Summary

Description

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President of External Engagement is a senior strategic leader responsible for driving DSST’s engagement with all community groups towards our outcomes. This role ensures that every DSST school exceeds our enrollment, cultivates partnership, and positions DSST as a partner of choice across Colorado key communities and stakeholder groups. The VP will develop an ecosystem of external engagement, a suite of new tools for a changing landscape, and will develop the external leaders towards an elevated profile. In summary, the VP of External Engagement is the leader of activating, cultivating and engaging all aspects of the DSST community that results in higher enrollment, family and community commitment, coalition building and partnership.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Strategic External Leadership & Ecosystem Development (30%)

Design and implement a network-wide external engagement strategy aligned with DSST’s enrollment, policy, and partnership goals.
Build and steward an ecosystem of families, civic leaders, community organizations, and influencers to elevate DSST’s visibility and impact.
Anticipate and respond to shifts in the external landscape, developing adaptive tools and approaches to maintain relevance and community leadership.
Analyze feedback from community groups to refine engagement processes and increase goal attainment.
Serve as the strategic lead on enrollment and partnership goals for the DSST Senior Leadership Team.
Build and maintain network-wide systems to track enrollment, engagement, and growth initiatives.
Develop systems to provide clarity and accountability for school leaders, CERMs, and DSST leadership.
Partner with internal teams to strengthen cross-functional alignment.

Enrollment Strategy & Community Activation (20%)

Achieve annual enrollment targets by October count across all campuses year after year by working towards a waitlist at every school.
Lead the development of a comprehensive, programmatic, and community-oriented student and family recruitment platform.
Oversee and continuously refine systems and cycles that drive enrollment conversion, aligned with DSST’s external operating system.
· Develop targeted strategies for hard-to-fill grade levels and increase enrollment at Cole campus.
· Build a replicable model for future school openings to ensure full enrollment and waitlists from launch.

Family & Community Engagement (10%)

Lead DSST’s strategy for engaging and connecting across all community groups to build coalitions and drive value-add relationships.
Coach and develop all leaders at the Home Office and campus to maximize impact.
Build sustainable partnerships with parent groups and community leaders to deepen trust and extend DSST’s reach.
Design engagement programs that turn the DSST community into advocates and champions for the network.
Use survey data, feedback loops, and engagement metrics to continuously improve family and community engagement efforts.

Strategic Partnerships & Coalition Building (10%)

Cultivate high-impact partnerships with local and statewide organizations, government entities, and advocacy groups.
Represent DSST in key forums, coalitions, and public events to advance our mission and influence.
Identify and pursue joint initiatives that benefit DSST students and communities.
Develop leadership capacity throughout DSST to engage with all community groups.
Manage vendor and consultant relationships to ensure high-value contributions to DSST’s goals.

External Leadership & Public Presence 10%

Serve as a key external leader alongside the CEO, representing DSST in convenings, conferences, and education events.
Participate on the Crisis Response Team, providing leadership during moments of public or organizational challenge.
Act as a visible ambassador for DSST’s values, equity commitments, and strategic priorities across Denver and Aurora.

Strategic Growth & Expansion (10%)

Oversee DSST’s student recruitment enrollment effort in growth planning, aligned with the goal of serving 10,000 students by 2035.
Collaborate with the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leaders to set and achieve enrollment growth targets.
Partner with Finance and Development to build financial models and sustainability projections that support filling every seat.

Stakeholder & External Relations (5%)

Build and maintain strong relationships with policymakers, funders, district leaders, and education advocates.
Engage alumni, families, and community partners in advocacy efforts that strengthen DSST’s presence and impact.
Shape community engagement and build widespread support for DSST through effective communication and advocacy

Additional Duties (5%)

Model our Core Values, Commitment to the Human Condition, and our commitment to equity as a Leader within the Network
Play an active leadership role in building and sustaining Home Office culture
Engage with our school communities to actively build relationships between our schools and the home office
Participate in & support the execution of Home Office & Network-wide events

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience in external engagement or community relations, or related fields.
At least 6 years of proven leadership experience managing high-performing teams and cross-functional initiatives.
At least 6 years of demonstrated success in building and executing engagement strategies that drive measurable outcomes.
Strong data literacy and experience using dashboards, analytics tools, or CRM systems to inform strategy and decision-making.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport across diverse stakeholder groups.
Experience partnering with schools or educational institutions, particularly in urban or underserved communities.
Ability to travel regularly across DSST campuses and external sites in Colorado.
Deep commitment to educational equity, DSST’s mission, and its Core Values.

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s degree in education leadership, public administration, business, or related field.
Direct experience working in a charter school network or public school system, with an understanding of school enrollment dynamics and accountability frameworks.
Strong understanding of the Colorado education landscape, including key communities, advocacy groups, funders, and policy influencers.
Demonstrated ability to design and lead network-wide systems, including data dashboards and performance management tools.
Experience in strategic growth planning, including financial modeling, stakeholder alignment, and partnership development.
Successful track record in collaborating with development/fundraising teams to align external engagement efforts with philanthropic goals.
Experience working closely with boards of directors, senior executives, and public officials.
Background in alumni relations, advocacy campaigns, or grassroots organizing is a plus.

WHO WE ARE

At DSST Public Schools, we are proud to be the largest and highest-performing network of public charter schools in Denver and Aurora with 100% of our students having been accepted into college or post secondary programs since our inception in 2004. When you join DSST, you play a part in ensuring all 7,500+ students at our 16 schools have access to a transformational and joyful education.

INTERVIEW EXPECTATIONS

For most of our positions, we hire on a rolling basis. Therefore, we recommend that you submit your application as soon as you are able! You can learn more about what to expect in our interview process here.

WHY JOIN DSST?

At DSST, we know that our people are the greatest asset we have in reaching our mission of eliminating educational inequity. We work hard to build a work culture that allows our staff to not only feel fulfilled by the work they do but also feel supported to live a joyful, healthy life. We want this work to be your life’s work. Check out why our teachers love working at DSST as well as our benefits website to learn how we deliver on our commitment to the human condition.

Health and Supplemental Insurance: DSST staff have access to comprehensive medical benefits, including fertility benefits and a mental health counselor that is dedicated solely to DSST staff.
Time Off: DSST Staff enjoy 11+ weeks off per year + paid PTO (from Day 1!)
Professional Development: As a learning organization, DSST values both internal and external development opportunities for staff. See some examples below:
- DSST Back to School Development Series including New Staff Institute, New Educator Institute, New Leader Institute, Leader You, and Teaching & Learning Institute.
- Weekly 1:1 Coaching from a School Administrator at your campus.
- Clear internal career pathway opportunities such as our Apprentice Teachers, Emerging Leaders, and School Director in Training Programs. Read more here.
And more!

DSST COMMUNITY REFERRAL PROGRAM

Not a best fit role for you but know someone else who would be a great fit? Refer them here and earn $500 if they are hired!

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

DSST Public Schools is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not exclude participation in, deny benefits to or discriminate on the basis of, race, color, religion, National origin, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), Age (40 and older), Disability, Genetic information (including employer requests for, or purchase, use, or disclosure of genetic tests, genetic services, or family medical history), retaliation for filing a charge, reasonably opposing discrimination, or participating in a discrimination lawsuit, investigation, or proceeding in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities.

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is active and may require standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, and crouching throughout the day. The employee must lift and/or move items up to 30 pounds. The employee must have sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.