Reporting to the President & CEO, the Director of Education, StageWise Parenting (SWP), serves as a key leader in The Cradle’s transformation from a century-old adoption services agency to a more inclusive human services organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening all families, both within and outside the context of adoption. The Director of Education provides strategic and operational leadership for The Cradle’s longstanding and recently rebranded online education platform. They are responsible for expanding the reach, relevance, and impact of The Cradle’s online education offerings. 

This is a dynamic time at The Cradle, as our 103-year-old organization grows and transforms to become more valuable to the broader parenting community. StageWise Parenting represents an important part of this transformation. Formerly known as Adoption Learning Partners, StageWise Parenting builds on The Cradle’s deep expertise in adoption and child and family well-being while expanding its reach to parents beyond the adoption world, with a focus on parents-to-be and newer parents from under-resourced communities. The Director will help position SWP as a trusted, accessible, and relevant source of education for parents, families, professionals, and organizations serving children and families.

This role is especially suited for a strategic builder who understands how to translate expertise into compelling educational offerings, has lived and/or professional experience in SWP’s focus communities, and excels in developing and deepening partnerships.

Essential Functions

Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive online education strategy that advances The Cradle’s mission, expands the organization’s reach and relevance, strengthens StageWise Parenting’s position as a trusted resource for parents and professionals, and contributes to organizational growth and sustainability. The Director is responsible for building and growing partnerships to reach new families and to identify opportunities to grow SWP. The Director collaborates closely with The Cradle Leadership and departments to build buy-in for and to implement online education strategies and initiatives.

Core responsibilities include:

Online Education Strategy and Program Development (40%)

• Lead and manage day-to-day operations for the StageWise Parenting Team (2 staff).
• Implement the vision for online education at The Cradle, consistent with the organization’s strategic direction.
• Position SWP as a trusted and distinctive source of education for parents, professionals,  and organizations serving children and families.
• Expand the each and relevance of SWP beyond its historical adoption audience while preserving and leveraging The Cradle’s expertise in adoption, child development, and child and family well-being.
• Identify merging needs, market opportunities, audience segments, and areas of unmet need that could inform new educational offerings, partnerships, and delivery models.
• Develop and maintain an annual plan for SWP, including goals, priorities, measures of success, and resource recommendations.
• Evaluate the effectiveness, relevance, and sustainability of existing educational  offerings and make recommendations regarding opportunities to expand, modify, sunset, and develop new offerings.
• Develop  pricing, packaging, and other strategies that support accessibility, participation, and financial sustainability.
• Establish and  monitor metrics for educational reach, participation, engagement, satisfaction, and impact.
• Build and manage an annual departmental budget.
• Oversee relationships with learning management system vendor and ensure that digital platforms effectively support education goals.

Curriculum and Educational Product Development (30%)

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of StageWise Parenting’s courses, webinars, and resources.
• Establish priorities for new curriculum development based on audience needs, organizational expertise, market opportunities, and strategic priorities.
• Ensure that educational content is current, evidence-informed, accessible, culturally responsive, practical, and aligned with The Cradle’s mission and values.
• Establish and maintain processes for reviewing curriculum quality, relevance,  effectiveness, and participant experience.
• Identify opportunities to translate The Cradle’s clinical, educational, and child and family expertise into new courses, resources, thought leadership, and other scalable educational products.
• Monitor developments in parenting education, child welfare, adoption, early childhood, family services, and related fields to identify opportunities for partnerships, growth, and new educational content.

Partnerships and External Engagement (20%)

• In collaboration with The Cradle Leadership, identify, cultivate, and maintain partnerships with community-based organizations, healthcare providers, social service organizations, educational institutions, professional organizations, and government agencies to expand the reach, relevance, and impact of StageWise Parenting.
• Represent The Cradle and SWP in external meetings, conferences, professional networks, and other forums.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Community Engagement colleagues to ensure that educational offerings are effectively positioned, promoted, and communicated to priority audiences.
• Work with Development colleagues to identify and pursue opportunities for philanthropic support of online education initiatives.

Team Leadership and Organizational Collaboration (10%)

• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, and professional development opportunities for the StageWise Parenting Team.
• Foster a collaborative, creative, accountable, and learning-oriented team culture.
• Collaborate closely with the CEO, Leadership Team, and other departments to ensure SWP is aligned and integrated with The Cradle’s broader services, communications, fundraising, and community engagement efforts. 

• 7+ years of progressive experience in education, program development, curriculum development, business development, or related field.
• Experience with online learning platforms, digital education, or educational technology, with hands on experience in instructional design and with content development tools a plus.
• Experience managing teams and working collaboratively across an organization, including leadership experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing strategy for an education- or training-oriented program or organization.
• Experience translating expertise into compelling educational programming, products, or services.
• Demonstrated ability to understand audiences and markets and use those insights to inform program strategy and development.
• Experience overseeing curriculum or educational content development, preferably for an audience similar to SWP’s core audience.
• Demonstrated success building and maintaining strategic partnerships and external relationships.
• Entrepreneurial orientation and demonstrated ability to identify opportunities, test ideas, learn from results, and adapt.
• Strong understanding of program development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically while also managing the details necessary to move complex projects forward.
• Belief that collaboration deepens impact, with a record of accomplishment to back it up.
• Commitment to The Cradle’s vision, mission, values, and strategic direction.
• Champion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, both within The Cradle and in external relationships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Experience developing or growing an educational program, service, or brand in a new market a plus.
• Video production and editing experience a plus.
• Proficiency in CRM platforms; experience with HubSpot is a plus
• Experience in parenting education, child welfare, adoption, early childhood, family services, or a related field a plus.

Additional Requirements

• All staff are required to undergo a background check, fingerprinting, and medical exam to meet DCFS requirements.

Working Conditions and Hours. The Cradle is located at 2049 Ridge Avenue in Evanston.

• Driving is an essential function of this position. Requires a valid driver’s license and insured personal vehicle for multiple site travel; clean driving record. 
• Regular hours are M-F, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Occasional weekend, early morning or evening hours required.
• Hybrid office hours, minimum of 2 days per week onsite plus      travel within service area as needed. Subject to change as department needs change.

Physical Requirements

• May be required to stand for extended periods of time on some occasions.
• Some heavy lifting may be required.

Candidates whose disabilities make them unable to meet these requirements will still be considered fully qualified if they can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.