Job Description
FirstLine Schools: Chief Innovation Manager
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Type: Full-Time (Three-Year Term)
Position Summary:
FirstLine Schools seeks a strategic and forward-thinking Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) to lead the responsible integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies across the organization. This role will design and implement a network-wide innovation strategy that accelerates student learning, strengthens teaching practice, and modernizes organizational workflows.
The CIO will partner closely with teachers, school leaders, and network teams to pilot new approaches, learn from practice, and scale what works. This leader must be comfortable leading change in complex educational environments—acting as a thoughtful disruptor who challenges systems, tests ideas alongside educators, and ensures innovation remains grounded in strong pedagogy and FirstLine’s mission.
The CIO will also help prepare students and staff to thrive in an AI-enabled world by building systems that promote ethical, responsible, and equitable use of technology.
Why This Role Is Unique:
This role offers a rare opportunity to shape how artificial intelligence is integrated into a public school system from the ground up.
Rather than simply implementing technology tools, the Chief Innovation Officer will work directly with educators and leaders to redesign learning experiences and organizational systems. The role combines classroom-centered experimentation with network-level strategy, ensuring innovation is both practical and mission-aligned.
The CIO will have the opportunity to:
- Pilot and scale AI-enabled learning in real classrooms
- Work closely with teachers, school leaders, and senior leadership to shape strategy
- Reduce educator workload while strengthening instructional impact
- Expand equitable access to future-ready learning opportunities
- Position FirstLine Schools as a leader in thoughtful, responsible innovation in public education
What Success Looks Like in the First Three Years:
The CIO will establish a strong foundation for responsible AI integration across FirstLine Schools. Success will be measured by meaningful improvements in teaching, learning, and organizational effectiveness.
A Clear AI Strategy:
A network-wide roadmap for AI integration aligned to academic priorities, including ethical guardrails and systems for evaluating and scaling high-impact tools.
AI-Enabled Teaching and Learning:
Pilot programs demonstrating how AI tools can strengthen instruction, accelerate feedback, and support lesson planning, differentiation, and assessment.
Student AI Literacy:
A K–8 framework that builds students’ understanding of artificial intelligence, responsible technology use, and connections to future careers.
Modernized Workflows:
Reduced administrative burden for teachers and leaders through AI-assisted tools and improved systems for data analysis and organizational decision-making.
A Sustainable Culture of Innovation:
Teacher and leader innovation teams regularly piloting new practices, supported by professional learning systems that build internal capacity for continued innovation.
Position Responsibilities
Strand 1: AI Strategy & Organizational Innovation
Lead the development and implementation of a network-wide AI and innovation strategy.
- Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap for AI integration across schools and the network office
- Establish clear expectations and guardrails for responsible AI use
- Lead pilot programs to test and evaluate emerging tools
- Build systems to monitor impact and scale effective practices
- Identify and manage partnerships with universities, technology organizations, and research groups
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team on innovation and future-facing strategy
Strand 2: AI-Enabled Teaching & Learning
Partner with academic and school teams to integrate AI tools that support strong instruction.
- Collaborate with the Chief Academic Officer to integrate AI thoughtfully into teaching and learning
- Support implementation of high-leverage tools such as adaptive tutoring, feedback systems, and literacy supports
- Facilitate teacher innovation teams that pilot and refine instructional uses of AI
- Design and deliver professional learning that builds teacher and leader capacity to use AI responsibly and effectively
Strand 3: Student AI Literacy & Future Readiness
Develop and oversee a K–8 AI literacy framework.
- Design a program that helps students understand how AI works and how it affects society
- Teach responsible technology use, digital citizenship, and bias awareness
- Connect AI learning to real-world problem solving and future career pathways
- Ensure equitable access to AI learning opportunities across schools
Strand 4: Operational Efficiency & Workflow Modernization
Identify ways AI can improve organizational effectiveness.
- Support teachers in reducing administrative workload through AI-assisted planning, grading, and communication tools
- Equip school leaders with tools for data analysis, scheduling, and student progress monitoring
- Partner with network teams to streamline operational processes and improve decision-making
- Build staff confidence and capacity to use AI in daily work
Other Duties As Assigned
Education & Experience
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred)
- Experience leading innovation, change initiatives, or technology integration in education or a related field
- Experience working directly with educators to pilot and scale new practices
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects across teams or departments
Preferred:
- Experience implementing AI or emerging technologies in education
- Experience designing professional learning for educators
- Experience building partnerships across sectors
Desired Qualities & Characteristics:
- Believe in every student’s ability to achieve in a rigorous college or career prep curriculum
- Achieve results based on agreed-upon expectations
- Take personal responsibility
- Highly detail-oriented
- Open to learning and evolving with AI as a tool at work
- Comfortable challenging existing systems in service of improvement
- Excited to work alongside teachers, leaders, and senior staff to co-design solutions
- Collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
- Share a commitment to creating great schools in New Orleans
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to embed and model the FirstLine Commitments:
We Keep Learning, We Work Together, We Are Helpful, We Are the Safekeepers of our Community, We Share Joy, We Show Results!
