Director of Equity and Organizational Development - #107593

WORK SCHEDULE: Full time; 8 hours per day; Monday - Friday

WORK CALENDAR: 260 day Calendar

REPORTS TO: Chief Academic Officer

CLASSIFICATION:

Based on the 2025-2027 RAA Contract

Click link below to review the 2025-2027 RAA Contract containing salary schedule.

RAA Contract 2025-2027

If you have questions regarding a job posting, contact the Office of Human Resources @ 507-328-4321 or email ariana.perrigo@rochesterschools.org.

Position Purpose

The Director of Equity and Organizational Development leads an ongoing districtwide effort to build the capacity of the schools, programs, and central office departments of Rochester Public Schools to meet the needs of students from marginalized communities and students who face systemic barriers to learning. The role is responsible for identifying where district systems are not producing the intended results and working across departments to ensure that those issues are addressed through changes in system design, resource allocation, and implementation. The position emphasizes disciplined problem-solving, organizational coherence, and sustained follow-through.

Organizational Relationship

The Director of Equity and Organizational Development reports to the Chief Academic Officer and is a key member of the RPS Central Office Leadership Team (COLT). The Director works closely with the Superintendent and members of the Superintendent’s cabinet to support alignment between operational, instructional, and student support systems. The Director of Equity and Organizational Development also regularly reports to and interacts with the Rochester School Board.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Equity Review System
• Designs and implements a structured process for reviewing major district systems and decisions to ensure they effectively serve students with the greatest needs. Reviews budgeting, staffing, curriculum, and school improvement processes. Identifies areas where outcomes are uneven or insufficient and provides clear, actionable recommendations. Works with other members of the Central Office Leadership Team to ensure that identified issues are addressed through changes in RPS School Board policy, system design, and practice. Periodically reports to the RPS School Board on implementation of the Rochester Public Schools Equity Policy.
• Organizational Development and System Alignment
• Strengthens the district’s ability to operate as a coherent and effective organization. Improves coordination and communication across departments and schools. Supports alignment between district priorities and day-to-day implementation. Identifies breakdowns in execution and works with leaders to resolve them. Convenes cross-functional teams to address persistent system-level challenges.
• Continuous Improvement
• Supports the ongoing improvement of district systems based on data and experience. Identifies patterns in student outcomes and organizational performance. Brings attention to areas where progress is not occurring at the needed pace. Supports disciplined inquiry and problem-solving aligned with the district’s improvement system. Ensures that learning leads to adjustments in practice.
• Academic and Student Support System Alignment
• Works in partnership with other members of the Central Office Leadership Team (COLT) to review curriculum, instructional systems, student support systems, and school improvement plans. Ensures that these systems are responsive to student needs and aligned with district priorities. Provides input on whether plans are likely to produce improved outcomes for students who face barriers to academic success.
• Legal and Policy Alignment
• Supports district leadership in ensuring that system design and decision-making are consistent with applicable laws and policies. Reviews initiatives and processes for compliance and sustainability. Helps navigate complex and evolving legal requirements related to student access and opportunity.
• Employee Organizational Support
• Supports the effective functioning of employee resource groups and related initiatives by ensuring that insights from staff are connected to system-level decision-making. Helps strengthen organizational conditions that enable staff to effectively serve all students and that promotes retention of staff from backgrounds that are underrepresented when compared to the demographic composition of the student body in Rochester Public Schools.
• Community Engagement
• Serves as a primary district point of contact for community organizations, advocacy groups, and partner agencies that represent or support students from marginalized communities and students who face systemic barriers to learning. Builds productive relationships that enable Rochester Public Schools to better understand community perspectives, emerging concerns, and opportunities for collaboration. Synthesizes insights gathered through these relationships and works with district leaders to translate them into improvements in policy, system design, resource allocation, and practice. Helps ensure that external perspectives are meaningfully considered in district decision-making and continuous improvement efforts.
• Scope of Responsibility
• This position operates at the system level and does not directly supervise major departments or programs. The role exercises influence through structured review processes, analysis, and collaboration with district leaders. The position is responsible for ensuring that issues identified through its work lead to meaningful changes in systems and practices.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in education, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field
• Significant leadership experience in a complex organization, including responsibility for managing teams, leading initiatives, or overseeing major functions
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change or system-level improvement efforts
• Strong understanding of how large organizations function, including the interaction between strategy, operations, and implementation
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and improve systems related to student outcomes, organizational performance, or service delivery
• Experience using research, data, and evidence to inform decision-making and drive improvement
• Demonstrated understanding of factors that contribute to disparities in student outcomes and the ability to address those factors through system design rather than isolated interventions
• Experience working across departments or functions to achieve shared goals
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, build alignment, and navigate complex organizational dynamics

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a school district or similarly complex public-sector organization
• Experience with budgeting, staffing models, or resource allocation processes
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies or organizational development practices
• Experience working with diverse student populations and communities
• Experience navigating legal and policy considerations related to public education

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Systems thinking, including the ability to understand how multiple parts of an organization interact and affect outcomes
• Organizational leadership, including the ability to drive alignment and execution across teams
• Analytical skills, including the ability to interpret data and identify patterns that require action
• Problem-solving skills, including the ability to move from identifying issues to implementing solutions
• Communication skills, including the ability to convey complex ideas clearly though both the spoken and written word
• Capacity to work effectively with a range of stakeholders
• Ability to operate effectively in complex, high-visibility, and sometimes contentious environments
• Ability to maintain focus on outcomes while working collaboratively across the organization

Commitment to Equity:

Rochester Public Schools is committed to diversifying its workforce to better reflect the community we serve. We believe the practices used in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, supporting, and promoting staff must include and honor, at every level, those who represent the diverse identities of our schools and community.

https://www.rochesterschools.org/equity-statement

Common and Shared Accountabilities for All Positions

Employees of the Rochester Public School District #535 are expected to support the goals, model and promote an environment that is respectful for all, and work collaboratively with other staff to focus on the needs of the learner. A quality, customer focus that conveys a welcome attitude, an adaptability to change, and a desire for continuous improvement is also expected of all employees. In addition, staff are to respect confidential matters, encourage a safe and secure environment throughout the schools, and be dependable and accountable employees.

District information: To learn more about Rochester Public Schools, visit http://www.rochesterschools.org