Position Description:

The Yonkers Public Schools City School District is seeking candidates with exceptional credentials and a proven track record of visionary and aspirational leadership in an urban school district. The successful candidate must be prepared to build upon the strong progress made by the current Superintendent over the past eight years in student achievement outcomes and educators' professional growth. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to provide cutting-edge leadership and strategies that promote student achievement aligned to the District's action-driven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) belief system, with a focus on the following goals:

• Enhancing student achievement
• Providing opportunities for professional development
• Creating a data-driven, accountable culture
• Encouraging stakeholder involvement and engagement
• Prioritizing fiscally responsible budgeting

The successful candidate must have the requisite skills to develop and communicate a vision of quality education for the future to the Board of Education, staff, and community, with successful experience in the selection and implementation of educational priorities consistent with the interests and needs of students, staff, the Board of Education, and the community.

Reports To: The Board of Education

Duties and Responsibilities:

As the chief executive officer, the Superintendent is responsible for implementing the policies of the Board of Education and administering the School District. The Superintendent suggests policies necessary for the effective functioning of the District to implement state and federal regulations and rules as well as procedures to support established policies.

The Superintendent:

• has the authority to organize, reorganize, and arrange the administrative and supervisory staff, including instruction and business affairs, subject to the approval of the Board of Education;
• is responsible for the placement and transfer of personnel as well as hiring, termination and tenure, subject to the approval of the Board of Education;
• is a visible presence in the schools to emphasize the importance of classroom interactions;
• provides the Board of Education with the information, analysis and professional advice needed to formulate policy and monitor District operations; and
• creates and sustains a climate of collegiality among staff and parents.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate should have the following skills and experience:

• Experience as a Superintendent, Deputy, or Assistant Superintendent, or building principal with a demonstrated record of improving student achievement.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Inspire trust, have high levels of self-confidence and optimism, and model high standards of integrity and personal performance.
• Possess the leadership skills required to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by an ethnically and culturally diverse community.
• Excellent communication skills - speaking, listening, and writing - with the ability to effectively respond to the expectations and concerns of students, staff, parents, and the Board of Education.
• Strongly committed to a "student-first" philosophy in all decisions.
• Experience implementing short and long-term financial strategies and procedures designed to make the best use of federal, state, and local resources.
• Possess the ability to enhance student performance, especially in identifying and closing or narrowing gaps in student achievement.
• Promote a positive and professional environment for District employees and the Board of Education.
• Display and embrace a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Demonstrate a commitment to community visibility with high interest in a broad range of community groups and organizations.
• Identify and select buildings and central office administrators capable of advancing District's vision.
• Experience recruiting and maintaining exceptional staff for the District and schools.
• Experience in the preparation of an annual school budget in accordance with the best estimate of costs and available revenue and resources. The budget must have recommendations for the introduction, continuation or expansion of programs and services which meet the educational needs and priorities of the learning community.

At the time of appointment, the successful candidate must possess:

• A Masters Degree (Doctoral degree preferred).
• A New York State School Business Administrator (SBA), School District Business Leader (SDBL), School District Administrator (SDA), or School District Leader (SDL) certificate.