Job Description

Job Title

Assistant Director : Parent Leadership & Community Engagement

Location: Central Office / Detroit, Michigan

Salary: $84,387 - $114,526

Reports to: Chief External Engagement Officer

Bargaining Unit: N/A

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Telecommuting Eligibility: Eligible for telecommuting up to 20% (one day per week)

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director - Parent Leadership & Community Engagement will support the development, expansion, and implementation of districtwide parent leadership opportunities through oversight of the district's new parent organization policy, establishment of a mini-grant process for parent-led projects within school communities, and expansion of community-based leadership opportunities across Metro Detroit.

A primary focus of this position will be the organization of districtwide conferences, encampments, and other exposure opportunities for parents leading within local schools. The Assistant Director will build and maintain relationships with community-based organizations, nonprofits, civic organizations, agencies, schools, and other partners to create pathways for parents to participate in leadership development, advocacy, resource navigation, mentoring, community problem-solving, and promotion of opportunities for current and potential families within the district. These efforts also directly support district enrollment by strengthening family opportunities that make DPSCD schools an appealing, welcoming choice for current families and by promoting these opportunities to prospective families and students considering enrollment.

Through the creation of a mini-grant process, the Assistant Director will also provide direct coordination, coaching, and support for parent-led school and community-based projects that address priorities identified by parents and communities, including attendance, academic achievement, student behavior, family engagement, school climate, resource access, and other community priorities. This includes developing enhanced community-based projects that increase convenience for parents and expand outreach to families who have traditionally been harder to reach, ensuring leadership and engagement opportunities are accessible to the full range of DPSCD families.

Success in this position will be demonstrated through the growth and quality of the parent leadership ecosystem, not simply the number of events conducted. The Assistant Director will increase the number and diversity of meaningful leadership opportunities available to parents, strengthen community partnerships, and help parent leaders move ideas from community-identified need ¿ project design ¿ implementation ¿ measurable impact ¿ sustainability.

This position will help create a sustainable model in which Detroit parents are equipped not only to participate in their children's schools, but to lead initiatives, build community partnerships, mentor families, and help shape solutions to challenges affecting schools and neighborhoods.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Education, Social Work, Community Development, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, Family Studies, Organizational Leadership, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience working with schools and communities in Detroit and/or Metro Detroit.
• Demonstrated experience developing relationships with parents, families, schools, community-based organizations, nonprofits, civic organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Experience designing, coordinating, or implementing parent, family, community engagement, leadership development, or community-based programs.
• Experience supporting parent-led or community-driven projects from concept through implementation and evaluation.
• Experience facilitating meetings, workshops, leadership sessions, community conversations, or stakeholder convenings.
• Deep knowledge of Detroit and Metro Detroit schools, neighborhoods, families, community organizations, and resources.
• Ability to identify and develop community-based leadership opportunities for parents.
• Strong understanding of authentic family and community engagement practices.
• Ability to build trusted relationships across diverse communities and stakeholder groups.
• Experience developing partnerships with nonprofit, civic, philanthropic, governmental, and community-based organizations.
• Ability to identify emerging parent leaders and create pathways for continued development.
• Experience supporting parent leaders in advocacy, organizing, facilitation, problem-solving, and community engagement.
• Ability to translate parent and community priorities into actionable programs and projects.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives, partnerships, events, and deadlines.
• Ability to develop work plans, timelines, goals, deliverables, and measures of success for parent-led projects.
• Experience providing coaching and technical assistance to community-based initiative leaders.
• Ability to monitor implementation, identify challenges, and develop solutions.
• Experience using participation and outcome data to inform program improvement.
• Ability to coordinate trainings, leadership opportunities, community meetings, and resource-sharing activities.
• Strong partnership management, communication, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to work effectively in school, community, and neighborhood settings throughout Detroit and Metro Detroit.
• Ability to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings, trainings, community events, and parent leadership activities.
• Ability to travel between schools, community locations, partner organizations, and district offices as required.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, family voice, and community-driven decision-making.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment with families, students, schools, and community partners.
• Proficiency with standard productivity and collaboration tools, including Microsoft Office or comparable platforms.
• Ability to develop presentations, reports, meeting materials, project plans, and program documentati

Essential Functions:

Support development and implementation of the districtwide Parent Leader & Development Program.

Oversee the implementation and compliance of the district's parent organization policy.

Create a mini-grant program for parent leaders to develop, submit, and implement their ideas within the school community.

Develop a network of community organizations providing leadership, service, advocacy, mentoring, professional development, family support, and engagement opportunities.

Create leadership pathways for parents to progress from participants to trained leaders, mentors, advocates, organizers, and community partners.

Coordinate parent opportunities for community problem-solving, advocacy, resource navigation, mentoring, and neighborhood engagement.

Provide direct support, coaching, and technical assistance to parent-led school and community-based projects.

Assist parent leaders with project goals, implementation plans, partnerships, budgets, timelines, communications, and measures of success.

Support projects that reflect community values and address priorities such as attendance, academics, behavior, school climate, family engagement, and resource access.

Connect parent-led projects with school administrators, teachers, Parent Outreach Coordinators, community organizations, and district departments.

Coordinate leadership development in advocacy, communication, public speaking, organizing, facilitation, conflict resolution, restorative practices, de-escalation, and school/district systems navigation.

Support parent-to-parent mentoring, particularly in schools requiring additional family engagement and relationship-building.

Support major parent leadership events, including the ¿Parents Are Heroes¿ Conference and Summer Leadership Encampment.

Connect families with appropriate community resources and services.

Maintain an inventory/resource network of community-based organizations and leadership opportunities.

Monitor participation, project implementation, and outcomes to inform continuous improvement.

Prepare reports, presentations, project updates, and recommendations for program leadership and stakeholders.

Represent the program at community meetings, school events, partner meetings, conferences, and other relevant convenings.

Support a culture in which parents are viewed as leaders, partners, problem-solvers, mentors, and contributors to school and community improvement.

Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Support district enrollment goals by promoting parent leadership opportunities, family engagement programming, and community resources to current and prospective DPSCD families and students.

Develop enhanced community-based projects that increase convenience for parents and expand outreach to families who are harder to reach, ensuring engagement opportunities are accessible districtwide.

Security Clearance

Successful candidates may be required to complete applicable background and security clearance requirements consistent with district policy and Michigan law.

Method of Application

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.

Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.

Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897.