Boston Plan for Excellence
Program Associates (3 openings)
www.bpe.org
A private, non-profit local education foundation, the Boston Plan for
Excellence (BPE) partners with the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to ensure
each student achieves academic excellence and graduates fully prepared for
college. We believe that transforming instruction and re-aligning central
policies are crucial to the District's reform efforts. At the direction of
the Superintendent, we collaborate with district leadership to research,
design, pilot, evaluate, and report on instructional and operational
initiatives so that successful efforts can be replicated district wide. We
also secure needed funding.
BPE is seeking to hire three (3) fulltime Program Associates in the areas of
school-based program work (1) and policy and research (2). The school-based
program associate will support efforts with school leaders and teams of
teachers focused on accelerating the learning and achievement of their
schools' least successful students. The policy/research associates will
provide support in conducting research (data collection and analysis,
writing and presenting) as well as in ensuring that BPE's policy agenda
moves forward. Both positions offer the opportunity to learn about and
influence the work of one of the key partners of the Boston Public Schools
as well as to deepen understanding about the complexities - in theory and in
implementation - of urban education.
Responsibilities
Provide programmatic and administrative support to BPE's school-based or
research/policy initiatives.
School Based Programs:
Provide programmatic and administrative support to BPE's school-based
initiatives. Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
o Coordinate logistics for seminars with school teams; preparing
agendas and class materials, communicating with school teams, and ordering
food
o Assist with school-based work, including transcription of
classroom lessons
o Provide general note-taking at meetings
o Produce and update Excel reports on student performance for
school teams
o Draft updates that can be shared with wider audiences about
BPE's work, including case studies
o Engage in a collaborative writing process; write, review and
edit briefs, memos, outlines and work plans
o Summarize information and identify key issues/findings; draft
issue briefs, memos, outlines, work plans
o Research and provide information on issues germane to program
focus
o Assist with development, editing, and assembly of presentations
and progress reports to funders
o Complete ad hoc assignments: drafting memos, gathering info on
particular issues or work being done nationally, reports to BPS, etc.
Policy and Research:
o Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, including:
collecting, compiling, and analyzing data; summarizing information;
conducting interviews; preparing and administering surveys
o Assist in qualitative and quantitative instrument design, data
collection and analysis (including, but not limited to, surveys, interviews,
focus groups and extant data)
o Support BPE's ongoing program evaluation work
o Engage in a collaborative writing process; write, review and
edit briefs, memos, reports, presentations, outlines and work plans with
Policy and Research directors and BPE leadership
o Provide issues-based and logistical staffing to BPS' Resource
Action Team (REACT)
o Support presentations by the Policy Director to REACT using
knowledge from background research and preparation
o Act as primary presenter to REACT on certain issue-based reports
o Provide logistical support needs of REACT and prepare meeting
materials
o Collaborate with other BPE teams to address the role that policy
and research can play in moving their work forward as well as to inform
BPE's policy goals.
The ideal candidates will have:
o A Bachelor's Degree (required)
o Ability to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately as well as
to organize and prioritize while multi tasking
o Advanced knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
Access), e-mail, internet and electronic resources
o Demonstrated skills in data collection, analysis and reporting
or familiarity with Adobe InDesign or other desktop publishing software
o Experience working within school setting, preferably urban
o Excellent interpersonal skills
o Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a fast-paced,
dynamic team
o Proficiency and comfort with basic data analysis and working
with large data sets (Policy and Research candidates)
o Educational policy and/or research experience at the district,
local or state level (Policy and Research candidates)
How to Apply: To be considered, please email a resume and a cover letter
to: jobs@bpe.org or mail your cover letter and application to:
Boston Plan for Excellence, 6 Beacon Street, #615, Boston, MA 02108
Attn: Program Associate Position
The Boston Plan for Excellence is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
