JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Maine Office of the Attorney General is seeking a visionary leader with a passion and commitment for promoting equity in education to become the next Director of the Civil Rights Team Project (CRTP).
The CRTP, now in its 28th year, is a unique and exciting program designed to reduce bias-motivated behaviors and harassment in Maine schools. This is done through the formation and support of student civil rights teams, who engage their school communities in thinking and talking about issues related to race and skin color, national origin and ancestry, religion, disability, gender (including identity and expression), and sexual orientation.
This position is responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the Civil Rights Team Project. The Director offers structure and support for participating schools and implements programming for their civil rights teams. The CRTP currently supports student civil rights teams in over 150 elementary, middle level, and high schools in all regions of the state. This is a full-time position (40 hours/week) working out of our office in Augusta and serving the entire state. Occasional travel, sometimes overnight, may be required.
The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated leader with great interpersonal skills, a deep understanding of civil rights issues, and a commitment to ongoing learning about equity and inclusion in education.
Position responsibilities include:
- Reviewing and revising program structure, format, goals, objectives, and expectations.
- Developing and implementing annual trainings for adult advisors.
- Researching and developing content and best practices to share with civil rights teams.
- Understanding and explaining Maine’s civil rights and human rights protections, and how civil rights work differs from generic kindness and anti-bullying campaigns.
- Providing support for civil rights teams, adult advisors, schools, parents, and community while adhering to the CRTP’s policies against partisan political activity and representing the Maine Office of the Attorney General.
- Responding to requests regarding incidents of bias, improving school climate, and addressing problem behavior.
- Overseeing civil rights teams, including the review and analysis of activities and practices through regular reporting.
- Conducting occasional school visits for presentations, on site trainings, and meetings.
- Planning, developing, and coordinating annual statewide conference and/or in-person events for program participants.
- Coordinating and conducting outreach through partnership opportunities; media promotion, community networking, and community events.
- Promoting the Project and recruiting non-participating schools to join.
- Supervising the Project Assistant.
- Serving as a credible, trusted, statewide voice in furthering educational equity in the state of Maine.
Office of the Attorney General, State of Maine
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience working in or with schools, with classroom experience preferred.
- Deep knowledge of civil rights issues, especially as they apply to education and schools, acquired through education and training, work experience, or lived experience.
- Experience in training and facilitation.
- Experience designing content and curricula for others.
- Demonstrated ability to plan and execute a program or project through implementation and evaluation required, with experience in program development preferred.
- A proven commitment to the values of the Civil Rights Team Project, including the principle that every student should feel safe, welcome, and respected for who they are.
- Strong leadership skills and experience.
- Strong oral and written communications skills.
- A Bachelor’s Degree with two (2) years of experience in directly related field. Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.