Director of Language and Literacy & MLL

Position Description
Rocketship Public Schools seeks an experienced Director of Language and Literacy & MLL to strengthen the organization’s literacy strategy, multilingual learner supports, instructional support, and program implementation across regions. This role partners closely with network and school leaders to advance high-quality literacy instruction, written and oral language development, equitable access to grade-level content, and strong outcomes for students.

The Director of Language and Literacy & MLL helps shape the planning, implementation, review, and continuous improvement of literacy-related curriculum, instruction, and multilingual learner supports. This leader works in close partnership with the Senior Director of Language and Literacy and other academic leaders to ensure literacy and multilingual learner priorities are aligned to state standards, network goals, and instructional practices that drive student achievement and instructional excellence.

The ideal candidate brings strong systems thinking, deep literacy expertise, knowledge of language development, project management, and the ability to influence across teams. This leader builds strong partnerships with school leaders, teachers, and Network Support Team colleagues to ensure schools receive excellent literacy and multilingual learner support in service of Rocketeers and families. The Director of Language and Literacy & MLL reports to the Senior Director of Language and Literacy.

The following are essential functions related to the role:

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential. This role requires significant travel, which could be up to 25% of the Director’s time. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.   Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.   Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.  For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.

Advance Rocketship’s literacy and multilingual learner strategy by:

Setting the vision and direction of multilingual learning pedagogy and implementation

Advising academic and school leaders on effective literacy instruction, multilingual learner supports, and program implementation

Analyzing student achievement, language proficiency, coaching, and observation data to identify priorities and inform action plans

Leading professional learning to strengthen literacy instruction and support multilingual learners across regions

Supporting curriculum adoption and guiding rollout of literacy, language, and integrated English language development supports

Coordinating with network achievement team members to align instructional support and resources, including any customization to curriculum

Monitoring progress toward literacy and multilingual learner goals to inform network and regional support

Build capacity across teams by:

Recommending high-quality instructional materials and planning resources

Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen literacy and multilingual learner programming

Coaching and developing team members in content knowledge, pedagogy, and implementation toward strong instructional outcomes

Leading regular team meetings to align priorities and monitor progress

Conducting school visits to inform support, planning, and strategy

Contributing to team member feedback, growth, and evaluation processes

Building the capacity of regional achievement team members and school-based leads in language acquisition, literacy, and data-informed instructional practice

Design professional learning & coaching by:

Training regional leaders, school leaders, and other instructional staff in strong literacy practices, instructional strategies, and support for multilingual learners

Observing instruction and reviewing curriculum to identify strengths and improvement needs

Providing actionable feedback grounded in observation, student performance, and language development data

Developing tools and resources that support curriculum implementation and integrated language development

Helping facilitate network-wide professional development

Partnering with principals and regional leaders to plan professional learning aligned to school needs and multilingual learner priorities

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required

3+ years of experience coaching, managing, or developing adults toward strong instructional and student outcomes in a high-performing charter, district, or similar

2–4 additional years of successful teaching experience, preferably in elementary settings, with a record of strong student achievement

Experience leading curriculum development, implementation, instructional projects, and/or school-based academic initiatives (Experience with Amplify CKLA strongly preferred)

Experience designing and delivering professional development to varied audiences

Expertise in literacy curriculum design and development, with a strong understanding of English language development and multilingual learner instruction

Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines