Citizens of the World Los Angeles – Executive Director

Position: Executive Director

Location: Los Angeles, California

Reports to: Board of Directors

Fair Labor Standards Act Status: Exempt

Work Class: Classified or Certificated

Capacity: Full-Time

Organization Overview

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 sense of responsibility in the world. CWC schools promote academic rigor through a constructivist, project-based learning approach, to support and develop children’s joy and natural intellectual curiosity. The CWC learning model is holistic and focuses on core academics, social emotional learning, and difference and inclusion. Our ultimate student outcomes are defined in our CWC Graduate Dispositions.

The CWC LA network has a strong track record of high academic achievement, and has consistently outperformed schools locally and statewide across all subgroups. CWC LA is in a rapid period of growth and change. Supported by the Charter School Growth Fund and other major national and local funders, CWC LA is in the early stages of a growth plan that would increase enrollment from 2,300 to nearly 5,000 students in the coming years. CWC LA operates five charters and seven campuses, with an eighth campus to open soon:

●      CWC Hollywood (Transitional Kindergarten - 5th Grade, opened in 2010)

●      CWC Silver Lake (Transitional Kindergarten - 8th Grade, opened in 2012) - includes separate elementary school and middle school campuses with different Principals

●      CWC Mar Vista (Transitional Kindergarten - 8th Grade, opened in 2013) - includes separate elementary school and middle school campuses with different Principals

●      CWC West Valley (Transitional Kindergarten - 3rd Grade and adding one grade level each year, opened in 2020)

●      CWC East Valley (Transitional Kindergarten - 2nd Grade and adding one grade level each year, opened in 2021)

●      A middle school in the San Fernando Valley is expected to open in the next few years.

Our Elementary and Middle School “About Us” videos help identify how CWC LA brings its unique model to life in practice.

CWC LA has a Regional Support Office (RSO) that supports all CWC LA schools and is overseen by the Executive Director. The RSO includes functional teams specializing in Instruction, Operations, Talent, DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging), Development & Communications, Student Enrollment, Student Programs, and Data & Analysis. CWC LA collaborates closely with our national network partners at Citizens of the World Charter Schools (CWCS), linking the schools in Los Angeles to CWC schools in Kansas City and Cincinnati. The CWCS relationship is codified in a License Agreement.

CWC’s 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.

Position Overview

CWC LA is seeking a thoughtful, strategic, and community-centered leader to serve as the next Executive Director (ED). The ED will have a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), academic excellence, and a strong connection to the CWC mission and learning model. They will be highly collaborative with the ability to inspire, manage diverse layered teams to a clear vision, and set the tone and environment for all CWC LA students to thrive. This new ED will build upon the success of the exiting ED and successfully work alongside the Board of Directors and leadership team to steward CWC LA into its next phase of growth and development.

The ideal ED will be an action-oriented, relational leader, who is skilled at external relations, and has an entrepreneurial spirit. They will have demonstrated success developing and executing a multi-year vision and strategic plan, and have experience building and growing sustainable organizations in an increasingly competitive environment. The ED will be successful at building a culture of trust, care, joy, accountability, and action for both CWC LA staff members, and the CWC LA community at large. They will be inclusive and analytical and have a proven track record of establishing meaningful partnerships, effectively getting buy-in across stakeholders, and bringing groups of individuals and networks along to achieve desired outcomes. 

In this position, the ED will serve as a guiding leader of academic rigor and excellence, a skilled coach, a capacity builder, and a thought partner, and will demonstrate success leading with justice-centered practices. The ED will partner with and serve as organizational leader for the entire CWC LA community, including our Regional Support Office (RSO) team, all school administrators, teachers and other school-site staff. The ED will report to, and actively engage with, the CWC LA Board of Directors. The incoming leader for this role will model and champion organizational values and foster a safe and welcoming environment that honors students, families, and CWC LA staff. 

Desired competencies include equity-centered leadership, academic oversight and accountability, team management and Board capacity-building, strategic vision setting and implementation, collaboration, interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to develop meaningful partnerships and relationships; and an entrepreneurial orientation that leads to effective resource management and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Leading With Equity

●      Approach decisions through an equity lens (considering power, relationships, identity, and institutional policies), actively examining who benefits and who could potentially be harmed

●      Lead an organization that has a demonstrated commitment to DEIB, ensuring that students, families, and team members feel that they belong

●      Work with the Head of DEIB to fine-tune and implement CWC LA’s DEIB strategic plan, in collaboration with stakeholders across the organization

●      Operate from a place of community and collectivism in the work to dismantle barriers, cultivating an organization that reflects the fullest participation of its members and stakeholders

