Executive Director
Opening Details
Canada
Chief Operations Officer
Communications
Human Resources
Leadership
Master's
Description & Details
THE ORGANIZATION
The College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) is a voluntary association of school superintendents and other certificated central office system educational leaders. The Executive Director and two staff members presently serve the organization’s 410 members from the CASS office in Edmonton.
As the professional voice of system education leaders, CASS has supported members through professional learning, mentorship, professional counsel, and advocacy. CASS members have a positive sense of professional purpose and are passionately committed to ensuring that every child is given the best opportunity to benefit from Alberta’s excellent learning system.
The 2020 – 2023 CASS Strategic Plan outlines two Priorities and two Outcomes:
Priority One
Leadership for a world-class education system to support all students.
Outcome
Focus on leadership by CASS results in positive and sustained change to support students and staff to thrive within and beyond schools.
Achievement of this outcome is demonstrated by indicators such as:
• CASS has an active voice in the education system.
• CASS communication pathways are established to enable prompt response to emergent issues.
• CASS is formally recognized as a professional organization in legislation.
• CASS is recognized as a valued education partner.
Priority 2
Strengthening leadership growth.
Outcome
As per the Professional Practice Standards and Practice Profiles, Superintendents and system education leaders establish and sustain a culture that promotes shared responsibility for student success and system improvement.
Achievement of this outcome is demonstrated by indicators such as:
• Wellness is emphasized.
• Succession planning is supported through professional learning.
The College of Alberta School Superintendents:
• Provides high quality professional learning and networking opportunities to its members through: Zone Meetings; Summer Learning Conference, New Member’s Academy; Fall Conference; Annual Learning Conference; and Professional Learning Modules.
• Provides high quality professional learning opportunities for current and aspiring school leaders through the Start Right and Leadership for Learning programs.
• Works proactively with the Ministry to develop high quality educational policies and programs.
• Maintains synergistic relationships with its education partners and seeks common ground on issues.
• Develops and communicates learned positions on substantive educational issues.
Vision: Leadership and System Excellence.
Mission: CASS supports building system leadership excellence to ensure student success.
Values:
• Students are first
• Trustworthiness
• Learnedness
• Respect for Research and Best Practices
• Respect for Individual Members
• Spirit of Collaboration
• Integrity
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Executive Director is an accomplished teacher and successful system education leader who provides leadership service to the College of Alberta School Superintendents Board of Directors and members in the following areas:
Professional Learning Leadership and Event Coordination, such as:
• Annual, Fall & Summer Learning Conferences
• First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Gathering
• Start Right and Leading for Learning Summer Academies
• New Member Academy & Induction Program
Research, Advocacy, and Issues Management
• Participation in the overall policy, legislative and financial cycles of the Governments of Alberta, as it relates to education
• Ensure effective identification and calibration of issues and opportunities that affect the interest of educational stakeholders in the province of Alberta
• Ensure the current and emerging circumstances and interest of CASS members are fully understood and addressed during the process of implementing policies, programs and solutions
Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Development
• Support the Board of Directors for meetings
• Develop and implement strategic plans
• Prepare and manage the Budget and annual Audit process
• Act as an ex officio Member of all CASS Standing Committees
Communications and Relationships
• Foster effective relationships with Alberta Education, fraternal organizations and education partners
• Serve on Alberta Education stakeholder committees as required
• Coordinate the publication of the CASS Connections magazine
• Coordinate the Weekly Update E-Newsletter
• Communication with and supporting CASS Zone Executives
• Correspondence, Annual Report, Email and Website management
Human Resource Leadership
• Supervise CASS administrative staff, and provide ongoing mentoring and performance coaching
• Provides leadership and guidance to group of profession contract staff who support the work of CASS in professional development for members (as large groups and/or individuals) as well as research and policy direction
• Coordinate the work of CASS Directors of Leadership Learning
• Support members seeking contractual advice and / or legal assistance
THE PERSON
QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
The ideal candidate will be committed to innovation and leading through change. They will be a confident leader who demonstrates a commitment to the values of CASS and operates with an innate sense of honesty, integrity, and fairness.
The Executive Director needs to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to understand their divergent needs and challenges. Maintaining and cultivating the existing strong partnerships across the Province of Alberta, the Executive Director works to ensure that the 410 members from CASS members are respected, while simultaneously presenting a common voice for education. In addition, the ideal candidate will have proven accomplishments in the following areas:
• Significant experience as a senior system educational leader with a Canadian school division, previous experience as a Superintendent and/or Director of Education is strongly preferred
• Master’s degree in educational leadership or curriculum is required
• A clear pattern of ongoing professional and personal professional learning and has mentored / supported system education leaders
• A strong track record of success leading a multi-faceted organization at the senior leadership level
• A passion for the education sector
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
Building Effective Relationships - The candidate will have a record of establishing a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment by building positive and productive relationships with members of the school community and the local community.
Politically Astute: Knows and understands legislative and regulatory processes and has an intuitive ability to read the political implications of recommendations and actions.
Modelling Commitment to Professional Learning - The candidate will have a record of engaging in career-long professional learning and ongoing critical reflection, identifying and acting on research informed opportunities for enhancing leadership, teaching, and learning.
Visionary Leadership - The candidate will have a record of engaging with the school community in implementing a vision of a preferred future for student success, based on common values and beliefs.
Leading Learning - The candidate will have a record of establishing and sustaining a learning culture in the school community that promotes ongoing critical reflection on practice, shared responsibility for student success and continuous improvement.
Ensuring First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education for All Students - The candidate will have a record of establishing the structures and provides the resources necessary for the school community to acquire and apply foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit for the benefit of all students.
Sustaining Effective Instructional Leadership - The candidate will have a record of ensuring that every student has access to quality teaching and optimum learning experiences.
School Authority Operations and Resources - The candidate will have a record of directing school authority operations and strategically allocating resources in the interests of all students and in alignment with the school authority’s goals and priorities.
Supporting Effective Governance - The candidate will have a record of providing a school board with information, advice and support required for the fulfillment of its governance role.
Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Solid, dynamic communicator with the ability to establish relationships. Articulate, uses language well to influence others; communicates appropriately with diverse audiences and stakeholder groups; communicates effectively in multiple media; understands and takes into account others’ motivations and feelings; attentive listener; empathic; receives information openly and fully, taking account of informal and unspoken or unwritten elements of communication.
Integrity & Trust: Honest, sincere, dependable, authentic, and trustworthy. High ethical standards and an honest, open-minded and consistent approach to working with staff and stakeholders.
Stakeholder Development: Understands and utilizes the power of developing and maintaining a network of relationships to achieve goals; contributes and shares information for mutual (longer term) gains; uses networks well; builds strong partnerships internally and externally.
How to Apply / Contact
COMPENSATION
A competitive compensation package will be provided including an attractive base salary and excellent benefits. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Ardyce Kouri or Angela Karwal
Leaders International Executive Search
Suite 501 Fox One
10226 – 104 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 1B8
Phone: 780-420-9900