Summer Fellow, Partnership and Innovation

Description

The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) is a nonprofit that supports public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. We partner with Chicago Public Schools, the City of Chicago, the local philanthropic community, and school leaders to build and sustain a culture of innovation, a love for learning, and a passion for service to students. For more than two decades, our programs, policy work, and data infrastructure have made a measurable, positive impact in schools and improve outcomes for students. 

SUMMER FELLOW – PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION 

We are currently seeking a Summer Fellow to support The Fund's Partnerships and Innovation team in coordinating and ensuring the successful execution of our SY2025-2026 programs. This proactive individual will work closely with a small, cross-functional team to plan and manage impactful programs, while also enhancing the visibility and strategy of pilot initiatives through effective communication and partnership engagement. 

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Summer Fellow will report to Elisabethe Ocon.  Responsibilities for the Summer Fellow – Partnerships and Innovation include but are not limited to: 

• Conduct scholarly research (10-15 anchored texts) on the significance of supporting and elevating the role of school managers and connect to the team’s theory of change and theory of action/program strategy.  
• Partner with the team to refine the program management system for the Partnerships portfolio, including tools and systems for logistics, monitoring, and tracking program progress for the 2025-2026 program year. 
• Collaborate with the team to highlight impact stories and promote programs by interviewing stakeholders and using targeted communication, such as newsletters, blog posts, and other content showcasing program outcomes and insights.  
• Develop and complete a capstone project with the goal of advancing The Fund’s work;  

Requirements

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS   

The Fund is seeking an initiative-taking professional. Successful candidates will have: 

• Strong ability to manage, organize, and communicate multiple details effectively, often under tight deadlines.  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.  
• Skilled in planning and executing events from start to finish, incorporating insights from past events. 
• Intermediate or advanced proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. 
• Experience with Monday.com and other project management tools for organizing tasks and tracking progress across programs (preferred). 
• Ability to assess current programmatic systems and develop innovative solutions (preferred).  
• Knowledge of and/or experience in a school setting (preferred). 

 Candidates who may not fit all the qualifications listed above are still encouraged to apply. We especially encourage BIPOC and women candidates to apply.   

COMPENSATION 

Summer Fellows will be paid $21/ hour, 40 hours a week. Please note that The Fund team is an in-person organization, working in schools and out of our office in downtown Chicago. We do have a flexible work policy, with at least one work-from-home day per week. 

START DATE: June 16 – August 8, 2025. 

Please visit https://thefundchicago.org/who-we-are/careers/ to navigate to the job description. Once there, use the "Apply" button to submit your application: resume and cover letter in .pdf or .docx formats.