Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives

ABOUT THE DISTRICT

Jeffco Public Schools (Jeffco) is located in Jefferson County, Colorado. It is the second largest school district in Colorado serving 69,000 students across 155 schools. With 14,000 employees, the district is the largest employer in Jefferson County and has provided educational excellence for more than 70 years.

Jeffco embraces the spirit of the West and the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region with the county spanning more than 770 square miles running the length of the western edge of the Denver metropolitan area. The district is diverse in both population and geography, from urban to rural, including the mountain communities in the foothills west of Denver.

Overall, Jeffco has 31% of students that qualify for free and reduced lunch, an indicator of poverty, and 34% minority (25% Hispanic) student population. The district is implementing a new strategic plan, Jeffco Thrives 2025 that is focused on providing a world-class education that prepares all Jeffco students for bright and successful futures as local and global citizens. Come join us!

Jeffco Public Schools is a Single-State Employer. All candidates hired by Jeffco Public Schools must reside within the state of Colorado.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Strategy Department at Jeffco Public Schools is centered around the implementation and monitoring of the Jeffco Thrives Strategic Plan, which aims to elevate the district from "good to great to extraordinary." The Jeffco Thrives strategy is built upon four critical priorities for improvement : Our Learners. Our Future. (students and educational outcomes), Our People. Our Strength. (staff and culture), Our Operations. Our Foundation. (physical environments and resources), and Our Community. Our Legacy. (family and community partnerships)

HOURS AND DAYS WORKED

Desired Start Date : 01 / 05 / 2026

Exec Dir - Strategic Initiativ

Annual Position

FLSA : Exempt

FTE : 1.00000 , Hours / Day : 8.000 , Days / Year : Year Round

Salary Plan, Grade, Step : JCA - Administrator - 229 days , G12, 1

Min-Mid Annual Salary Range : $129,902.00 - $155,252.00 Effective as of : 06-16-2025

Compensation schedules for Jeffco Schools can be found here. Starting salary for non-licensed roles is based on the candidate's relevant work experience and education. Additional considerations may be given for job-specific certifications and skills. Applicants should submit all relevant and verifiable education, training and work experiences at the time of application. Starting Salary for licensed educators is based on the step and lane schedule found here.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENT

The successful new hire or rehired candidate will be responsible to complete and incur the fingerprinting and processing fee of $54.50 through an appropriate fingerprinting vendor and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, within 48 hours of offer acceptance.

RESPONSIBILITIES

SUMMARY Lead organizational strategic plan development and implementation in partnership with the district's cabinet team. Consult on key strategy projects across district departments and proactively provide expert strategic council to Chiefs and Executive Directors on the development of large complex bodies of work to drive the district's major initiatives forward. Responsible for evaluation, review, and reporting of Jeffco Thrives to the superintendent and cabinet team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work closely and regularly with the Chief of Staff and members of district Cabinet to drive the annual strategic planning process for Jeffco Thrives; and identify cross-departmental opportunities to optimize, evolve, and improve central services to positively impact the overall Jeffco vision and direction.

Focus on, and personally undertake, new entrepreneurial or incubator projects, special initiatives, pilot programs, and / or special projects in support of student outcomes and of interest to the cabinet team.

Identify opportunities for synergy and strategic alignment among various district programs and projects; identify and mitigate risks, deliver a coordinated cross departmental strategy; and ensure the vital interests of the district are executed as planned.

Ensure strategic plan initiatives and priorities have continued relevance; goals are regularly updated; and corrective measures are identified and executed as context and / or conditions change.

Provide executive oversight of the core internal team responsible for the district's ERP implementation.

Lead and manage the workflows and resources of key strategic projects; align schedules and resources; and manage deliverables related to Jeffco Thrives. Ensure key opportunity and deadline dates are met with high quality deliverables, vetted through the appropriate stakeholders, and communicated effectively.

Lead and manage the workflows and resources of the strategy team to prioritize programs and projects; align schedules and resources; and manage deliverables related to Jeffco Thrives. Ensure key opportunity and deadline dates are met with high quality deliverables, vetted through the appropriate stakeholders, and communicated effectively.

Communicate progress, results, and achievements related to strategic initiatives to key stakeholders through presentations, reports, and other communication channels, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Successfully define, evolve, and continuously improve the district's practice related to managing and executing on its portfolio of prioritized strategy projects. Ensure that all of Jeffco's strategy work is designed, structured, and delivered at the highest possible level of quality, strategic rigor, and with student outcomes at the center.

Identify, interface with, and manage external consultants and industry experts for the purposes of accelerating and / or adding capacity to the district's strategic projects and priorities.

Seek and secure opportunities to elevate Jeffco's best practices and learnings locally, state-wide, and nationally through after-action reviews and public presentations.

Other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE Five years of Manager or Senior Manager level experience or higher in team responsible for enterprise-level strategy, cross-functional leadership, and large-scale change management. Preferably in K-12 education field or on projects impacting stakeholders similar to those in Jeffco Public Schools.

EDUCATION & TRAINING Bachelor's Degree required

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS None required. Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES Experience leading organizational change initiatives, including the ability to navigate challenges, overcome resistance, and drive adoption of new strategies and processes. Demonstrated leadership and communication skills to motivate teams, foster collaboration, and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Capacity to think critically and strategically; anticipate future trends; and identify opportunities for growth and innovation. Proficiency in project management methodologies to effectively ensure timely and successful completion. Ability to gather and analyze data, assess performance metrics, and make data-driven decisions. Knowledge of risk assessment and mitigation strategies to anticipate and address potential challenges and minimize organizational risk. Understanding of financial principles and budget management to allocate resources strategically.

SPAN OF CONTROL Provide executive leadership to the assigned cross-functional project teams; oversee the work of professional staff, project managers, and external consultants supporting strategy initiatives, ERP implementation, and districtwide priority projects. May exercise indirect functional supervision over staff across multiple departments engaged in strategic initiatives.

The physical demands, mental functions, and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS Ability to focus on objects at varying distances and distinguish between colors (with corrective lenses). Perform tasks that require manual dexterity, including operation of computers & small office equipment. Basic mobility and the ability to navigate the office environment safely. Ability to speak clearly, listen attentively (with assistance devices), and convey information accurately. May be required to give presentations to groups.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS Ability to analyze complex situations, identify potential risks, and devise effective solutions. Ability to remain flexible in dynamic environments, adjusting plans and strategies as necessary to accommodate changing requirements or circumstances. Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with other teams. Ability to manage time and priorities to meet deadlines.

WORK ENVIRONMENT Work is primarily performed in typical office building. May occasionally visit school sites to meet with staff or attend events / meetings.

SALARY

Jeffco Salary Schedules

BENEFITS

Jeffco Benefits

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Jefferson County School District does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, pregnancy, or gender.