Operations / Administration Director of New School Development
Job Description
Job Title: Director of New School Development
Group: School Services
Reports To: Vice President of School Services
FLSA Status: Exempt
SUMMARY
The Director of New School Development is responsible for managing all efforts related to supporting founders and early phase school leaders who are in the process of launching and opening sustainable, high-quality schools.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned and are subject to change.
Member Support – 60%
- Lead the development, implementation and coordination of support services offerings for all founders and new school leaders; specifically focused on the charter application process, understanding charter laws and waivers, and supporting the development of creating sustainable schools. Ensure all service offerings are in demand, impactful, sustainable, and relevant to the League’s strategic goals.
- Engage founders and new school leader prospects with a thoughtfully designed, individualized outreach and education approach.
- Develop and release founder and new school leader development courses, certification programs, and systems of continuous improvement to facilitate and make training processes accessible.
- Provide ongoing dialogue, thought partnership, coaching and mentoring along with technical assistance to founders and new school leaders when questions arise.
- Collect, refine and distribute resources to founders and schools.
- Partner with support organizations (CDE, higher-education institutions, charter support partners, regional communities, and former school developers) to add depth and complexity to the development of new school leaders.
- Identify, approach, and secure partnerships with individuals and organizations with an affinity for the League’s mission and vision and support the departmental vision.
- Recruit and manage quality consultants for select work with member schools in areas of expertise not offered by the League.
- Work across departments to aid member schools with application guidance, mock interviews, renewal guidance, and authorizer relations.
- Work alongside the League’s School Services team as an integral part of growing the entire charter movement through new entrants to the space.
- Collaborate across departments on project teams.
- Assist and support grants and fundraising efforts that support new school development programs.
- Occasional, less than 10%, administrative work including submitting expense reports, approving consultant invoices, and competing billing pipeline entries.
Founder Outreach – 20%
- Support the execution and review of a Call for Quality Schools Report to advise areas of need for choice schools in the state.
- Conduct outreach in recognized communities from the Call for Quality Schools Report on a systematic, annual basis. Through community partnerships, identify individuals in the designated communities that have an interest in becoming future charter school founders.
- Establish, start, and nurture relationships with authorizers throughout the state, especially in targeted districts.
Data Collection – 10%
- Maintain historic charter data and update new charter data to include demographics, enrollment, new and closed charter school codes, and other pertinent charter school data as arises and/or is requested.
Regional Advocacy Member Engagement – 10%
- Lead or Co-Lead a regional collective for member engagement.
- Assist in the development and activation of local charter school consortia in various communities across the state focused on harnessing the collective power of charter beneficiaries at the local level.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide evaluation, coaching and management of subject expert consultants as needed for projects and grant work.
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Suite and video online platforms such as: Zoom, WebEx.
- Ability to independently lead, manage and accept responsibility for a variety of complex organizational functions.
- Experience with systems-based thinking, evidence-based practices, and systems of continuous improvement.
- Strong facilitation skills with the ability to facilitate large scale meetings in person and/or remote.
- Instructional and content design and development.
- Experience launching a charter school, with minimal supervision and resources, and the ability to be highly adaptable as the organization changes.
- Strong leadership, project management, analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Resilient, self-aware professional with exposure to diverse experiences and a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Demonstrated integrity and high standards in managing information and data in a highly confidential and professional manner.
- Proven experience in managing large scale programs and initiatives through strategies and tactical practices.
- Knowledge of launching schools, authorizing, or working in support of multiple new school developers.
- Familiarity with Colorado education policy and law.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
- A Bachelor’s degree or higher in an education related field, master’s degree preferred.
- A minimum of five years of experience in an educational leadership role.
- A minimum of two years’ experience launching charter schools, authorizing, or supporting new schools preferred.
LANGUAGE AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
- Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information to management.
- Ability to speak in public before a variety of audiences.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND REGISTRATION
Driver’s license and access to a vehicle
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of 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 the essential functions.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Normal office environment with remote work option. Requirement to be present in person once a week for staff meetings. The noise level in the work environment varies between quiet and moderate.
- Occasional, less than 25%, travel and work off site, particularly to different communities along the Front Range, occasional travel to the Western Slope.
- Availability to attend evening and weekend events, as needed.
