Clinical Practice Director, Tennessee

Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) is an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education serving thousands of educators from across the country, from pre-service teachers to system-level leaders. Our mission is to ensure that all students are taught by excellent educators, in order to build a more just world where every student has a clear path to a fulfilling life.

The Teacher Preparation Instructional Team at Relay Graduate School of Education is dedicated to fostering pedagogical excellence and providing comprehensive student support across all stages of the educational continuum. This division is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs, supporting faculty and students, overseeing all degree, certificate, and licensure-granting academic components, and cultivating partnerships to facilitate student success.  

The Clinical Practice Director of Tennessee (TN) reporting directly to the Dean of Clinical Experience serves as the primary instructional leader for all students enrolled in our Tennessee-based teacher preparation programs. This key faculty leader is instrumental in advancing Relay's mission by establishing and driving a compelling vision for student success and fostering impactful instructional partnerships throughout the state. Beyond the direct oversight of student progress, the Clinical Practice Director plays a crucial cross-functional leadership role. This includes ensuring meticulous adherence to all relevant state standards and contributing valuable expertise to national initiatives as part of a collaborative team of Clinical Practice Directors.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

The essential responsibilities of this position, while not limited to the following, will include: 

Partnership & Market Facing Leadership (50%): 

• Serve as Relay's primary ambassador across Tennessee, cultivating and sustaining relationships with district, charter, state, and community stakeholders to advance Relay's mission and impact.
• Identify, engage, and develop strategic partnerships that strengthen Relay's presence across the state and support growth and long-term sustainability of Relay programs in Tennessee
• Leverage existing professional networks and build new relationships with influential education leaders, decision-makers, and organizations to expand awareness of Relay programs and opportunities.
• Represent Relay at state, regional, and local convenings, positioning the institution as a trusted thought partner within Tennessee's education ecosystem.
• Share program outcomes and data with internal and external stakeholders to demonstrate impact, strengthen partnerships, and inform continuous improvement efforts.
• Collaborate with finance and development teams to ensure grant structures are streamlined, compliant, and aligned with program goals.
• Execute key local and institutional projects aligned with Relay’s strategic plan, as defined by the Vice Provost, Teacher Preparation, and Dean of Clinical Experience.
• Maintain strong communication with school partners to support student success and Educator Preparation Program (EPP) completion, including progress updates, advisory boards, and data sharing

Teaching & Student Support Responsibilities (25%):

• Teach and support graduate-level students, including teaching up to 6 credits per term (maximum 50 students per section), and conducting virtual observations.
• Provide instructional support through regular office hours and collaboration with student support services to address student needs.
• Participate in required in-person instructional or recruitment events.
• Collaborate across teams to support certification and licensure tracking, ensuring students meet state requirements through cross-functional coordination.
• Develop and deliver training and communications regarding EPP policies and requirements for students and clinical partners.
• Maintain strong relationships with school partners and participants through ongoing communication, strategic problem-solving, and responsive support that promotes student success and program completion.

State Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Lead (20%)

• Ensure open line of communication and consistent up-to-date knowledge regarding  state educator preparation program regulators and teacher licensure agencies. 
• Serve as the primary liaison to local and state educational agencies to ensure timely and accurate communication on policy updates, compliance expectations, and institutional reporting.
• Audit student progress toward licensure and certification (e.g., coursework, assessments, fieldwork), and partner with internal teams to remove barriers and drive student success.
• Lead training and ongoing communications to ensure faculty and clinical partners understand and meet local/state EPP policies and requirements.

Institutional Service (5%): 

• Serve the institution through committee, working group, and/or board membership. 

QUALIFICATIONS

First and foremost, the Clinical Practice Director, Tennessee must share the Relay community’s commitment to working together to improve student growth and achievement through phenomenal teacher preparation grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This includes providing teacher preparation programs that set novice teachers up to succeed in the classroom from day one; leadership programs that train new and veteran school and district leaders to best serve their school communities; and teacher-facing professional education that provides ongoing learning to educators. Additionally, for this position we’re looking for candidates that possess a combination of the following skills:

• Graduate degree (Master's or Doctorate) in a relevant educational field.
• At least seven (7) years of relevant work experience.
• Deep knowledge of Tennessee's education landscape and an established network of relationships with district, charter, state, and community education leaders. 
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and cultivate strategic partnerships.
• Classroom teaching experience and experience observing, coaching, and developing teachers at the elementary, middle, or secondary level.
• Experience leading and managing projects and utilizing data for decision-making.
• Experience teaching and supporting graduate-level students, including virtual observations and instructional support.
• Experience with certification and licensure tracking and ensuring compliance with state educator preparation program regulations.
• Ability to develop and deliver training and communications regarding program policies and requirements.
• Effective interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Flexibility to accommodate teaching and observation schedules, including evenings and Saturdays as required.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience serving as a primary liaison to local and state educational agencies regarding policy updates, compliance, and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate inclusive, equity-minded, and anti-oppressive practices into teaching, leadership, and partnership work.
• Deep understanding of the Tennessee (TN) educator preparation landscape.
• Active involvement in national organizations in the field of education.
• Successful management of a team of full-time and/or part-time employees.

Relay prepares teachers and school leaders to teach students of all identities and backgrounds in order to push toward a time when this country no longer faces stark educational inequities. We recruit, develop, support, and retain a diverse staff, faculty, and graduate student body because we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and actively anti-racist institution. We know, and the data supports, that diversity, equity, and inclusion cultivate an environment in which people of all backgrounds can thrive and this is critical to achieving our mission of educational excellence and equity.

To fulfill that commitment, Relay encourages applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply for roles that align with their own interests and career trajectory. If you meet a majority of the qualifications and see yourself in this role, we would love to see your application!

COMPENSATION

Relay is committed to creating and maintaining a compensation and benefits system that supports our ability to recruit and retain a diverse and talented team. As we make decisions about compensation, we will be guided by the following values: clarity, consistency, and internal equity. The salary range for this role is $100, 116 - $120,139. New hires will be offered a salary at the starting point of the range, $100,116 to allow for an equitable starting salary process and continual salary growth during an employee’s time at Relay GSE.

To ensure internal pay equity:

• Relay does not currently differentiate starting salary offers based on years of experience,
• All staff salaries will be capped at the salary range maximum, and
• Relay does not negotiate salary offers.

Relay offers a comprehensive total rewards package. For full-time roles, this includes health insurance benefits, disability and life insurance, retirement plan, professional development, gym reimbursement, adoption assistance, paid time off (PTO), parental leave, etc. To learn more about Relay’s benefits, please visit here.   

WORK LOCATION POLICY

Employees must have a primary work location within the U.S., where they are legally authorized to work. Relay is a registered employer in the following states: California, Colorado, Tennessee, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington State and Washington DC. Please note that Relay Graduate School of Education's headquarters are in New York City. Employees who choose to perform work from states not listed here will be subject to NYC state withholdings.

Relay Graduate School of Education provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.