges of Chicago is the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity—empowering its students to take part in building a stronger and more just city. As Illinois’ largest community college system, City Colleges is comprised of seven colleges and five satellite sites across Chicago.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Strategy and Planning, the Executive Director- District Wide Strategic Initiatives manages the implementation of CCC’s strategic framework and district-wide strategic initiatives. This role works collaboratively across colleges and district teams, providing technical expertise and strategic support to ensure district-wide alignment of key strategic initiatives, goals, and values associated with our six levers: Student Experience, Equity, Excellence, Economic Responsiveness, Collaboration, and Institutional Health.

The Executive Director - District Wide Strategic Initiatives provides thought partnership and capacity to facilitate the implementation of the District’s five-year vision and strategic framework, working collaboratively with the VC of Strategy and Planning, Decision Support, senior administrators, and college leaders.

The Executive Director - District Wide Strategic Initiatives also aids senior leadership in supporting the dissemination and uptake of new innovations and practices across the district. Key accountabilities include managing relationships, identifying areas of need, maintaining tracking systems, analyzing data, and managing all activities related to the integration of an organized and unified view of progress towards district-wide strategies goals. Performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

· Provides subject matter expertise to District leadership and college teams in the areas of strategic planning, data-informed continuous improvement, organizational development, and change management, ensuring alignment with the District’s mission and strategic priorities.

· Serves as a facilitator and internal consultant to District leadership and college teams to facilitate ongoing strategic planning and continuous improvement efforts.

· Advises and collaborates with senior leadership in the development and implementation of district-level strategic initiatives.

· Partners with Decision Support to support tracking and analyses of strategic initiatives.

· Collaborates with Vice Chancellor of Institutional Excellence and district-wide stakeholders to build organizational capacity aligned with district-wide strategic objectives.

· Defines project or initiative scope, goals and deliverables that support organizational goals in collaboration with senior leadership and stakeholders.

· Develops and manages project plans, timelines, and communication strategies to ensure successful execution.

· Effectively communicates project expectations to team members and stakeholders in a timely and clear fashion.

· Estimates and allocates the resources and participants needed to achieve project goals.

· Sets and continually manages project expectations with team members and other stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

· Monitors, evaluates, and reports on project milestones, deliverables, and outcomes, using data to inform mid-course corrections and to support a culture of continuous improvement.

· Performs related duties as required.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To Vice Chancellor – Strategy and Planning

Direct Supervision Data Strategists & Senior Data Strategists

QUALIFICATIONS

· A Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university

· A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in a strategy department, non-profit organization, higher education, or public sector organization required, in the areas of strategic consulting, change management, organizational development, institutional research/effectiveness, or other strategy-focused role

· Experience working in a higher education environment desirable

· Demonstrated knowledge and experience with process change and optimization

· Knowledge of best practices to monitor institutional effectiveness and continuous improvement

· Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

· Strong problem-solving and analytical skills

· Strong project management skills

· Demonstrated ability to advise and influence leaders throughout the organization

· Ability to interpret and analyze data to draw conclusions and make recommendations

· Ability to guide and motivate others toward goal achievement

· Ability to work within a culturally diverse environment

· Ability to cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders

· Ability to work some evenings and weekends and travel to all CCC sites and campuses

· Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams

WE OFFER: Excellent health and welfare benefit package and long-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) & 457(b) Investment Plans and a pension plan with the State University Retirement System (SURS) Plan. Generous vacation, holiday, personal and sick days, and tuition reimbursement. For a more detailed overview of benefits, please visit the benefits page of our website. 

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within 6 months of hire. Thank you for your interest in CCC! 

Salary Range: Starting at $118,450