Selection Criteria

The Broad Residency is an opportunity to use your education, business experience and passion to make a difference in a management career that truly counts.

Too often, issues like aging facilities, poor infrastructure and inefficient bureaucracies distract urban school district superintendents from focusing on student achievement. Superintendents need strong managers who can help them improve central office systems, such as operations, human resources, information technology and finance.

Charter management organizations, on the other hand, operate public schools without the weight of a bureaucracy. They are generally fast-paced, but may be resource-constrained and/or in start-up mode. They need talented individuals to manage a growing organization and implement strategies to ensure student success.

Students need well-managed school systems. School systems need managers like you.
Candidates for The Broad Residency must meet the following work experience and education requirements.

An advanced degree (e.g. master’s, juris doctorate, Ph.D.)


Many districts and CMOs have difficulty attracting candidates with advanced degrees. These candidates are particularly desirable to districts because they are generally at a point in their careers where they have the transferable and relevant work experience and the education necessary to make an impact in central operations.

A minimum of four years of work experience*


Broad Residents are placed in positions that take more than four years to attain through traditional routes. Participating school districts and CMOs seek to hire individuals with enough work experience to manage or work with colleagues who may be more senior. Broad Residents have between four and 21 years of work experience. The organizations participating in The Broad Residency do not sponsor work visas.

*The Broad Residency prefers candidates with experience managing people.
*For candidates with an M.B.A., M.P.P., or M.P.A., at least two years of their work experience must be in a business or management role. 
*For candidates with other advanced degrees, at least four years of their work experience must be in a business or management role

Experience in one or more functional business areas


(e.g., finance, operations, strategy, information technology, human resources, general management)

Because participating districts and CMOs are looking to improve their central operations and strengthen their management capabilities, The Broad Residency seeks candidates who have experience in business functions and can bring best practices into an industry that has historically been slow to adopt practices that improve operations. In addition to the functions listed, candidates who have experience as generalists and project managers are also valued.

 

Candidates are also evaluated on the following:


  • Track record of leadership and/or management
  • Ability to manage complex political relationships and work well with a diverse set of communities, management styles and personalities
  • High level of energy, determination and perseverance to act as an agent of change in a demanding organization
  • Superb analytical, problem-solving and project management skills
  • Outstanding oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to learn quickly
  • Passion for improving urban public education and a long-term commitment to the K-12 education sector

Additional information for M.P.P./M.P.A. candidates


M.P.P.s/M.P.A.s often have policy-focused work experience. Because The Broad Residency partners with organizations offering management positions, M.P.P./M.P.A. candidates should have some non-policy experience to be competitive in the selection process.

Learn more about two Residents with M.P.P.s.
> Robert Tagorda
> Cate Reed

Additional information for candidates currently working in a school district or charter management organization



Candidates who are currently working in a district/CMO may apply to The Broad Residency, but they must have been in their organization for fewer than 18 months. One goal of The Broad Residency is to help participants transition into their new role; therefore, the program is not designed for candidates with considerable work experience in a district or CMO.

These candidates, if accepted, are called Associate Broad Residents. They are held to the same standards, go through the same selection process and participate in the same professional development as the current class of Broad Residents. However, since these candidates enter the process with a position already in a district or CMO, The Broad Residency plays no role in subsidizing or determining their salary or placement.

For candidates to be considered, their organization must meet our participating district/CMO criteria.