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here represent 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 essential functions. Occasional physical exertion is required, including exerting up to 20 pounds of force as needed to move objects.
Supervises:
None
About FirstLine Schools:
In 1998, FirstLine Schools started the first charter school in New Orleans. FirstLine now operates several (Pre)K-8th grade schools. Our mission is to create and inspire great, open-admissions public schools in New Orleans. Our staff is a diverse and talented group dedicated to our students’ success and to their own growth. Our schools are led by leaders who hold themselves accountable for student achievement and teacher development.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. FirstLine Schools offers a comprehensive benefits package including a 403b plan.
FirstLine Schools is an equal employment opportunities (EEO) organization.
About FirstLine Schools
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The mission of FirstLine Schools is to create and inspire great, open admissions public schools in New Orleans
Our Vision
Our schools will prepare students for college, fulfilling careers, and a healthy life by nurturing students in mind, body, and spirit.
Why FirstLine Schools?
We Believe In:
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Deeply Committing to Teacher Support and Growth
- FirstLine recruits and retains a diverse group of teachers who hold high expectations for their students and strive to create joyful classrooms where students are responsible for doing the majority of thinking, writing, and discussion in class.
- FirstLine teachers receive weekly coaching and lesson feedback from a school-based instructional coach and also participate in network-wide bi-weekly Professional Learning Time.
- FirstLine teachers are developed over their career using our “Vision of Excellence” classroom teaching rubric.
- FirstLine has instituted a teacher career pathway that focuses on our commitment to developing teacher skillfulness. Teachers have access to increased teacher leadership opportunities and compensation as they grow.
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Working to Becoming an Antiracist Organization
- FirstLine’s commitment to doing what is right for kids is rooted in doing the necessary work of deeply examining policies, procedures, and practices to ensure we are working toward dismantling the effects of systemic racism on our students.
- FirstLine partners with Overcoming Racism, an organization that seeks to build more equitable institutions through comprehensive race and equity training, which benefits all staff, and through us, our students, and their families.
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Focusing on Social / Emotional Learning and Community Building
- FirstLine is committed to training teachers in trauma-informed approaches that nurture supportive and caring relationships as the foundation of positive culture, enabling teachers to de-escalate behaviors and thus reduce suspensions.
- FirstLine’s signature program, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESYNOLA), teaches children and adults to make healthy connections through food and the natural world. Hands-on garden and culinary / nutrition education classes have provided FirstLine students with social/emotional learning opportunities since we built the first school garden at Samuel J. Green School in 2006 immediately following Hurricane Katrina. Through this work, students learn respect for life, the power of personal choice, and the value of community.
- FirstLine is implementing the Valor Collegiate Academies’ social/emotional learning curriculum, involving staff and student individual personal storytelling and reflection work and community circles.
- We are committed to innovation, to constant assessment, and to making the thousands of small changes needed to keep improving our practice.
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Creating a Sense of Belonging
- FirstLine aims to create school environments that are nurturing and supportive for students, families, and staff of all races, socioeconomic status, and abilities to ensure inclusive, safe, and brave spaces where people can show up as their whole selves.
- At FirstLine, we live by these Commitments:
- I commit to my own and others’ development.
- I commit to listening and understanding.
- I commit to speaking with honesty and respect.
- I commit to doing what it takes to serve others.
- I commit to keeping myself and others safe in mind, body, and spirit.
- I commit to bringing my personal joy to our work.
- I commit to holding myself and others accountable.
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Striving for Academic Excellence
- FirstLine fosters a culture of academic excellence and intellectual curiosity through instruction that meets the learning needs of every student. A FirstLine education helps students develop the academic skills and character strengths needed to succeed in school and in life.
- We set expectations high for our students and develop teachers to have the will and skill to help them meet these expectations.
- FirstLine aspires to offer classes that are rigorous, engaging, and joyful, where students drive most of the thinking and discussion, and we coach and develop our teachers and leaders to get there.
- FirstLine utilizes culturally relevant curriculum that provides “windows and mirrors.” Our children are more engaged when they see themselves represented through a historically accurate socio-political lens that broadens students’ choices and develops them into justice-oriented, curious, creative global citizens.
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Cherishing Family and Community
- As New Orleans’ oldest homegrown charter school organization founded in 1998, FirstLine was created and always values its deep and long-standing partnerships with families and community-based organizations, churches, and local universities.
- FirstLine partners with Valor Collegiate Academies and Tulane University’s Safe Schools program, a National Institute of Justice initiative, to teach teachers how to incorporate social/emotional learning and trauma-informed practices in their instruction – encouraging relationship building and providing emotional support for students during class, which promotes learning.
- FirstLine engages artists, musicians, writers, and athletic educators to create a rich array of afterschool and summer programs and classes, all of which are free and open to all students.
- FirstLine maintains communication with our families and understands the challenges our families face economically, especially during a pandemic, and works to link families to community resources and social services, working in partnership with Communities in Schools and our team of mental health professionals.