CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS
Job Description
TITLE: Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Choice Programs
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
QUALIFICATIONS: Possess a minimum of a Master's in education, school administration, or a related field with at least five to seven years of professional experience in education, including successful school-level or district-level leadership. Demonstrate proven success in strategic planning, project management, and data-driven decision-making. Exhibit expert knowledge of school improvement processes (NCStar), choice program development, and performance monitoring. Possess exceptional communication skills and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders including school boards, community partners, and district leadership.
REPORTS TO: Chief Academic Officer
JOB GOAL: Drive the district's mission by creating coherent, strategic structures for the implementation and monitoring of the district strategic plan. Lead school improvement efforts to ensure academic excellence across all campuses. Oversee the strategic planning, monitoring, and support of innovative choice programs to provide diverse, high-quality educational opportunities that ensure high-growth learning for all students.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB: Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer, the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Choice Programs is responsible for the strategic alignment of district initiatives with the long-term strategic plan. This leader manages design processes for district and school teams to ensure consistency with continuous improvement principles and innovative program standards. The Executive Director serves as a primary liaison between district departments-including School Support, HR, Communications, Finance, and Auxiliary Services-and external partners to monitor progress and maintain high-quality outcomes. By fostering a culture of strategic growth and innovative choice, this position ensures all students have access to excellent instruction and specialized educational pathways.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Planning and Monitoring: Creates and maintains formal structures to strategically monitor progress on the district's strategic plan goals and key performance indicators.
School Improvement Leadership: Supports and leads school improvement efforts, providing guidance to principals and school-based leadership teams on effective improvement planning and execution.
Innovative Choice Program Oversight: Strategically plans, monitors, and provides administrative support for all district choice programs to ensure they meet high standards of rigor and student engagement.
Data-Driven Continuous Improvement: Uses digital tools to gather, analyze, and communicate outcomes and fidelity of implementation regarding school performance and program effectiveness.
Accountability: Holds school leaders and program coordinators accountable for meeting
ambitious, measurable standards of academic achievement and operational excellence.
Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinates across all departments-including Human Resources, Communications, Finance, and Curriculum-to ensure that model implementation improves learning and remains strategically aligned.
Stakeholder Communication: Disseminates information regarding strategic progress and
innovative choice program opportunities to internal and external stakeholders to promote and
sustain district initiatives.
Leadership and Coaching: Leads and coaches school leaders through the design and
implementation of school improvement plans, adjusting the process to meet local campus needs.
Barrier Removal: Responds to data and feedback to strategically remove barriers to success and improves district performance compared to national benchmarks.
Field Observation: Regularly visits schools to observe the implementation of improvement plans and the quality of innovative choice programs.
Relationship Management: Builds and maintains positive relationships with school administrators, community partners, and district staff to foster a culture of high expectations.
Resource Management: Maximizes time and resources through effective organizational systems and relentlessly pursues solutions to persistent institutional challenges.
Values Alignment: Serves as a team player and role model for other employees; demonstrates a commitment to continuous quality improvement.
Core Values: Supports and exhibits organizational core values of caring, respect, integrity,
responsibility, high expectations, being customer-driven, and valuing diversity.
Other Duties: Performs other duties and accepts responsibilities as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS:
General knowledge of County and School Board policies, procedures, and standards regarding education.
Experience in researching, collecting, and analyzing data to generate complex reports and
recommendations.
Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing, including making presentations to large groups.
Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and use common office machines and software (word processing, spreadsheets).
Demonstrated drive to set challenging goals (Achievement) and hold others accountable for
performance (Monitoring and Directiveness).
Deep belief that all students, regardless of circumstances, can learn at high levels (Belief in Learning Potential).
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Must have finger dexterity and be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of sitting, light lifting, pushing, pulling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motion.
Must have auditory acuity at a level to hear telephone conversations, customer questions and concerns, and supervisor vocalized instructions.
Must have visual acuity to read and analyze computer screen, documents, and correspondence.
Must be able to express and exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Must possess a valid driver's license.