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Impact Director

City Year · Chicago, IL · $73,000–$78,000 a year · Full time

Posted Jun 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you developed someone into a stronger leader.

What they are checking: Whether they invest in talent development, a key part of the role.

How do you keep AmeriCorps members committed through a demanding school year?

What they are checking: Whether they understand commitment-building and member retention, which shape both school results and the AmeriCorps grant.

As part of the Senior Leadership Team, how do you contribute beyond your own portfolio?

What they are checking: Whether they think about the whole site and not just their own schools.

Tell me about a time you led through a crisis or major disruption.

What they are checking: Whether they stay steady and lead clearly when something goes wrong.

What would you do

You lead teams serving six to eight Chicago Public Schools. How would you spend your first month?

What they are checking: Whether they would build relationships and understand each school before making changes.

One school team is thriving and another is struggling. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Whether they diagnose differences and move support where it is needed most.

A principal wants City Year members to cover tasks outside the service model. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they protect the model while keeping the principal as a partner.

How do you manage a team of managers so they grow without losing focus on students?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance staff development with daily school results.

About the work

How do you work with school administrators to set shared goals for student outcomes?

What they are checking: Whether they can align City Year's work with each school's own priorities.

What social-emotional and academic data would you track, and how would you act on it?

What they are checking: Whether they use data to improve the Whole School Whole Child model across schools.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by City Year.

Application Instructions Click Apply to submit your online application. Please attach a resume and thoughtful cover letter on the "My Experience" page in the "Resume/CV" field. Active City Year Staff members must login to Workday to apply internally. Work Location: 100% On-Site Position Overview The Impact Director leads the service implementation of City Year teams serving a portfolio of six to eight Chicago Public Schools partner schools. In partnership with school administration, they drive improved social-emotional and academic outcomes for students through each team’s delivery of the Whole School Whole Child model over the school year. At the same time, the Impact Director cultivates a pipeline of civic-minded change agents among both the City Year staff and AmeriCorps Volunteers of their portfolio through intentional talent development, commitment-building, and organizational alignment. Reporting to the Senior Director of Impact, the Impact Director serves on the site’s Senior Leadership Team, contributing individually and as a collective to strategic initiatives for the benefit of the site at large. -Starting salary range for this role is $73,000 - $78,000. -Anticipated start date for this role is summer 2026. -This is a primarily in-person role within school environments with flexibility to periodically work remotely. Job Description Responsibilities • Lead a portfolio of approximately fifty 18- to 25-year-old AmeriCorps volunteer Student Success Coaches (SSCs) who will serve with City Year over a ten-month period. • Hire, develop, and manage three to four Impact Managers to supervise and develop the City Year SSCs in the portfolio, driving their engagement with the program as evidenced by indicators of the AmeriCorps volunteer experience (e.g. retention, satisfaction, engagement). Direct evaluation initiatives such as AmeriCorps surveys and the AmeriCorps performance management process. • Responsible for all school based and student level service results including student academic performance, attendance and behavior goals for portfolio schools. • Manage school partner relationships within their school portfolio including implementing new school partnerships and renewing agreements with schools every year. Serve as the ‘executive contact’ for the school’s leadership team, forging a partnership with the school principal through formal and informal touch points throughout the year. Ensure that every school is meeting City Year’s Conditions for Success or implementing corrective actions to do so. • Inform the Learning and Development strategy for SSCs and Impact staff. Inform and participate in the execution of Service Leadership Institute, Mid-Year Summit and other learning initiatives. • Collaborate with City Year Chicago team members to contribute to the implementation of other organizational priorities in the communities we serve, including: AmeriCorps volunteer recruitment, registration, communications, compliance, fundraising, evaluation, and training. • Be accountable to, and responsible for, City Year’s mission, values, code of conduct, standards and organizational messages to the public, staff, and corps volunteers. • Work with the Senior Director of Impact, Senior Service Director, and other Impact Directors to develop and advance site strategy. Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor Degree in Education, Social Work, Urban Studies, Youth Work or other related field preferred but experience in management, non-profits, youth work, or education is acceptable. • At least two years of full-time experience in leading, supervising, coaching, teaching or managing young adults. • Authorized documentation to work in the United States • Ability to pass criminal background checks as required for working with school-age children Preferred Qualifications • City Year/AmeriCorps/Peace Corps experience a plus. • Proven relationships and experience working with and in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) or CPS contracted provider is a plus. • Experience and ability to hold principals, assistant principals and teachers accountable to shared goals and vision. • Previous community service work experience in non-profit, social service, or educational settings required. • Demonstrated project management competency. • Highly ethical standards of professionalism and integrity. • Ability to execute a strategic plan and motivate staff. • Ability to work as both an independent leader and a team member. • Excellent communication skills and strong writing skills.  Proficiency in computer skills (i.e. MS Office). COMPETENCIES - To succeed in this role, an applicant must have the following competencies: • Communication: understands audience to deliver convincing and well-organized presentations; facilitates effectively to move initiatives forward; uses brand to convey mission and goals; coaches others. • Team Leadership: successfully leads diverse teams of individuals to achieve results; sets priorities and appropriately delegates tasks; holds people accountable - proven ability to engage in cognitive conflict and hold staff accountable towards their performance goals. • Talent Development: maintains intellectual capital; shares leadership opportunities; supports talent development and staffing organization-wide; proven success managing diverse teams towards a common goal. • Decision Making/Judgment- understands and manages organizational decision-making, including integration across network/departments; effectively communicates, manages, owns, and champions decisions being implemented. • Strategic Thinking and Planning - develops and translates strategies into objectives, action plans, and measurements, which build the capacity of the site/department. • External Relationship Development: takes initiative in establishing new partnerships and external opportunities; ability to secure commitments to organization. WORKING CONDITIONS • Local travel required, including to local partner schools and events, and to other City Year sites and national conferences • Must have access to reliable transportation or the ability to navigate public transit • Occasional lifting or carrying of materials (e.g., event supplies, training materials) up to ~20 lbs. • Works a hybrid schedule, including typical 3-4 days in-person, with occasional periods of longer in-person commitments • Must have reliable internet access when participating in any required virtual meetings or trainings Required Applications Documents A cover letter and resume must be submitted to be considered for this position. Preferred resume formats will depict not only a candidate’s responsibilities and job functions in previous work, but will include specific, quantitative results where applicable. Additional quantitative context around specific budget sizes, team sizes, or other work environment information will help City Year compare the scale of your work environment with our operations. Benefits Full-time employees will be eligible for all benefits including vacation, sick days and organization holidays. You may participate in all benefit programs that City Year establishes and makes available to eligible employees, under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents that govern those programs. Currently, City Year offers medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and other benefits including 401(k) plan(s) pursuant to the terms and conditions of company policy and the 401(k) plan document. For more information, click here . Employment at City Year is at-will. City Year does not sponsor work authorization visas.

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