About Ascend

Ascend is a network of high-performing public charter schools serving students across Brooklyn. Our mission is to ensure that all students—regardless of background—have access to an education that empowers them to unlock their full potential, achieve academic excellence, and pursue a future of boundless opportunity. We cultivate rigorous learning environments where students develop critical thinking skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

At Ascend, educational equity is a driving force. We are committed to closing the achievement gap by delivering high-quality instruction, fostering a culture of high expectations, and equipping every student with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in college and beyond. Through this unwavering commitment, we prepare students not only to succeed academically but to seize every opportunity that lies ahead.

About the Role

Ascend seeks a Senior Director of K-12 Humanities who will work closely with our Senior Managing Director of Schools and the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning to establish a strong vision and set of outcomes in our Humanities program. This role sits on our Teaching and Learning Team, which ensures that we provide students with a high-quality education that unlocks a life of boundless choice. We do this by creating the conditions for excellence across our schools. As the leader of our Humanities program, the Senior Director of K-12 Humanities will own our vision for Humanities instruction in K-12, manage the implementation of that vision, and ensure our leaders are equipped with the skills and knowledge to achieve that vision.

Key Responsibilities

Program Vision

• Create, refine, and plan a pathway to achieve our vision for Humanities instruction in grades K-12.
• Invest in our broader community's shared approach to humanities instruction, including our curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and data analysis and response.
• Content expert with demonstrated excellence in Humanities instruction across multiple academic levels, using established pedagogical frameworks.
• Proven track record of moving students from all performance bands to mastery within Humanities classrooms.
• Skilled at creating and sustaining academically rigorous and joyful classroom environments that accelerate student growth, while effectively accommodating diverse learning needs.

Implementation Management

• Research, select, pilot, and implement our best-in-class Humanities curriculum that aligns with our vision for literacy.
• Create, refine, and implement our network-wide strategy to ensure our humanities program aligns with our vision and beliefs.
• Develop, implement, and refine our professional development for both leaders and teachers aligned to our vision for humanities and curriculum implementation.
• Continuously provide feedback to our schools and network on the quality and implementation of humanities at our campuses, and ensure an urgency in moving towards our vision.

Data Driven Leadership

• Proficiency in utilizing questions, question taxonomy, and objective-aligned data to identify areas of strength and opportunity across student, classroom, grade, and school-wide contexts.
• Mastery of the design of data response plans to close academic gaps in the Humanities.
• Ability to use data to inform and invest leaders and teachers in specific decision-making and response plans.



Team Management

• Recruit, manage, and develop Directors of Humanities for any academic levels not managed directly by the Senior Director of K-12 Humanities.
• In partnership with the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning and other Senior Directors, build and implement our strategy for managing and developing the teaching and learning team.
• Ensure that all Directors and Associate Directors of Humanities and History achieve their KPIs and OKRs aligned with our goals for school success.

Academy Ownership

In addition to managing the Humanities program, the Senior Director of K-12 Humanities will serve as a Director of Literacy for one of our three academy models: Lower School, Middle School, or High School.

Staff and Reporting Relationships

The Senior Director of K-12 Humanities reports to the Managing Director of Teaching and Learning

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in a related field strongly preferred
• Four or more years of teaching experience with exceptional results in Humanities instruction
• Two or more years of experience developing teachers and delivering outstanding professional development, with experience developing leaders strongly preferred
• 4+ years of experience as a Humanities teacher with demonstrated results of moving students to strong academic outcomes.
• 2+ years of experience coaching Humanities teachers to drive strong academic outcomes preferred, but not required
• Demonstrated experience managing curriculum.
• Experience working with online assessment and LMS, such as Illuminate and Pear, preferred.

Skills and Traits

• Deep understanding of the P-12 Learning Standards and New York’s P-12 Learning Standards-aligned state assessments, data-driven instruction (DDI), and the ability to execute DDI at scale
• Extensive knowledge of humanities pedagogies and programs, and effective practice, culturally responsive and anti-racist humanities curriculum and instruction
• Superb organizational, project management, self-management skills, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to support, train, and coach humanities educators;
• Passion and commitment to education and our ultimate goal of closing the opportunity gap
• Demonstrated ability to develop leaders to achieve outstanding results
• Insistence on academic excellence and rigor
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• A strong desire for continuous learning and improvement in one’s own practice
• Alignment with the educational philosophy and core beliefs of Ascend Learning

This full-time, exempt position offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching
• Generous paid time off and additional employee benefits

Location & Work Arrangement

• Based in our Brooklyn, NY office
• Hybrid work schedule requiring in-office presence at least three days per week
• Occasional professional conference travel



In-person work expectations include network office time, stakeholder meetings, school visits, special events, and other role-specific responsibilities as determined by management.