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Chicago Public Schools

Assistant Secretary to the Board

Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290


Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Chicago Board of Education ("Board") is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of Chicago Public Schools ("CPS" or "District"), the fourth largest school district in the United States of America. The Board is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of the district. The Board establishes policies, standards, goals and initiatives to ensure accountability and appropriate resource support for achieving the district's mission.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Secretary to the Board of Education, the Assistant Secretary to the Board of Education will oversee the logistics of the Board of Education's monthly Board meetings, Committee Meetings, and Public Hearings. The Assistant Secretary to the Board of Education will assist with the preparation of Board meeting materials, cost analysis reports, budgets, and procurement responsibilities. This role will also collaborate with the Board website administrators for any enhancements or issues, and support other projects and operations of the Board Office. In the absence of the Secretary to the Board of Education, the Assistant Secretary will facilitate Board Meetings; lead the entire Board Meeting production process, including preparation of all materials and official documents to be considered by the Board; attest on contracts and other legal instruments; transmit any legal documents received by the Board Office to the General Counsel, and respond to any Freedom of Information Act "FOIA" requests from the FOIA unit in Law.

The appointment of this position must be approved by the Board of Education.

The Assistant Secretary will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Oversee Logistics of Board Meetings, Committee Meetings, and Public Hearing preparation including: coordination with CPS departments who serve on the Logistics Team; ensure accommodations are provided in accordance with established procedures; distribution of agendas and notices as required by law; and ensure the Board Room is set up to host meetings in accordance with establish protocols ( audio/visual, seating, technical needs, etc.)Manage the operations of all aspects of the Public Participation process for all meetings, including outreach to registered speakers, ensuring coordination with CPS departments who provide support at Board Meetings, and management of speakers and observers on the day of the Board MeetingAssist with the preparation of Board meeting, Committee meeting, and Public Hearing material preparation and distribution, including quality control analysis of board reports and other materials; organization and filing of board meetings; and preparation of board meeting documents such as roll call sheets, proceedings, and posting of materials on the websiteServe as proxy for the Board Secretary at assigned Board Meetings, including the facilitation of meetings and Public Participation, and the preparation of documents necessary for compliance with Open Meetings ActOther duties as assignedIn order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Assistant Secretary must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university requiredExperience Required:

Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive administrative support experience, including a minimum of five (5) years of experience in an executive office, or similar setting performing comparable responsibilities requiredMeeting and event planning experience requiredBilingual(English/Spanish) preferredKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Impeccable process management skillsDemonstrate capacity to facilitate public meetings, with ability to communicate effectively in high pressure situationsExceptional professional interpersonal communication skills; Ability to converse easily with the publicCapacity to learn parliamentary procedure, records management processes, and legal requirements for Board Meeting compliance with Open Meeting ActAbility to quickly problem-solve and communicate under pressure in order to resolve any logistical issues that may arise at public Board MeetingsAbility to learn and demonstrate significant knowledge about Chicago Public SchoolsMust be organized, accurate, attentive to detail, and able to master a wide range of complex tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced work environmentStrong time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlinesCapable of handling sensitive information; Ability to discern and maintain high levels of confidentialitySelf-motivated, proactive, and strong critical thinking skillsExcellent computer skills, including Adobe DC or Professional, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Suite; Ability to quickly master additional software programsExcellent communication skills (written and oral); Ability to handle all interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalismConditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency -

Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 -

Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.