Chief Learning & Innovation Officer (CLIO)

PENDERGAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Chief Learning & Innovation Officer (CLIO)

EXEMPT: Yes JOB CODE:

SALARY LEVEL: Administrative/Cabinet DEPARTMENT: Educational Services

LOCATION: District OfficeTERM OF EMPLOYMENT: 12 Month

REPORTS TO: Superintendent DATE APPROVED: February 3 2025

POSITION LEVEL: Cabinet

SUMMARY:

The Chief Learning & Innovation Officer (CLIO) serves as the districts senior executive responsible for academic strategy instructional quality and the continuous evolution of the student learning experience. Working collaboratively with the Superintendent and district leadership the CLIO ensures learning systems are coherent equitable and aligned to district goals future-ready outcomes and community expectations.

The CLIO leads the design implementation and continuous improvement of curriculum instruction assessment professional learning content and instructional innovation across the alignment with the districts strategic plan and social enterprise operating model the CLIO develops scalable instructional models and innovation strategies that strengthen system coherence support school leaders and position the district as a regional leader in learning design and delivery.

Through disciplined instructional leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement the CLIO partners closely with the COO CTO and CCIO to ensure teaching and learning priorities are supported by operational systems talent strategies and community partnerships. The successful CLIO balances innovation with rigorensuring new approaches improve outcomes can be sustained at scale and meaningfully enhance the student experience.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters degree in education curriculum and instruction educational leadership or a related field.
• Progressive senior-level leadership experience overseeing curriculum instruction assessment and school improvement in a K12 public education setting.
• Demonstrated experience supervising and developing school leaders including principals and district instructional leaders.
• Deep knowledge of teaching and learning including curriculum design instructional frameworks assessment systems and evidence-based instructional practices.
• Demonstrated ability to lead districtwide improvement efforts including the use of data inquiry cycles and continuous improvement via improvement science approaches.
• Proven experience designing and scaling instructional initiatives ensuring coherence sustainability and impact across multiple schools.
• Strong collaborative leadership skills with the ability to partner effectively with executive leaders school leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate instructional priorities and performance clearly to diverse audiences including educators families and governing boards.
• Experience operating within accountability and compliance requirements related to curriculum instruction assessment and school performance.
• Arizona Superintendent or Administrative Certification (or demonstrated eligibility).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) in education leadership or a related field.
• Experience serving as a district-level chief academic learning or instructional officer or in a comparable systemwide leadership role.
• Experience leading improvement science at scale including coaching leaders in disciplined inquiry implementation cycles and performance improvement.
• Demonstrated success balancing instructional rigor with innovation including piloting and scaling new learning models.
• Experience aligning professional learning systems to instructional priorities in partnership with human resources or talent leaders.
• Experience partnering with operations and community leaders to ensure learning priorities are supported by systems resources and engagement strategies.
• Experience working within an enterprise or systems-based organizational model.

Such alternatives to the above required & preferred qualifications as the Superintendent/Designee may find appropriate and acceptable.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Chief Learning & Innovation Officer (CLIO) provides executive leadership for the districts learning enterprise ensuring that curriculum instruction assessment school leadership and continuous improvement systems operate coherently to improve student outcomes. The CLIO supervises Educational Services and all site leaders. Essential duties include but are not limited to the following:

1. Lead the development and execution of a districtwide academic strategy aligned to district goals and the PESD Portrait of a Graduate.
2. Design and maintain coherent learning systems that align curriculum instruction assessment intervention and professional learning across schools.
3. Ensure instructional priorities are clearly articulated consistently implemented and supported at scale.
4. Oversee the design selection implementation and continuous improvement of district curriculum and instructional frameworks.
5. Ensure curriculum and instructional practices are standards-aligned research-informed and focused on high expectations and meaningful learning.
6. Lead the development and use of assessment systems to monitor learning inform instruction and guide improvement.
7. Design pilot and scale high-impact instructional models and learning innovations that improve student outcomes.
8. Balance innovation with rigor by ensuring new approaches are sustainable scalable and effective.
9. Supervise support and evaluate Educational Services staff and all site leaders.
10. Build instructional leadership capacity of principals through coaching aligned professional learning and clear expectations.
11. Establish accountability systems that support principal effectiveness and school improvement.
12. Provide districtwide leadership for the implementation of improvement science systems across all schools.
13. Build capacity of school and district leaders to use data inquiry cycles and disciplined problem-solving to improve practice.
14. Monitor implementation and impact of improvement efforts and adjust strategies as needed.
15. Ensure professional learning content aligns to instructional priorities and supports high-quality implementation.
16. Partner with the Chief Talent Officer to align adult learning leadership development and performance support to instructional goals.
17. Design learning environments that support student engagement belonging and academic growth.
18. Use qualitative and quantitative data to inform instructional decisions and prioritize improvement efforts.
19. Partner with the Chief Operations Officer to ensure operational systems support instructional priorities and school needs.
20. Collaborate with the Chief Community Impact Officer to ensure family engagement and community partnerships reinforce learning priorities.
21. Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Superintendent and executive leadership team.
22. Ensure compliance with applicable federal state and local requirements related to curriculum instruction assessment and accountability.
23. Communicate instructional performance progress risks and improvement strategies clearly to the Superintendent and Governing Board.
24. Provide principled respectful counsel and candid feedback at all levels of the organization including upward; ensuring alignment with district values brand integrity and public transparency.
25. Serve as a member of the District Leadership Team and Superintendents Cabinet contributing to enterprise-wide leadership and decision-making.
26. Model relationship-centered servant leadership that builds trust shared ownership and accountability.
27. Adheres to District policies procedures/processes that are statutorily mandated.
28. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Superintendent or designee.

EVALUATION: At least once annually in accordance with Governing Board Policy.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to define problems collect data establish facts and draw conclusions; ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several concrete variables.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read analyze and interpret education materials and programs; ability to write reports procedure manuals and correspondence; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of teachers students administration and the community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference; ability to apply concepts such as fractions percentages ratios and proportions to practical situations.

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 job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand walk sit and use hands to handle or feel objects or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop kneel crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision distance vision color vision peripheral vision depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SUPERVISION: Educational Services Division Site Leadership

Required Experience:

Chief