Position: Head of Strategy

Location: Los Angeles, California (5371 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90036)

Reports to: Executive Director

Fair Labor Standards Act Status: Exempt

Work Class: Classified or Certificated

Capacity: Full-Time

Salary Range: $170,000 - $200,000

The mission of Citizens of the World Los Angeles (CWC LA) is to provide a socio-economically, culturally, and racially diverse community of students in Los Angeles with an intellectually challenging, experiential learning environment that develops each student's confidence, potential, and individual responsibility as citizens of the world. CWC LA schools develop students’ social and emotional skills to prepare them to become citizens of the world, and we promote academic rigor through a constructivist, project-based learning approach, to support and develop children’s natural intellectual curiosity. CWC LA enrolls a diverse student body that reflects the abundant diversity of the communities served by our schools.

On a grown path to serving more than 5,000 students in the coming years, CWC LA operates five charters:

• CWC Hollywood (TK-5th) operating since 2010.

• CWC Silver Lake (TK-8th) operating since 2012.

• CWC Mar Vista (TK-8th) operating since 2013.

• CWC West Valley (TK-4th) operating since 2020.

• CWC East Valley (TK-3rd) operating since 2021.

CWC LA has a Regional Support Office (RSO) that supports all CWC LA schools. We work with our network partners at Citizens of the World Charter Schools (CWCS), linking the schools in Los Angeles to CWC schools in other parts of the country.

Our core values are embraced by the entire community:

• Excellence:We demand lasting quality.

• Diversity:We are better and stronger because of our differences.

• Authenticity: We are our true selves in this work, and we are candid.

• Community:We care deeply about people. We share and build partnerships. We celebrate, laugh, and seek joy, even in the tough times.

• Change:We welcome the unknown, embracing the unexpected and new. We adapt to meet the ever-changing times. We find new ways.

Job Overview and Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Head of Strategy will serve as the lead driver of organizational efficiency and equity-driven strategy. This leadership position will carry the responsibility of ensuring that the ED and organization have the systems and structures in place to deliver on strategic priorities, initiatives, and critical organizational functions. The  Head of Strategy will achieve excellence through the implementation of systems, special projects, and strategies to carry out the priorities and goals of the organization through cross-functional execution. They are responsible for promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging (DEIB) through process, policy, and practice. This leader will navigate people, vision, and details simultaneously to get results. This leader will galvanize people to align in the work for scholar achievement.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Strategy & Planning

• Act as a strategic advisor and trusted counsel to the ED.  Function as a key leader of CWC’s executive team, help define organizational priorities, and clarify the strategic direction of CWC-LA in its next phase of organizational development

• Serve as the primary project manager and lead for key strategic projects that span across different functions of the organization

• Drive successful Executive Team performance and health, including through the design and implementation of meeting and planning structures and processes and supporting Executive Team hiring, onboarding, and offboarding

• Ensure cross-functional collaboration and work with individual members of the Executive Team and other organizational and functional leaders as a thought partner and support to ensure the accomplishment of strategic priorities

• Maximize the ED’s effectiveness by coordinating and leading team meetings while also leveraging the ED’s time in a way that ensures maximum focus on the most pressing and highest-leverage organizational issues and initiatives 

• Ensure that strategic priorities are set and executed through an equity-focused lens

• Oversee strategic revenue-generating initiatives to drive organizational growth, scalability, and long-term sustainability

• In partnership with the ED, set and lead the Regional Support Office’s tactical rhythms and ensure a highly collaborative, functional organizational culture is set and maintained through regular pulse checks, and ongoing capacity and team building across all levels of employees at the RSO. 

Team Management

• Develop and manage internal communications strategy in partnership with key stakeholders to ensure transparency, clarity, and coherence when communicating out high stakes information across teams and members of the CWC-LA community 

• Keep a pulse on the broader organizational health on behalf of the ED, including organization-wide culture, systems health, crisis, and risk management 

• Oversee external affairs, ensuring engagement and accountability practices meet regulatory requirements and align with the organization’s mission

• Lead a team that manages communications, strategic projects, and development.  Manage, coach, develop, and support these direct reports and their functional areas.

Communications & Progress Monitoring

• Serve as the primary project manager and lead for key strategic projects that tie across different functions of the organization 

• Ensure excellent management and implementation of Board of Trustees structures and processes, including meetings, communications, governance, membership, and performance evaluation

• Establish systems and structures to monitor progress, share updates, and keep stakeholders apprised of key initiatives and activities 

• Determine appropriate project timelines, communication, and training structures that make change more likely and successful 

• Work to ensure a successful launch of new initiatives as directed by the ED.

Ideal Qualities and Competencies

• Commitment to CWC's core beliefs and philosophy

• Knowledge of urban school environments and school culture

• Experience working in schools and working with schools or districts navigating change

• Equity Focused Leadership: Deep understanding of, commitment to, and experience with the communities CWC serves and to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Strategic Leadership & Counsel: Relentless dedication to holistically centering the work of the organization on the experience of school sites and students, including excellence in building systems and deepening cross-functional collaboration 
• Analytical Decision-Making; Ability to operate with excellence across both big-picture vision-setting and weedy implementation, bridging big ideas with realities on the ground
• Effective Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to distill complicated concepts into highly effective communication and decision-making processes adapted for a variety of different stakeholder 
• Team Leadership & Development: Ability to cultivate staff sense of belonging, innovation, and excellence, both with one's team and across the organization 
• Project & Operations Management: Outstanding project management and problem-solving skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 6 years of progressive professional work experience in a related field and a Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university

• Experience advising high-performing executives in high-stakes roles and systems

• Experience leading complex and/or cross-functional projects and teams

• Experience scaling complex projects across multiple school sites

• Experience in the Los Angeles K-12 education ecosystem is highly preferred

• School site experience preferred 

• Demonstrated deep commitment to anti-racism and diversity, equity, and inclusion

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is exempt.  The compensation range for this position is $170,000 - 200,000 depending upon experience. The organization also offers a 403b retirement plan, generous employer contributions toward healthcare premiums for employees and dependents, a variety of medical HMO and PPO plan options (Anthem, HealthNet, Kaiser, United Healthcare), $50,000 employer-paid life insurance policy, Voluntary life, accident, and critical illness insurances and Voluntary health and dependent care flex spending accounts (FSA).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter via our careers page.

Please note that only candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Physical Requirements 

• Must be able to communicate verbally and in writing effectively. 

• Approximately 50% of time is spent sitting, while frequently required to walk, stand and bend. 

• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• Employees will be required to lift and/or move unassisted up to 25 pounds.

• Sitting or standing for extended periods and manual dexterity to operate a computer and other various office equipment as needed 

Equal Opportunity Employer  

Citizens of the World Charter Schools (CWC) prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying in educational programs, activities, or employment based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, parental, pregnancy, family or marital status, military status, immigration status or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. CWC requires that school personnel take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so when he or she witnesses an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying. Questions or complaints of alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying, equity or Title IX equity and compliance concerns should be directed to: CWC Talent and Human Resources Department at talent-hr@cwclosangeles.org