East Central

Job Description and Details:

Under the supervision of the Business Manager, the Human Resources Coordinator is responsible for the administration of multiple human resource department functions. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to, responsibility for employee onboarding, compensation and benefit administration, employee leaves of absence, direct involvement in payroll process, creation and maintenance of employee contracts, the creation and maintenance of personnel data, maintenance of HR related software, monitoring of performance evaluations and licensing, mandatory employee training, board management and support, state and federal reporting, and providing exceptional customer service to the department’s internal and external customers.

Background Information: 

MAWSECO is an agency of seven-member school districts (Annandale, Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, Litchfield, Maple Lake and Rockford) that have joined together to provide services in the area of special education. The mission of the Cooperative is to provide quality special education leadership, services and support to its seven-member school districts’ staff, students and families as well as other agencies/districts that purchase its services.  The MAWSECO central office is located in Howard Lake, MN which is west of the metro and south of St. Cloud.

Position Summary:
Under general supervision of the Superintendent, responsible for creating and modeling a culture of high expectations for all students, and providing leadership, direction, evaluation and ongoing support to elementary building and program leaders to facilitate school environments that address the diverse range of student needs across the district and supports the success of all students.  As a member of the Superintendent’s executive leadership team and cabinet, the Assistant Superintendent is responsible to support the overall leadership of the district, directly supervises the elementary principals and administrative interns, and collaborates with all district departments in support of the district mission and strategic plan. The Assistant Superintendent is a change agent who works with school communities to create the necessary conditions that result in dramatic and accelerated student achievement, closing the achievement gap and improving overall school performance. The Assistant Superintendent will also be responsible for leadership of other district level responsibilities, programs and initiatives as directed by the Superintendent.

Essential Functions:
Core Leadership CompetenciesStrategic Leadership: Develop and communicate vision for area of responsibility; align function with the mission and core values of the organization; champion change and innovation; work with teams to set shared goals and standards for their work, examine data regarding effectiveness, and take action to meet standards
Collaboration: Foster cooperation across departmental boundaries; make and keep rigorous promises; establish and maintain effective relationships; communicate a vision for success, engage stakeholders and motivate others to take action for shared purposes
Judgment: Analyze issues and seek multiple perspectives before making decisions; use sound judgment considering immediate and long-term impact of decisions, and apply systems thinking; engage in decisive and responsive decision-making and consultative support to management partners
Communication: Foster two-way, open communication; listen and respond with empathy; communicate effectively verbally and in writing; apply meeting protocol; produce thorough and accurate reports; communicate effectively in public presentations
Planning and Execution: Focus organization on high priority objectives; foster alignment; establish specific measurable objectives; manage and improve processes; practice effective project management to achieve goals; hold staff accountable
Business Knowledge: Apply technical/functional expertise; provide thorough analysis; understand and manage technology and other resources for maximum impact on productivity; identify trends or challenges in the areas of responsibility and review and interpret data to recommend and/or deploy strategies to initiate system change and make district wide improvements in educational or administrative practices
Self-Management: Inspire trust; demonstrate adaptability and flexibility; practice good boundaries and confidentiality when required; engage in growth and self-development
Motivation and Courage: Drive for results; take a stand for the organization; take responsibility; press back against obstacles and patterns that impede progress
Cultural Competence: Work intentionally with an equity lens in analyzing the impact of race, culture, gender, socioeconomic status and other protected class considerations in all aspects of the organization; model cultural sensitivity and responsiveness and lead district and department work to support equitable access and achievement for all students and respect, inclusion and fairness for employees

