Administrative K-16 for Bilingual Education or ELLs
Required Education:
Masters
Wisconsin Center for Education Research University of Wisconsin-Madison
Chief Educator Learning Officer
THE SEARCH
WIDA, an international leader in the research and development of products and services to support multilingual language learners and their educators, invites applications for the inaugural role of Chief Educator Learning Officer (CELO). WIDA offers a fully integrated, research-based academic language development system, including language standards, assessments, professional learning, research, and technical assistance. The organization is housed in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at the top-ranked School of Education (SOE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). Since its founding in 2003, WIDA has experienced impressive growth and currently employs 150 staff members with annual revenues exceeding $80 million.
Reporting to the Founder/Executive Director of WIDA and serving as a member of the organization’s Executive Leadership team, the CELO will help to transform the organization as it continues to evolve to meet educator needs. WIDA has a long-standing commitment to providing professional learning and research along with its signature language standards and summative assessments. In creating the new CELO position, it elevates the critical importance of these services in support of multilingual learner educators. These resources align with WIDA’s core mission and values, and help to distinguish the organization in an increasingly crowded market.
The CELO will lead a newly merged team of around 40 professionals and direct a $6 million budget that spans research and development, professional learning, digital learning innovation, WIDA Español, and that has built-in flexibility for growth objectives and further innovation. In addition to serving as a core member of WIDA’s leadership team, the CELO will support a highly effective staff of subject matter experts to develop and operationalize the organization’s vision for next generation professional development, educator tools, content support, and research. WIDA’s goal is to ensure timely, innovative, and relevant resources are delivered in support of educators and stakeholders across the PreK-12 landscape.
The CELO will be a mission-focused and strategic leader with a deep understanding of PreK-12 educator learning, e-learning and education technology, and instructional delivery, with a steadfast commitment to WIDA’s vision of being the most trusted and valued resource in supporting the education of multilingual learners (MLLs). The successful candidate will hold a master’s degree in education, instructional design, or a related field of study, and have at least seven years of management experience effectively leading a team of committed professionals who are high performers and motivated by their outcomes and impacts on the field.
WIDA has retained the national search firm Isaacson, Miller to assist in this important search. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed to the search firm as indicated below:
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). Candidates who are selected as finalists will be invited for campus interviews and their names will be announced publicly.
The University of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
Employment will require a criminal background check. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
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