We're Hiring! GRAD Partnership Grant Director

Join the team! Rural Schools Collaborative is hiring a GRAD Partnership Grant Director. Please share with rural education advocates who may be interested:

RSC GRAD Partnership Grant Director

Type: Full-time Exempt
Location: Preference for this role to be in-person in RSC’s Western Illinois offices (Galesburg area). Virtual/hybrid candidates in or relocating to Wisconsin or Illinois will also be considered.
Duration: Two-year appointment through June 30, 2024 (extension possible)
Salary: $64,000 plus benefits (salary is grant-directed and is non-negotiable)

The GRAD Partnership for Student Success is a national initiative that partners with communities to use high-quality student success systems so that schools are empowered to graduate all students ready for the future. The project is led by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University and receives funding support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) is one of nine national partners that are collaborating on this initiative, and RSC is primarily responsible for developing rural networks and providing information to underserved rural school communities. The other partners include:

• Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins

• American Institutes for Research

• BARR Center

• Carnegie Foundation

• National Center for Learning Disabilities

• Network for College Success

• Schott Foundation

• Talent Development Secondary

Job Description:

Rural Schools Collaborative is a national nonprofit committed to building sustainable rural communities through a keen focus on place, teachers, and philanthropy. RSC is based out of Illinois and is supported by 12 regional Hubs. The Grant Director reports to RSC’s Executive Director and will work collaboratively with other staff and GRAD Partnership members.

The position is responsible for managing RSC’s work with the GRAD Partnership. This includes working with two emerging rural school networks in California and Alabama as well as exploring other historically underserved rural regions for future collaboration. The Grant Director will coordinate all RSC grant activities, which include budget management, project communications, service to stakeholders, meeting management, storytelling, and ongoing support for the rural school networks. In addition, the Grant Director will work closely with RSC’s Executive Director on identifying and securing resources to support the project and related work.

The position requires project management skills and knowledge of rural school issues and how they relate to student success. Good organization and communication skills will be required, and the successful candidate will demonstrate an enthusiastic passion for rural education!

Essential Duties:

• Manages all activities described in the grant award

• Develops and implements project work plans

• Collaborates with partners and other RSC staff

• Builds positive and trusting work relationships

• Monitors project deliverables and deadlines

• Produces required progress reports

• Work closely with RSC communications staff on GRAD Partnership stories

• Maintains ongoing channels of communications with rural networks

Required Skills:

• Project Management abilities

• Budget development skills

• Excellent verbal, written, and communications skills

• An energetic approach to working with people

• Independently directed and proactive communicator

• Knowledge of rural education issues

• Ability to collect, analyze, synthesize, and present data

• A willingness to learn from others

• This role may include up to 25% travel

Preferred Experience:

• Three years of classroom and/or administrative experience in a rural school or three years of service with an organization that supports and works directly with schools in rural regions.

• Working knowledge or interest in learning about on-track or early warning systems and student graduation success outcomes

Preferred Education:

A Doctorate in a field of education is preferred. However, Doctoral candidates and those with a Masters degree in an educational field will also be considered.

Travel and Benefits

• This role may include up to 25% travel

• Benefits include:

  • 25 Vacation Days

  • 10 Personal / Sick Days

  • 11 Paid Holidays

  • Health benefit reimbursement QSEHRA plan

  • Up to 3% retirement match via SIMPLE IRA plan

How to Apply

Please send a letter of interest and resume to RSC Executive Director, taylor@ruralschoolscollaborative.org.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a candidate is identified. Target start date is negotiable, preferably no later than July 1.

RSC is committed to the principal of equal employment opportunity and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at RSC are based upon organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social, or ethnic origin, sex, age, physical, mental, or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union, or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations of where RSC operates. RSC does not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.