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Final salary offers are dependent upon candidate qualifications.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over320,000students in 500+ schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Innovation Incubation (II) serves as the charter authorizing arm of Chicago Public Schools. II sets academic and operational expectations and promotes best practices across the district’s 89 charter and contract schools. The office also supports both charter and district-managed schools in developing and sustaining innovative models from kindergarten through postsecondary education, ensuring they have the resources needed for success. In addition, II oversees all school incubation and wind-down processes.

Job Summary:

The Project Manager for School Incubation and Transition will support the planning and day-to-day work needed for winding down, incubating, and transitioning students, as well as the transition of charter/contract schools into District-managed schools.

This position plays a key role in keeping the work organized, tracking progress across multiple teams, and supporting communication with school communities and CPS departments. The Project Manager will manage detailed tasks, prepare reports, and help make sure each part of the project stays on schedule. This role works closely with the Senior Project Manager, Director of Colocation and Operations, ED of II, OPM, ONS leadership, and other district offices to support a smooth and well-coordinated transition for students, families, and staff. This position will report to the Senior Project Manager. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis. This position may require occasional evening or weekend hours to support school and community events.

This position will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

*    Manage and monitor the day-to-day tasks related to school wind-down, incubation, and student transition. Maintain project plans, timelines, and deliverables to ensure deadlines are met.
*    Work closely with central office departments such as Facilities, FACE, ONS, Budget, Law, HR, Safety, Transportation, and Food Nutrition to coordinate key actions and share updates.
*    Assist in school-level work related to inventory, student records, budgets, staffing, and compliance. Help prepare campuses for operational readiness as District-managed schools.
*    Partner with leadership and school administrators to plan and coordinate community meetings, Design Committee sessions, and Advisory Council meetings. Keep internal departments and external community partners informed of key updates. Prepare meeting notes, summaries, and ensure timely follow-up on all action items. This position may require occasional evening or weekend hours to support school and community events.
*    Maintain accurate documentation of project progress, decisions, and timelines. Prepare clear and concise reports, dashboards, and presentations for internal and external use. 
*    Other duties as assigned
 

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, this position must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 
•    Bachelor’s degree in Education, Public Administration, Business, or a related field required
•    Project Management certification (PMP or equivalent) preferred

Experience Required: 
•    A minimum of five (5) years of experience in project management, operations, or education-related work.
•    Experience working across teams and managing complex projects.
•    Spanish Bilingual is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
•    Understanding of data analysis and performance tracking for progress reporting and decision-making
•    Awareness of community engagement and change management strategies, especially for transitions that impact students, families, and staff
•    Knowledge of project management practices and tools, including how to build timelines, track deliverables, and monitor risk
•    Working knowledge of school operations, including staffing, enrollment, scheduling, budgeting, and student supports
•    Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presentations, listening, and writing
•    Strong project planning and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple workstreams, competing priorities, and deadlines
•    Effective strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
•    Skilled in facilitating cross-departmental collaboration and coordinating with central office teams, school leaders, and community partners.
•    Ability to analyze and synthesize complex information to support informed decision-making.
•    Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues early and propose practical, results-oriented solutions.
•    Effective meeting facilitation and documentation skills, including note-taking, follow-up, and tracking of action items.
•    Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and project management tools.
•    Ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support schools
•    Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
•    Ability to manage ambiguity and adapt to change
•    Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment when handling sensitive or confidential information.
•    Ability to communicate effectively with varied audiences—including school staff, families, department leaders, and community organizations.

Benefits:

Health Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice
CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options
Pharmacy
Dental
Vision
Behavioral Health EAP
Employee Wellness Program
Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow
We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:
Basic Life Insurance
Life and Disability Insurance
Pension Plans
Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Spot Pet Insurance
Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life
CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:
Paid Leave
Sick Leave
Vacation Days
Parental Leaves
Short-Term Disability
Religious Holidays
Leaves
 

Conditions of Employment:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:
•    Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.