Executive Level LeadershipCommunicate with local, state and federal governmental agencies on matters that pertain to school operations
Build relationships and leverage partnerships with community organizations that will benefit district stakeholders
Represent the school district in a positive and professional manner at various district and community functions, at state and local organizations, and as a liaison to various partners
Work directly with parents/guardians, community partners and other stakeholders to address interests and resolve concerns
Provide leadership and support to principals, directors, supervisors, and coordinators to establish and communicate district processes, practices, policies and procedures
Meet with school board members, attend all school board meetings and work sessions, prepare information for the superintendent and board, and make school board presentations pertaining to areas of responsibility
Develop, revise, recommend and/or communicate school board policy and administrative procedures pertaining to areas of responsibility
Ensure continuous improvement by analyzing data, setting performance goals, monitoring standards for performance, aligning resources and prioritizing activities to achieve maximum results
Stay current with local, state and federal legislation in areas of responsibility and analyze local impact for communication to superintendent and staff
Model and require effective and efficient use of district resources and ethical conduct and practice as a public employee and in one’s area of licensure or certification

District AdministrationCreates a culture of high expectations and supports high performing educational leadership teams.
Models and expects excellence and leverages data when working with school leaders and communities to drive systemic change to accelerate student achievement and close the achievement gap
Establishes a culture and expectation that school leaders will create a school environment that addresses diversity of needs and allows for the inclusion of all students including, English Language Learners and students with special needs
Provides transformational leadership to assess, plan, develop, launch and manage educational reform in underperforming schools, with the expected outcome of accelerating results for all students
Works in collaboration with district leaders to support and reinforce consistent and successful implementation of curriculum, assessment, testing, policies and practices that maximize educational options and lead to improved achievement for all students
Develops goals, objectives and strategies that support teaching and learning and facilitate accelerated learning and achievement for all students
Recognizes trends and patterns related to school performance and provides focused leadership, support and direction to school leaders to design and implement school improvement plans that result in the improvement of student achievement.
Actively supports the instructional process by providing ongoing feedback and support to school leaders through site visits, classroom observations, review of data and trends with a focus on student learning and overall school improvement
Applies knowledge and understanding of effective school curriculum, instructional strategies and assessment to support schools in meeting school and district identified performance targets
Sets clear expectations and holds building leaders accountable for maximum results

LeadershipSupervises the day-to-day work of district elementary principals and educational programs in the implementation of district and superintendent goals
Facilitates the performance management and accountability process for principals, assistant principals and administrative interns
Works with building leaders to develop a shared vision, clear goals, high performance standards and research-based strategies to support and inform the teaching and learning processes at school sites
Sets high performance standards and goals and creates a sense of urgency to improve student outcomes and close the achievement gap between racial, ethnic and economic groups
Provides ongoing coaching to school leaders to build capacity to successfully effect change at the site level
Works in partnership with Human Resources and other key stakeholders to facilitate the refinement, implementation, monitoring and assessment of the principal and assistant principal evaluation system
Assumes a leadership role in the Superintendent’s Cabinet and assists with all related activities that impact school and district performance
Promotes effective communication among all members of the school community
Develops and maintains clear and inclusive decision making processes
Develops and maintains positive site and department climate that enhances student and staff success
Keeps abreast of educational development, reform and best practices and works in collaboration with district leaders in bringing effective, innovative programs into the schools
Monitors key district programs and initiatives and effectively communicates the district’s priorities and progress to diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders
Demonstrates the ability to successfully facilitate conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making

Management Recognizes patterns and trends related to school administration issues and provides leadership and support to building leaders
Cultivates and maintains collaborative, cross-department and cross-district working relationships
Ensures the development of procedures and processes related to compliance with local, state and federal laws, regulations and policies relative to teaching and learning
Monitors school budgets and ensures alignment with the district’s goals
Communicates effectively with district stakeholders
Leads and participates in key district programs and initiatives
Assists principals in employee related tasks, building governance, Site Councils, parent organizations committee structures, strategic planning and school based budgeting and staffing as needed
Enthusiastically promotes the Superintendent’s goals and priorities in compliance with all policies and procedures
Maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, records and district information
Perform other duties as deemed appropriate by the Superintendent of Schools

Other Duties as Assigned