Collaborative Leadership and Community Engagement  

●      Build capacity for leaders across the CWC LA region; effectively manage, support, guide, and develop executives

●      Engage and set the tone for creative thinking, strategic insight, and taking initiative to move the organization and teams forward

●      Foster a positive culture at schools and in the RSO; hire, develop, and retain the leadership team and CWC LA staff members, providing a balance of support and challenge by ensuring individuals and teams have the enthusiasm, authority, and information necessary to fulfill their areas of expertise

●      Partner with the national network (CWCS) and RSO departments to collect, review, analyze and report data, including data from annual surveys, academic performance, and staff retention

Academic Growth Through the CWC Learning Model

●      Inspire and manage teams to collaboratively execute a multi-year strategic plan to continually improve student outcomes; play a leading role in enhancing the educational environment in alignment with the CWC Learning Model and Graduate Dispositions, and set the conditions for wellness across CWC LA schools

●      Work with teams and department heads to ideate and integrate evidence-based and equity-focused instructional strategies to ensure the growth and academic success of all schools

●      Operate with an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for students, people and the organization, and seek to engage and ground others in the mission and core values by bringing others along and articulating how specific priorities align to the CWC LA mission and vision

●      Facilitate positive, collaborative, and inclusive processes and initiatives to develop educators and achieve the best outcomes for students

Vision Setting and Implementation

●      Lead development of a multi-year strategic plan; set clear multi-year academic, financial, and operational goals aligned to the strategic plan and manage to them; adapt as necessary given changes in the internal and external environment

●      Work with the Board, partners, key funders, and the leadership team to hone CWC LA’s strategic vision and implementation plan

●      Initiate and build alliances and coalitions to support and sustain key strategies

●      Develop and oversee policies, procedures, and organizational actions to help meet the goals and objectives of the strategic plan

Strategic Communications and External Relations

●      Work with others to amplify voices and advocate for change in Southern California, building and maintaining relationships with local leaders, partners, organizations, LAUSD, and elected officials

●      Ensure integrated organization-wide communications, accounting for all forms of communication necessary to resonate with a variety of stakeholders, learning types, and language preferences

●      Operate with a systems orientation to cascade information and create feedback loops, while providing appropriate context to stakeholders that consistently models transparency

●      Lead with an approach that involves significant collaboration and interaction with team members and stakeholders

Organizational Sustainability and Fiduciary Management

●      Identify and raise multi-year gifts to ensure financially sustainable programs, positions, resources and tools needed to advance CWC LA’s strategic vision

●      Oversee the financial health, budget, cash flows, and overall finances of CWC LA, managing resources to strategic priorities and creating opportunities for innovation

●      Ensure team resources are aligned to execute multiple real estate projects

●      Leverage networks and develop strategies to increase awareness of CWC LA to support funding opportunities, and strategically guide plans to sustain and increase revenue

Skills and Qualifications

●      12+ years of experience in executive leadership with a demonstrated track record of leading a growing, high-performing, cross-functional organization, preferably in a K-12, Charter Management Organization, nonprofit or education-adjacent environment  

●      Demonstrated success in achieving desired academic and non-academic outcomes with a focus on eliminating disproportionate outcomes

●      Exceptional leadership and management skills, particularly with building teams, building relationships, managing challenges, setting goals, and ensuring accountability

●      A spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and creative problem-solving

●      Success as a supportive leader, coach, and culture builder, with a proven track record of effectively managing and working across lines of difference

●      Experience in strategic visioning, planning, progress monitoring, and execution

●      Proven success in managing multiple complex projects simultaneously and projects involving cross-functional teams

●      Outstanding collaboration and communication (oral and written) skills

●      School-based experience is a plus

●      Proficiency in Spanish, Korean, or other languages is a plus

Application and Hiring Process

We are excited to review your resume! To apply, please submit a resume for the position to resumes@leveledtalent.com. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so it is in the candidates’ best interest to apply as soon as possible. 

Please note: Only applicants who submit their resumes through our search partner Leveled Talent will be considered. 

Compensation and Benefits

●      Compensation range is $230K-$280K and is commensurate with experience

●      Generous time off (7 annual sick days, 3 annual personal days, 20 annual accrued vacation days, winter holidays and spring break org-wide shutdowns, plus ~15 additional holidays)

●      403(b) retirement plan with employer match

●      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 insurance options

●      Voluntary health and dependent care flex spending accounts (FSA)

CWC LA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and, as an organization serving a diverse group of students, works to reflect this diversity in our staff as well.  For more information, please visit our school websites:

Citizens of the World East Valley

Citizens of the World Hollywood

Citizens of the World Mar Vista

Citizens of the World Silver Lake

Citizens of the World West Valley