Director of STEM Initiatives, Mayor’s Office of Education

Posted by City of Philadelphia on June 2, 2014

The Director of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Initiatives is a new two year position that will launch Philadelphia’s brand new US2020 STEM Mentoring initiative beginning in July 2014. Philadelphia’s STEM Mentoring initiative arose out Philadelphia’s participation in the national US2020 effort, which was developed from a White House call to generate large-scale, innovative solutions to our STEM education challenge, with a focus on increasing access to STEM careers for girls, low-income youth and students of color. Announced by President Obama at the National Science Fair, US2020 will match 1 million STEM mentors with students at schools and youth-serving nonprofits by the year 2020, creating moments of discovery for the next generation of STEM professionals, from kindergarten through college.

Philadelphia’s STEM Coalition is comprised of nearly 50 corporations, educational institutions and nonprofits whose mission is to grow a local talent base of diverse students that will become the region’s next generation of STEM professionals.

The Philadelphia STEM Coalition will create a culture, framework and national model for high-impact STEM mentoring of Philadelphia youth that both leverages the skill base and expertise of STEM professionals and lowers the achievement gap of low-income, female, and students of color in STEM. The Director of STEM Initiatives will manage the schedule, stated outputs and outcomes, and implementation of tasks set forth in a related grant application. The Director of STEM Initiatives will be charged with thinking BIG to develop large-scale, innovative solutions to Philadelphia’s STEM education challenge in partnership with organizations and institutions across the city.

Duties and Responsibilities:
o Build and recruit corporate partners, educational institutions and nonprofits to join the Philadelphia STEM Coalition.
o Develop and execute a city-wide strategic plan for high-impact STEM mentoring in partnership with the Philadelphia STEM Coalition.
o Lead and develop a performance management framework, including outcomes and metrics for the Coalition’s efforts.
o Supervise and manage two AmeriCorps VISTA staffers that will serve as additional program leaders and capacity builders for the project.
o Create volunteer STEM mentoring position descriptions with STEM corporations and non-profit partners that will be fed into a web-based mentor-matching platform.
o Serve as point person for local nonprofits and K-12 school teachers and administrators regarding their needs and experience with receiving STEM mentors.
o Conduct regular site visits, create and utilize a field observation tool, and manage information gathering into opportunities to replicate successes across sites and course-correct quickly as needed.
o Lead and develop marketing strategies to promote awareness of high-impact STEM mentoring, partnerships and volunteer opportunities.
o Promote STEM mentoring city-wide and assist youth serving organizations to implement high-impact STEM mentoring into existing programming.
o Report progress regularly to the Chief Education Officer and the Philadelphia STEM Coalition; seek strategic direction, guidance and support from them as needed
o Report and participate in national community of practice around STEM Mentoring. Together host quarterly meetings for Coalition members to further create a local community of practice. Work closely together to determine best practices, solutions to unforeseen challenges, find ways to leverage assets and knowledge sharing into better serving students with high-impacts mentors and seek on-going opportunities to recruit corporate, non-profit, and school-based partners.
o Lead implementation of the year-end evaluation tool to determine if we have succeeded in raising student interest and achievement in STEM, and how satisfied mentors and mentees are with their experience.
o To develop a sustainability plan beyond the Nutter Administration, including working with the Mayor’s Office of Grants to identify and apply for funding opportunities to support the sustainability of the Coalition work.

Organizational Relationships:

Reports to the Mayor’s Office of Education. The position works closely with the Philadelphia STEM Coalition to design and promote high-quality STEM mentoring opportunities for disadvantaged youth throughout Philadelphia and manages two AmeriCorp VISTA volunteers.

Required Qualifications:

o Experience in a STEM or mentoring field highly preferred.
o Experience and proven track record in building and leading successful collective impact initiatives.
o Ability to build and develop strong, constructive relationships with STEM corporations, higher education institutions and non-profits required.
o Experience in capacity-building, movement building, and proven team building skills required.
o Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and skill levels required.
o Strong communication skills; presentation skills; problem-solving skills; influence/interpersonal skills and analytical skills required.
o Excellent oral communication skills; team interaction/effectiveness; decision-making ability and multi-tasking ability.
o Ability to work within budgetary parameters.
o Positive attitude, sense of humor, a strong vision for and belief in the project and ability to collaborate, inspire and engage with all players and partners a must.
o Education/Experience: A Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred.

Title: Director of STEM Initiatives
Reports to: The Mayor’s Office of Education
Compensation: Up to $75,000. Contract or salary status to be negotiated

To apply please submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].