26-27 CT Director of School Operations

School Year: 26-27

Salary: $101,939-$133,007

About Achievement First:

Achievement First is currently seeking a strategic and dynamic Director of School Operations. Reporting to the Regional Director of Operations and the school principal, the Director of School Operations will be responsible for all matters of school administration that do not directly relate to instruction or student culture. The Director is a cornerstone of the Achievement First school model, which seeks to relieve the principal of non-instructional obligations so that s/he can focus almost exclusively on student achievement and the professional development of the instructional and culture staff. This position is a critical member of the leadership team and will oversee a variety of operational responsibilities, including the development and implementation of the school budget, the gathering and analysis of school data, and ensuring that the school has sufficient materials to serve its students. The Director of School Operations is responsible for the management and coaching of the school operations team

Responsibilities of the Director of School Operations will include, but are not limited to:  

Management and Leadership 

• Serves as thought partner and "#2" to the principal; collaborates on identifying school priorities and school-wide decisions; participates in strategy setting
• Responsible for school meeting all operational KPIs as defined by the network, specifically focusing on financial management, school safety, student attendance, facilities, and monthly operational priorities. 
• Serves as member of the school's leadership team, which also includes the school's principal  and deans; taking a "balcony view" of the school's goals, performance, culture, staff, and  
• Directly manages the operations team - consisting of student services managers, office coordinators and other permanent and temporary staff - on their roles and responsibilities; ensuring they are meeting annual goals. 
• Continually improves  performance of operations team members by effectively identifying high and low performers, providing feedback on areas of growth, and providing training and stretch opportunities. 
• Develops skill of all direct reports via bi-monthly step-backs and weekly coaching meetings. 

Budget & Finance 

• Overall owner of school budgets (up to $10M); school-based lead for annual budgeting process; responsible for ongoing management of budget and monthly forecast projections to ensure school spending does not exceed revenue. 
• Green-lights decisions to hire additional staff depending on funding available within budget constraints. 
• Allocates resources to priority areas by collaborating with the principal and managing procurement processes. 
• Oversees and approves financial transactions for up to 100 school staff members; verifies that purchases are in compliance with the organization's fiscal policies and procedures. 
• Participates in the annual financial audit process by providing documentation as needed to auditors 
• Manages bi-monthly payroll to all school-based employees, in partnership with network support. Acts as the point person for school staff on payroll-related issues. 

Human Resources 

• Lead human resources work for all school staff in collaboration with the network support team, including managing leaves of absence, accommodations, staff time, and attendance. 
• Investigates employee relations issues in partnership with network support, including interviewing involved staff/students, recommending consequences to the principal, and participating in personnel committees to finalize decisions.Manages tracking and follow-up for teacher certification, ensuring staff meet certification compliance requirements. 
• Acts as a point person for staff questions around employee benefits
• Ensures compliance with the support of Achievement First's network office with all state, federal, and local employment laws and policies 
• Manages onboarding and offboarding so that all new hires have taken the appropriate steps to be ready to begin employment and all former staff members are appropriately exited.

Enrollment

• Leads family engagement with prospective and newly admitted families to ensure all board-approved seats are filled. 
• Co-develops recruitment strategy with Team Student Recruitment and Enrollment to ensure that approach is  tailored to the school.
• Manages the enrollment, transfer, discharge, and readmission process for students and the preparation of related records and files.
• Develops and maintains school-level systems to maintain accurate enrollment and attendance data. 
• Convenes and facilitates cross-functional group for academy level matriculation; ensuring strong data processes and student/family engagement work is implemented well. 

School Safety 

• Leads school in maintaining a physically safe environment for students and staff through meeting building safety requirements, conducting emergency drills, training staff on emergency procedures, and completing monthly walk-throughs of safety requirements. 
• Orchestrates crisis response as the first person alerted to potential safety threats. Determines and executes immediate response, and coordinates  with local police agencies, school social workers, and other on-site staff members to intervene and take appropriate actions to prevent and respond to large-scale safety issues.
• Facilitates building-specific crisis response team meetings to ensure the school team is ready to handle potential crises.

Facilities 

• Sets vision for school aesthetic and ensures that school building is appealing,  welcoming, and safe for students, families, and staff.
• Oversees major renovations and site repairs, coordinating with Team Facilities and managing the day-to-day progress of the work on the ground. 
• Manages custodial personnel and third-party contracts (maintenance, trash removal. etc) so that facilities are maintained to the highest standard.
• Hold staff accountable for maintaining classroom and common spaces in accordance with school and network standards. 

General School Administration 

• Oversees daily operations of the school- including but not limited to custodial, food, health and transportation services.
• Ensures the timely implementation/completion of all recurring and one-off requests from network support teams.
• Troubleshot tech equipment and infrastructure in partnership with the technology team to maintain full functioning. 
• Executes and manages the cross-functional readiness process throughout each spring and summer to ensure a smooth start to each school year.  

Family and External Engagement and Communication 

• In partnership with the leadership team, develops strategy for family engagement. 
• Serves as the first point of contact for many family concerns; often mediates tricky conflicts and situations with families.  
• Communicates regularly with families about academic performance, school policies, trips, and special events. 
• Oversees the planning and execution of school and family events, including field trips, celebrations, family tours and orientations, report card nights, town halls, award ceremonies, and graduations.  

Skills and Characteristics 

• Belief in the Achievement First mission and educational model 
• Comfort level with financial oversight and budgetary tracking to support strategic growth 
• Willingness to work autonomously, collaboratively, and/or under the direction of senior  staff, as needed 
• Acute attention to detail coupled with the ability to think and act strategically
• Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment,  while also driving toward clarity and solutions 
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and  systems  
• Maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and a "whatever it takes" disposition  

Educational Background and Work Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited 4-year institution; Master's Degree preferred
• Minimum 3 years of operations management experience in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial  environment
• Experience managing cross-functional teams to develop and implement systems and  processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a growing organization

Compensation & Benefits

• Employees at Achievement First are provided with a competitive salary. Our salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual's skills, education, and years of experience relevant to the role. Director of School Operations' salaries range from $101,939-$133,007.
• As a regular full time employee of Achievement First, you will be eligible for benefits that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match and paid Family Leave.

To Apply: 

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus.  You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about us/diversity/