Director of Policy Services

IASB Executive Searches; Lombard (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) seeks a Director, full-time, E2 to lead the Policy Services team from Springfield or Lombard. You will manage district policy projects, visit districts across Illinois, and oversee policy training, updates, and related resources for IASB members.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and the ability to travel; excellent coordination, communication, and presentation skills are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; school board policy experience preferred.
• Willingness to travel across Illinois to visit districts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to train and present to groups.

Responsibilities

• Manage policy and admin procedures manual customization projects (PMC and AP).
• Visit school districts across Illinois to assist boards in policy customization.
• Collaborate with district staff to align admin procedures with adopted policy.
• Provide policy trainings and updates to IASB members.

Skills

Policy governance

Project management

Public speaking

Interpersonal skills

Training delivery

Travel in Illinois

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Job description

Founded in 1913. The Vision of the Illinois Association of School Boards is excellence in local school board governance supporting quality public education.

Job Title and Classification:

Director, full-time, E2

Position Information

Department: Policy Services

Reports to: Associate Executive Director, Policy Services

Office Location: Springfield or Lombard

Departmental Mission/Vision/Goals

The Mission of the IASB Policy Services staff is to promote excellence in local school board policy through teamwork, expertise, professionalism, and dedication to service.

Position Summary

Responsible for management of assigned policy and administrative procedures manual customization projects, visiting school districts throughout Illinois to facilitate such projects, as well as accuracy, delivery, development, marketing, and continuous improvement of existing and new policy services and trainings for IASB members.

Functions Of The Job

• Project management for assigned policy and administrative procedures manual customization projects (PMC and AP projects)
• Visit school districts throughout Illinois to provide expertise to boards in order to customize and update local school board policy manuals.
• Work with school district administrators to customize, update, and align administrative procedures manuals with locally adopted policy
• Provide other policy training
• Review district collective bargaining agreements to determine locally bargained policy topics
• Proof PRESS Plus Updates and Responses to ensure accurate and timely delivery of services
• Ongoing proofing of subscriber responses
• Proofing of periodic customized draft updates
• Review district collective bargaining agreements to determine updates to locally bargained policy topics
• Serve on the PRESS Advisory Board to review PRESS Issue updates and provide suggestions and feedback to the PRESS Editors
• Perform Key Staff Responsibilities for Policy Services subscriptions and projects as assigned
• Provide efficient and courteous in-person, phone, email, and online assistance, training, and support to members, superintendents, and others, as appropriate
• Participate in the continuous improvement and marketing of existing and the development of new services, tools, and resources
• Maintain in the policy services shared files a list of and procedures for current tasks, duties, and areas of responsibility
• Participate in cross-training with other Policy Services staff members to provide backup as needed
• Maintain up-to-date Microsoft Office Professional Suite and other software skills as needed
• Maintain accurate shared calendars in MS Outlook and FlexBooker
• Attend the Joint Annual Conference in Chicago annually and perform duties as assigned
• Participate in Association cross-department work teams on a variety of topics, such as school board governance
• Participate in appropriate professional development offerings
• Attend periodic meetings both in and out of the office for continuous improvement and alignment of work throughout the department and the Association
• Attend frequent meetings outside the office that may require overnight travel
• Develop content, presentations, webinars, trainings, and other materials regarding school board policy and governance
• Present on school board policy and governance as requested for individual school boards, sister organizations, state agencies, universities, at the Joint Annual Conference, webinars, workshops, and division meetings throughout Illinois and nationally at the COSSBA and AASPS annual conferences and other state school board association conferences and workshops
• Contribute to team effort and department mission/vision/goals work
• Practice reliable and consistent attendance and punctuality
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education And/or EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree. School board member, education, and/or legal experience a plus.

Required Competencies

• Interpersonal skills necessary to work with members and other staff effectively in a team environment
• Ability to work with diverse groups
• Ability to self-start, self-direct, be detail-oriented, and work independently
• Ability to consistently exercise discretion and independent judgement with respect to matters of significance.
• Excellent verbal and written grammar and communication skills
• Public speaking skills
• Ability to manage multiple, competing tasks and deadlines
• Ability to work days, evenings, and weekends
• Ability to travel throughout Illinois with a valid driver’s license and provide own transportation
• Ability to use a computer and current software including Microsoft Office Professional Suite, Microsoft Office 365, NetForum, and other web-based applications
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Acrobat Pro
• Ability and willingness to learn and use new software and web-based applications quickly and competently
• Attention to detail, high degree of accuracy, and excellent proofreading skills
• Excellent organization skills
• Public relations skills

Special Conditions Of Employment

The employee must have a valid Illinois driver’s license. Mileage and reasonable travel reimbursement is provided.

Physical Demands

As necessary to perform the functions of the job, sedentary to light work (this position requires the employee to be able to be able to lift, move and safely handle boxes and materials up to 25 pounds); to see (visual acuity including color, depth perception, and field vision for reviewing hard copy documents, viewing a computer terminal, extensive reading, visual inspection involving small defects); hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction and ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound); speaking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word, which include conveying detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers and/or members accurately, loudly, or quickly); fingering (picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling); repetitive motion (substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers).

Conduct and Judgement Standards

The highest of moral and ethical standards are demanded in accordance with the IASB Staff Standards and Staff Core Values. Employee conduct standards and other aspects of employment are addressed in the IASB Employment Handbook.

Disclaimer

This job description may be changed at any time and is not a contract with the individual employee(s). IASB retains its right to change this job description and assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and we will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other protected class under applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring process for qualified applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation, please notify Human Resources.