Excel Center Director

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is excited to begin its hiring process for the Excel Center. For those less familiar with the Excel Center, it provides a tuition-free education for adults seeking to obtain a high school diploma.  The Excel Center model was created by the Goodwill in Indianapolis in 2010, and has since grown to 47 schools across 10 states and Washington D.C.  Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois will open the first Excel Center in Illinois in Fall 2025. We are currently seeking to hire the Director who will oversee the school’s operations.

The Excel Center Director will provide a hands-on approach to leadership in directing, planning, managing, and coordinating the educational goals and vision of the school. The Director is responsible for meeting desired outcomes in the areas of operations, curriculum, personnel management and development, in accordance with the principles of The Excel Center. The responsibilities and essential functions will include:

Mission & Community Minded

Represents the school, as appropriate, in community planning and policy-making activities.
Creates and nurtures strategic partnerships, including employers, partners, and key leaders.
Ability to advocate and share information and outcomes with board members, funders, state staff, employers, and community stakeholders.
Establishes and maintains high levels of service and confidentiality.
Leadership

Develops strategies, goals and objectives for the school and manages the implementation of these objectives.
Hires, trains, and coaches staff to work with participants and community partners to achieve strategic initiatives throughout service territory.
Creates and maintains a safe and secure educational environment.
Leads strategic planning for the school within a fast-paced, high-change environment.
School Management

Participates in the development of overall educational strategies.
Assists instructors in setting priorities, facilitating meetings and developing their leadership skills.
Provides leadership in the development of new partnerships and/or methodologies in response to changing needs concerning students, test results and/or Indiana Academic Standards.
Works with the leadership team to ensure appropriate building management coverage for The Excel Center’s hours of operation.
Meets required State and local education standards.
Works with the leadership of Goodwill Education Initiatives (GEI) in establishing school goals and objectives.
Financial & Data Management

Manages and provides oversight of the budget and fiscal activities for the school.
Understands and implements effective tools for data collection and reporting.
Ensures decisions are data-driven with strong attention to metrics, data, and trends.
The above-listed responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities or duties required.  Incumbents will be expected to perform other duties as assigned.

The qualifications and basic job requirements include:

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required; master’s degree preferred.
Current Illinois Secondary Administrator’s License preferred but not required
5+ years in a school-related leadership role.
Prior experience managing groups of professionals.
Successful track record in development and execution of programs and services to individuals with barriers.
Proven ability to network, recruit, train, develop, and promote quality people.
Ability to gather and analyze data for informed decision making.
Compassionate, empathetic, and willing to think creatively to solve complex issues for individuals with complex needs.
Results oriented, competitive with a drive to succeed, and exhibits high levels of ethics.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to make timely and informed decisions and understand when to escalate issues.
Functional use of Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; ability to navigate the internet.
We look forward to receiving your resume and letter of interest regarding this position.

Goodwill offers competitive pay and benefits along with our positive working culture and flexible work environment. The pay range for this position is $75,000 – $90,000 per year. Goodwill’s Excel Center operates on a 12 month schedule.

Please note, at Goodwill, diversity, equity, and inclusion is who we are and it’s at the core of what we do.  That is why we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and we are excited that you are interested in working with us.  We encourage you to apply for any position that you feel best aligns with your background and experiences.  Regardless of ability, background, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, and faith, we commit to providing each applicant a hiring experience that allows you to bring your authentic self to the table.

If you need an alternative method to applying for this position, please contact Goodwill’s Human Resource Department at DEI@goodwillni.org.