Posted: October 13, 2009

Operations Associate – Louisiana Practitioner Teacher Program
New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) helps school districts and states fulfill the promise of public education by ensuring that all students—especially those from high-need communities—get excellent teachers. A national nonprofit organization founded by teachers, TNTP recognizes that although teachers matter more than any other school factor in student success, the nation’s education systems are not aligned with the goal of an effective teacher in every classroom. In response, TNTP develops customized programs and policy interventions that enable education leaders to diagnose their teacher quality challenges and find, develop and keep great teachers. Since its inception in 1997, TNTP has recruited or trained approximately 33,000 teachers—mainly through its highly selective Teaching Fellows™ programs—benefiting an estimated 4.8 million students. TNTP has also released a series of acclaimed studies of the policies and practices that affect the quality of the nation’s teacher workforce, most recently including The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness (2009). Today TNTP is active in more than 25 cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York, and Oakland, among others. For more information, please visit www.tntp.org.

We are currently seeking an Operations Associate for our Louisiana Practitioner Teacher Program (LPTP). The Operations Associate will be a TNTP employee based in the New Orleans office. This position is available immediately.

The Program

In 2001, at the request of the Louisiana Department of Education, The New Teacher Project partnered with Teach For America and the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to create and run a Practitioner Teacher Program that certifies teachers through a streamlined alternate route process. The program, now in its eighth year of operation, has been extremely successful, certifying over 1000 new teachers in 10 districts in Shreveport, Baton Rouge and the New Orleans areas, including RSD and New Orleans charter schools.

All LPTP teachers participate in Content Seminars, a series of professional development seminars that develop a teachers’ knowledge and ability to teach subject matter while extending the emphasis on student achievement that was established through the pre-service summer training. All LPTP teachers must also pass the Performance Assessment System (PAS), a high-stakes portfolio that demonstrates effective teacher practice and documents impact on student academic achievement.

For more information about the program, please go to: http://www.lptp.org/

Role and Responsibilities

The LPTP Operations Associate will work alongside other LPTP staff and will report directly to the LPTP Operations Manager. The Operations Associate will assist with the completion of all operations-related tasks that are necessary to support an alternate certification program enrolling 450 first-year teachers. Specifically the Operations Associate will be responsible for:

• Assisting with all program related administrative processes and day-to-day operations including, but not limited to, data tracking and management, large-scale mailings, document filing, and project coordination
• Preparing all Practitioner License applications for submission to the Louisiana Department of Education
• Communicating with the Louisiana Department of Education regarding the application process, as needed
• Using an online database called Certification Track to enter and manage Practitioner Teacher data
• Communicating with the central technology team regarding possible improvements to Certification Track and participating in system testing, as needed
• Assisting with the development and management of the LPTP website
• Assisting the Operations Manager in corresponding with Practitioner Teachers
• Processing tuition agreement paperwork for first-year Practitioner Teachers, as needed
• Assisting with the preparation and coordination of all LPTP events, meetings, and trainings, including Practitioner Teacher information sessions, monthly LPTP staff meetings, and a week-long

Content Seminar Leader training

• Assisting with the implementation of a month-long, intensive assessment program used to efficiently evaluate 300-450 Practitioner Teachers each summer
• Recruiting, hiring, training, and managing program interns, as needed
• Assisting the Operations Manager in data compilation for Educational Tracking Services (ETS)

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who believe deeply in our organization's mission and who display a record of achievement. Successful candidates will also demonstrate:

• The ability to learn quickly and work in a fast-paced environment
• Outstanding organizational skills, including keen attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills and a high level of professionalism in all interactions
• A commitment to producing high-quality work and adhering to deadlines
• The ability to work effectively with others at all levels of an organization
• Excellent computer skills including a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong time management skills and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities at once
• The willingness to work non-standard hours and/or occasional weekends

Compensation

The annual salary for this position is $45,000 or commensurate with experience in a similar position. We also offer a motivated team of colleagues, a collegial atmosphere that values professional development, a comprehensive benefits plan effective on the first day of employment – including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, and a 403(b) plan with matching – as well as the opportunity to impact the direction of a growing, mission-driven company that is committed to the success of our nation’s children.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and tailored cover letter online at http://tbe.taleo.net/NA5/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=THENEWTEACHERPROJECT&cws=1&rid=431

We review applications on a rolling basis – so it is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible. We will not consider applications without a cover letter tailored to this position, which can be addressed to the Human Capital Team. The New Teacher Project is committed to fostering and capitalizing on the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position. If you would like to learn more about our mission, please visit our web site at www.tntp.org.