Chief Partnerships Officer (2026-27)

Chief Partnerships Officer

Reports To: Superintendent

Department: Chief of Staff or Superintendent's Office

Classification: Classified Management Confidential

FLSA: Exempt

Work Year/Hours: 261 days/7.5 days

Salary Grade: __EXEC 15

Basic Function: Act as strategic intermediary between the external foundations and philanthropic donors and the District ensuring the accountability requirements (federal, state, district) and alignment to community-based demand for good schools in order to develop the standards, culture and practices for the use funds to improve student achievement among primary stakeholders (families and students), and workplace conditions for the school sites and central leaders.

Representative Duties:

Design district strategy for school choice and for measuring and acting on the demand for new schools.

Develop and maintain 'portfolio' of school options that meets the needs of students, families and communities.

Develop strategy for engaging the community in an annual review of school options and gathering feedback and ideas for new schools.

Develop high level criteria, standards and processes for school openings, closings, other interventions based on community demand and/or external accountability requirements.

Design school choice lottery/assignment criteria and monitor equity of placement and access.

Engage the public in annual review of school performance at the school and district levels.

Request, review regularly and evaluate school performance data (statistical and trends) at all levels.

Determine how parents, students, and community members participate and/or engage with short- and long-term interventions for underperforming schools.

Communicate results and potential interventions to community and Board.

Build culture of two way accountability for school performance.

Design community engagement strategy regarding school accountability.

Educate parents regarding school choice, zoning, and assignments.

Dialogue with community regarding school performance and interventions: communicate results; listen to community feedback; and establish and communicate rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders.

Develop trust-based relationships with key community constituents to gain acceptance and eventual ownership of school performance.

Engage disenfranchised communities in holding schools accountable.

Develop the blueprint for student, family and community participation at school and at the district levels.

Establish opportunities for student, family and community leadership at all levels to capture the energy and industry of all stakeholders.

Set standards and practices to train and develop school site councils.

Create a vision and strategic plan for how to create greater shared ownership of schools.

Establish mutually accountable relationships with civic and business partners to leverage resources and share responsibility for student achievement.

Encourage and broker partnerships between schools, nonprofits and/or businesses.

Seek opportunities for joint use agreements and shared facilities, especially with regards to city resources.

Develop and design systems to comply with legal requirements, protect the rights of vulnerable populations of students and families, and pursue equity of opportunity and access to high quality programs.

Monitor and communicate the current regulatory environment to key stakeholders.

Monitor and create systems to intervene where inequitable access exists, including advocating for increased investment in order to address inequities.

Ensure the transparency of decision making and budgeting to all stakeholders.

Perform related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Training, Education and Experience: Any combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to: a Bachelor's degree, preferably with courses in journalism, communications, broadcasting, media, human relations, and/or marketing and public relations, and five years of recent administrative experience or consulting experience primarily in media and communications. At least three years of the experience in communications-media relationships involving programs or services of major public interest or involving public education issues.

Licenses and Other Requirements: Valid California Drivers License Employment eligibility that may include fingerprints, Tuberculosis and/or other employment clearance.

Knowledge and Abilities:

Knowledge of: Communications media and their most effective uses, including print, radio and television media Appropriate media contacts regarding given issues and circumstances Principles of Psychology applicable to communications Applicable state and federal laws

Ability to: Present information regarding district programs in a proactive, complete and media-sensitive manner (Effective Communicator) Develop and maintain effective relationships with personnel of the news media, community leaders, administrators and others (Relationship Builder) Develop effective media communications strategies for all communities including the diverse cultural and other language speaking communities of the District (Effective Communicator) Listen patiently to input and feedback from others (Patient Listener) Organize complex multifaceted projects (Organized Multitasker) Create a vision and strategic plan to increase community ownership of schools (Strategic Thinker)

Working Conditions:

Environment: Office environment; driving a vehicle to conduct work; fast-paced work, constant interruptions.

Physical Demands:

Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person and make presentations; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; seeing to monitor various activities and read documents, and view computer monitors; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; kneeling, bending at the waist, and reaching overhead, above the shoulders, and horizontally; lifting light objects.

Non-Discrimination Policy:

The Oakland Unified School District does not discriminate in any program, activity, or in employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, sex, or sexual orientation.