Teach For Canada–Gakinaamaage Looking for Director of Teacher Development at Calgary, Alberta, Canada Full Time

Director of Teacher Development

We are looking for a dynamic, hard-working, team-oriented educator to lead our Teacher Development team.

The Basics

Job Term

Full-time, permanent

Hiring Salary Range

$76,470 – $86,590 per year plus benefits

Start Date

As soon as possible

Interview Process

Intro Interview

1-hour interview with a task

Virtual office experience

Location:

Work-from-home position from one of the following locations: Toronto, ON, or Thunder Bay, ON or Sioux Lookout, ON or Winnipeg, MB or Calgary, AB

The role will require travel to partner communities and occasional reporting to our Toronto office for administrative and collaborative work. Work-related travel expenses will be covered by TFC–Gakinaamaage.

Closing Date

Until filled

Required Experience

Must be a certified teacher in one of TFC–Gakinaamaage’s jurisdictions, or able to transfer certification prior to the start date

Must have a valid driver’s license

Desired Experience

4+ years of experience working as a teacher

4+ years of experience in adult/education/professional development

4+ years of experience working in First Nations education, ideally in a northern or remote context,

Experience developing and managing a budget

Experience developing and overseeing a departmental or program strategy,

Experience in a management role, with demonstrated skill in creating a high-performance team and coaching team members

Our Approach

Education in Canada is a success story. Study after study shows that our public schools are among the best in the world. But high overall quality masks deep inequality. Only 48 percent of First Nations youth living on reserve have a high school diploma. In the North, those numbers are even lower. And, too often, teachers arrive in northern First Nations without the preparation and support they need to succeed—and stay—in the classroom. The twin challenges of teacher supply and turnover compound historical injustice and systemic inequities to produce a statistical education gap between First Nations and non-First Nations communities.

TFC–Gakinaamaage is a non-profit organization that works with northern First Nations to recruit, prepare, and support committed teachers who will increase student outcomes in the North. This model has been defined by First Nations Community Partners, our Circle of Advisors, our Board of Directors, and experienced northern educators.

Our Culture

TFC–Gakinaamaage has a supportive work culture and offers a variety of benefits to its team members including 4-weeks of annual vacation that increases with tenure, access to mental wellness supports, flexible hours, and team-wide professional development opportunities. In addition to these perks and benefits, TFC–Gakinaamaage also honours National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as statutory holidays, and the last week of every calendar year is paid time off too!

On our team, we are fortunate to have a committed, experienced, talented, and humble group of leaders. Together, this team works hard to create a meaningful impact. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, innovative, energizing, and rewarding work environment, then we want to hear from you!

Your Responsibilities

The Director of Teacher Development oversees the Teacher Development department’s activities, including working directly with Teach For Canada–Gakinaamaage teachers, TAs, and teacher candidates to provide ongoing support during the school year and, during the summer, prepare new cohorts of teachers for teaching in a northern First Nation.

Specific Responsibilities Include

• Manage departmental strategy to reach ambitious outcomes; this includes leading annual and quarterly review and planning of departmental objectives; reviewing and evolving major program elements using data and researched best practices; as well as developing and tracking the department’s budget.
• Oversee the project planning and implementation of portfolios and support for TFC–G teachers, TAs, locally hired teachers, and northern practicum teacher candidates.
• Oversee the planning, budget, and implementation of the Summer Enrichment Program and the TA Enrichment Program.
• Manage and coach Teacher Development Managers (x6) and Professional Development Manager (x1) to ensure that they are effectively supporting teachers, TAs, and teacher candidates through a range of methods including coaching, resource development, networking, and the provision of external support.
• Advise senior management on trends to inform organizational growth strategy. Keep Vice President of Programs well-informed on progress towards departmental objectives and major obstacles that emerge.
• Ensure team members apply policies and use tools effectively so that there is departmental data compliance and consistency.
• Work with education leaders from First Nations partners to ensure that our preparation and support programming evolves to support their needs.
• Work with the Vice President of Programs and Teacher Development team to develop new preparation and support programming to maximise impact and retention.
• Revise departmental practices and policies to be in line with legal requirements and best practices.
• Collaborate with other departments to maximize Teach For Canada’s collective impact and ensure policies and practices are aligned.
• Perform other job-related duties as needed.

Your Fit

• You are a teacher. You are a certified teacher with strong pedagogy and are comfortable offering in-person classroom coaching as well as remote support to teachers in northern First Nations schools. Assets include:
• Experience teaching in Indigenous communities and/or Northern Canada
• Special Education certification and/or experience
• You are respectful of Indigenous cultures and histories. You have a deep respect for the histories, cultures, and goals of Indigenous communities in Canada.
• You are a relationship-builder. You build relationships with ease and you engage others around you. You thrive under the challenges of being in an on‐call support role and have developed sustainable self‐care techniques.
• You are highly organized. You have strong time management skills and prioritize to plan effectively and meet competing deadlines.
• You are a strategic thinker and problem solver. You have the ability to develop, implement, and evaluate initiatives that provide support and growth opportunities to educators.
• You are a builder. You are a multi-talented go-getter who has an unbridled ambition to build things: programs, structures, templates, and even policies. You have lots of ideas.

Application Process

Please send your resume and cover letter addressed to Zuzana Balazova at apply@teachforcanada.ca.

TFC–Gakinaamaage is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. As an organization that works with First Nations, we value Indigenous perspectives in the workplace and strongly encourage Indigenous candidates to apply.

TFC–Gakinaamaage welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the hiring process.

This position involves visiting schools and working with children, and as such, the successful candidate will be required to apply for and obtain a Police Records Check for the vulnerable sector.