Deputy Director / Chief of Staff — Transformational Classroom and Teacher Development

Position Summary

The Deputy Director/Chief of Staff serves as the operational and strategic backbone of the Transformational Classroom and Teacher Development Working Group–a small team responsible for an ambitious portfolio of initiatives to evolve and spread the impact of our learning about transformational classrooms and teacher development.

This "force-multiplier" role enables senior leaders and cross-functional teams to focus on high-impact work by driving execution, strengthening collaboration, improving communication, and ensuring that ambitious global initiatives move from vision to implementation. The person in this role may support efforts including:

• Multiple virtual courses and workshops on topics ranging from Teaching As Collective Leadership to teacher development
• A new credentialing system for transformational teaching and learning
• Global “learning loops” in which people in all roles in education from around the world come together to learn from exemplary case studies
• Special initiatives to catalyze interrogations of the purpose of education in the United States and the United Kingdom, to spread student leadership development initiatives across and beyond our network, and to accelerate progress toward AI-enabled tools for measuring growth in purpose, wellbeing, connectedness, awareness, agency and expertise
• Evolving and updating resources (including the AI Chatbot) related to our Teaching as Collective Leadership model
• Storytelling to amplify the voices and perspectives of students and teachers who are reimagining teaching and learning in pursuit of students’ collective leadership to shape a better future

The ideal candidate is someone who has been a transformational teacher, is familiar with Teaching as Collective Leadership, and is an excellent project and people coordinator, relationship builder, design-thinker, and communicator/writer. The role requires a vision-oriented, flexible, collective leader who is willing to take on a wide range of responsibilities ranging from administrative to strategic.

LIKELY RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Coordination & Operations

The person in this role will create the conditions for a highly effective and joyful team by:

• Designing and improving team operating rhythms, meeting structures, and communication practices
• Manage calendars, workstreams, and shared priorities across the working group
• Preparing agendas, briefing materials, and follow-up actions for circle/working group meetings
• Establish systems for project tracking, documentation, and knowledge management
• Improve operational processes to increase efficiency reducing administrative burden
• Track priorities and ensuring follow-through across working group commitments
• Draft communications, reports, presentations, and proposals
• Anticipate working group needs and proactively resolve operational challenges
• Help cultivate a collaborative, reflective, and learning-oriented team culture by:
• Facilitating team check ins and reflection sessions
• Creating opportunities for shared learning and continuous improvement
• Celebrating milestones, recognizing contributions, and strengthening team engagement
• Modeling collaborative leadership and fostering trust across diverse perspectives

Force-Multiplying Working Group Members and Their Projects

The ideal candidate in this role will provide wide-ranging support to other members of the team through:

• Writing, designing and editing high-quality communications for internal and external audiences
• Interviewing, researching, note-taking and synthesizing
• Project planning and tracking across multiple workstreams and projects
• Translating complex educational concepts into clear, engaging, and actionable messaging

Cross-Network Collaboration & Relationship Management

The person in this role will strengthen collaboration across a diverse global org/network by:

• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with key partners across our organization and network
• Coordinating communication across multiple teams, geographies, and time zones
• Facilitating cross-functional working sessions and collaborative problem-solving
• Supporting culturally responsive collaboration and inclusive decision-making
• Identifying opportunities to connect people, projects, and ideas across the global org and broader network

Project Leadership & Execution

The person in this role will lead or co-lead a small number of critical cross-functional initiatives related to working group’s priorities listed above, for which responsibilities could include

• Developing project plans and implementation strategies
• Managing budgets, timelines, deliverables, and resource allocation
• Coordinating contributors across regions and functions
• Tracking deliverables and ensuring accountability
• Managing project documentation and reporting
• Facilitating effective project governance and decision-making

OUTCOMES

Because of this person’s efforts, members of this working group will work seamlessly together, maximizing their individual and connective impact. With this person’s help, this working group will more quickly, effectively and joyfully accelerate a global shift across and beyond the Teach For All network toward teaching and learning that develops students holistically so they can shape a better future.

KEY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THIS ROLE

The role will require:

• Excellent operational management:
  • Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
  • Experience designing and improving operational systems
  • Ability to establish accountability without direct authority
• Exceptional team- and project-management skills to help ensure we are making progress toward our deadlines and goals on all of these ambitious priorities:
  • Exceptional ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
  • Strong planning, prioritization, and execution skills
  • Experience coordinating large, cross-functional projects
  • Ability to manage ambiguity while maintaining momentum
• Capacity for complex strategic thinking and planning:
  • Ability to connect day-to-day execution with long-term organizational goals
  • Strong systems thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Comfort balancing strategic and operational responsibilities
• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly and simply distill and convey complex ideas into actionable guidance for a diverse audience
  • Outstanding written communication and editing skills
  • Ability to distill complex ideas into clear, actionable messages
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills
  • Strong executive communication capabilities
• Proven ability to work in partnership with a diverse range of stakeholders across multiple dynamics of cultural difference
• Comfort with a wide range of projects (from administrative to innovative, from small to large, from individual to collective, from internal to external)
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning
• Thrives in fast-paced, highly iterative and evolving environments
• Able to manage changing priorities with resilience and flexibility
• Flexibility

Verbal and written fluency in Spanish, French, Arabic or Mandarin (in addition to English) is not necessary but would be valuable in this role.

What Teach For All Offers

• Commitment to cultivating a culture in which all staff members feel they belong, are valued for their contributions, and have an impact on our organization’s progress
• Professional and personal development experiences and ample opportunities to make a positive impact on the work of Teach For All and beyond
• Comprehensive benefits package designed for your well-being and work-life needs
• Generous time off and flexible work arrangements
• And much more!

Application Instructions

If this opportunity sounds like the next best step in your career, please submit your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) and a one-page letter of motivation (in English) directly online. Your letter should summarize motivations for your application and how your skills and experience align with the terms of this opportunity. We look forward to learning about you and your passion for ensuring educational opportunity for all!

Work Authorization

This position does not offer employment visa sponsorship, immigration assistance, or support for work permits or residency applications. To be considered, candidates must already possess valid work and residency authorization to work in the country of hire at the time of application.

Compensation

Salary for this position is competitive and dependent on country of hire and prior work experience and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Travel and Hours

Travel expected, up to 10%. Travel will be primarily within the region for Team Retreats. Given that we work across different time zones, some non-traditional hours for early or later calls are an expectation of this role.

About Teach For All

Teach For All is a global network of over 60 independents, locally led organizations and a global organization united by a commitment to developing collective leadership to ensure all children can fulfill their potential. Each network partner recruits and develops promising leaders to teach in their nations’ under-resourced schools and communities and, with this foundation, to work with others, inside and outside of education, towards a world where all children have the education, support, and opportunity to shape a better future. Teach For All’s global organization works to increase the network’s impact by supporting the development of new organizations; fostering network connectivity and learning; providing coaching and consulting; and enabling access to global resources for the benefit of the network.