Executive Director - Education, Youth & Children’s Services

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.

Reporting to the EVC-Chief Institutional Advancement Officer & Chief of Staff, the Executive Director – Education, Youth & Children’s Services provides guidance on youth services policy, strategy, and operational initiatives related to the City’s social services departments, programs, and efforts. Serves as a senior advisor with specific responsibilities over the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Park District.

Manages special projects and maintains internal and external relations with City departments and stakeholders in the youth portfolio. Collaborates closely with the EDYCS Senior Directors to develop coherent and connected policies and programs.

Performs related duties as required.

Detailed to the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office, this position primarily supports City Colleges of Chicago business with the City of Chicago. Incumbents to this position shall follow the City of Chicago work calendar and must work when City of Chicago offices are open, even when City Colleges is closed.

• Advise and provide high level strategic support to the Deputy Mayor on effective operational management of Education and Human Services youth team and related departments.
• Will support Deputy Mayor as liaison for department heads and senior-level leadership for Sister Agencies and Departments in EDYCS portfolio (City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Public Library, Chicago Publics Schools, Chicago Park District as well as the Youth and Children’s Divisions of DFSS).
• Partner closely with EDYCS Senior Directors and related departments and agencies to forward policy agendas and initiatives related to youth development.
• Advise and provide high level vision and strategic support to the Deputy Mayor and Mayor’s Office staff on education, youth, and children’s policy.
• Represent Deputy Mayor at Mayoral, senior staff, and Cabinet-level meetings as needed.
• Will support Deputy Mayor as liaison to Boards for Sister Agencies in Portfolio.
• Manage team staff and operations, including facilitating team meetings, coordinating personnel and hiring for positions related to portfolio, and directly assisting with operational needs as needed to ensure execution of day-to-day responsibilities of EDYCS team and departments.
• Drive strategic planning and coach team members on successful implementation of all multi-year signature strategic initiatives led by youth team.
• Develop and oversee vision, goals, metrics, milestones, and key partners for a select number of multi-year signature strategic initiatives led in youth portfolio.
• Develop relationships with key State and local representatives and work with the Mayor’s Office Intergovernmental Affairs team (IGA) to advance the Mayor’s policy agenda.
• Collaborate with multiple internal and external stakeholders to develop policy briefings and external communications related to youth portfolio.
• Assist in the planning and leading of Mayor’s Office events and meetings as assigned.
• Manage special projects and other duties as assigned.

Reports to:

EVC-Chief…