Position: Manager 

Location: Colorado

Our preferred application deadline is June 13, 2025.  Please note that we do not guarantee review of applications received after this date.

Position Summary

As a Manager at Empower Schools, you will contribute to local- and state-level projects and initiatives that apply innovative solutions to better meet the needs of students. Working closely with your teammates and partners, this position will primarily support Empower’s growing work and impact across Colorado. In this role, you will help cultivate partnerships, design and implement projects, and join our movement to dramatically increase positive outcomes for students who have been traditionally underserved. 

Applicants must be willing to travel up to 30% of the time (primarily within Colorado) to support the growth of our statewide work and to provide on-the-ground support in communities across the state, particularly in rural areas. As part of this role, you will receive coaching, mentorship, and guidance from experienced leaders inside and outside of our organization.

Who We Are

Empower Schools envisions a country where every student – especially those in underserved communities – has the opportunity to succeed in school and life. As a national non-profit, we partner with educators and communities to help catalyze innovation and support the design, launch, and successful implementation of sustainable solutions to local education needs. While the specific work varies in response to local context, all of our projects are grounded in our deep commitment to improving school and life outcomes for predominantly Black, Hispanic, and low-income students. We focus on three key areas:

• Innovation Zones- We work with communities to design and launch sustainable local partnerships that enable transformative district schools. Innovation Zone educators have the flexibility to make decisions that are right for their students, community, and staff.

• Rural Collaboratives- We work with rural communities to forge new partnerships and develop new ways to share resources so that students in rural areas have access to a great education and are equipped for college and career success.

• Early College and Career Pathways- We work with communities to create opportunities that lead to postsecondary success for all students. We foster innovative, sustainable, and scalable structures that bridge high school to college and career so students can get the head start and success they need even before they graduate high school.

To date, we have supported the design and launch of empowering partnerships across seven  states. We are supported by an ecosystem of partners and stakeholders in each community, often organized at a state-level in partnership with state agencies. Developing both site and state-specific strategies and relationships is key to our work.  

We have been operating in Colorado since 2015 with the design and launch of the first innovation zone in the state. Since then we have catalyzed the design and launch of additional innovation zones, as well as rural collaboratives around the state focused on increasing career-connected learning opportunities for high school students. We currently support seven rural collaboratives to regionalize Career & Technical Education coursework, concurrent enrollment, work-based learning, and industry credentials opportunities. In 2024, we raised $6M in funding for rural collaboratives that serve over 15,000 high school students. 

How You’ll Help

You will support an array of important initiatives and relationships, playing a key role in enabling schools in the state to make the best decisions for students in communities across rural Colorado and beyond. Your work will vary based on needs over time and will include the following:

• Execution and project management of work with school systems 
  • Serve as project manager; successfully manage and track workflows and stakeholder activities for successful execution of implementation and design projects
  • Work closely with superintendents, cabinet-level system leaders, and civic, higher education, and industry partners to plan and implement bold school transformation plans and collaborative efforts
  • Conduct research on organizations and systems that play a role in expanding resources and impact within the education system
  • Build deep relationships with system stakeholders and help ensure projects stay on track over time through regular check-ins and communication
  • Create custom, community-focused materials for various stakeholders 
  • Work with teammates to support the design and implementation of programmatic strategy that supports transformative, innovative, and sustainable education initiatives
  • Travel to rural regions to support project implementation in person 
• Partnership development and execution of state and district partnerships
  • Develop and cultivate relationships with potential state and district partners in Colorado 
  • Research, identify, and recruit like-minded organizations and leaders who can play strategic roles in advancing our projects and overall impact in Colorado
  • Build productive and professional working relationships quickly with various stakeholders
  • Support developing project proposals, project plans, and deliverables
• Additional support as needed
  • Provide leverage and capacity on additional growth projects outside of Colorado as needed
  • Contribute to Empower Schools' organizational growth as a go-to for innovative education work that prompts structural, sustainable, locally-led change that benefits traditionally underserved students and communities 

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of work experience
  • Work experience in K12 education required, work in a school building highly valued 

• Successful experience in consulting and/or strategic planning work valued

• Demonstrated interest in and strong alignment with the goals of Empower Schools
• Strong, demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Track record of taking initiative to successfully manage complex projects and initiatives involving multiple components
• Dynamic and effective prioritization skills, enabling  strong, on-time completion of multiple projects with shifting timelines
• Adept at building relationships, working with racially/ethnically diverse teams, and effective in cultivating trust and buy-in from diverse stakeholders at varying levels of leadership
• Clear and effective communication skills including tactfulness and demonstrated ability to successfully manage stakeholder relations and translate ideas into clear, compelling messaging (e.g., in PowerPoint)
• Entrepreneurial mindset (i.e., flexible, resourceful, and creative) and deep motivation to drive toward high-quality outcomes with a consistently positive attitude
• Knowledge of state and federal grant management practices preferred 

Salary and Benefits

The salary band for a Manager is between $78,000 and $93,000 annually. Empower Schools uses a transparent formula that factors in years of experience to determine initial placement in the salary band. New hires should expect to be placed closer to the start of the band with opportunities for meaningful increases over time. Empower Schools offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance, retirement benefits, parental leave, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts.

Application

Interested and qualified applicants should apply here. Note: the application deadline for this position is June 13, 2025. We do not guarantee review of applications submitted after this date.

We support equal opportunity and value building the diversity of our team as we grow. We seek individuals of all races, ethnicities, abilities, and creeds to support our organization’s work and encourage individuals from historically under-represented backgrounds to apply.