Operations / Administration Director of School Operations
Job Description
Organizational Mission and Vision
New Visions Charter High Schools (NVCHS) provide all students, regardless of their previous academic history, the highest quality education in an atmosphere of respect, responsibility and rigor. At the New Visions Charter High Schools, we ensure that our students have the skills and knowledge to graduate ready for college, pursue a career, and engage with the 21st century economy. We develop learning experiences that allow risk-taking, cultivate students’ imaginative and creative abilities, and celebrate achievement. Through an intensive study of math concepts in our math and science schools, and literature, English, social studies and arts in our humanities schools, students learn how to generate research questions, develop the skills necessary to answer those questions, create products that demonstrate understanding, and
defend their knowledge publicly.
Position Summary
The Director of School Operations (DSO), is critical to the successful and efficient running of the New Visions Charter High Schools. The DSO functions similar to what is commonly referred to as an Assistant Principal of Operations in some schools and oversees operational performance through managing finance, administration, technology, facilities, compliance and general school operations in order to support student achievement and financial success. At full growth, each school will comprise over 60 staff and close to 600 students. The DSO reports to the Principal and manages the school’s Operations team. S/he will work closely and collaboratively with the Principal and will be a member of the school’s Leadership team. The DSO is responsible for all matters of school administration that do not directly relate to instruction. This role is essential to the New Visions Charter School model, which intentionally relieves the Principal of non-instructional obligations so that s/he can focus on student achievement and professional development of the teaching staff.
Detailed Job Responsibilities
Communications
- Create and proofread professional correspondence
- Work with CMO to coordinate the necessary clearances and permissions for students and staff to appear in brochures, videos, etc.
Community Engagement
- Maintain ongoing contact with Community Engagement team at the CMO around Community Advisory Board, student recruitment and family engagement activities (e.g., speaker visits, events involving the community)
- Develop and manage relationships with community organizations/external partners that are involved with providing
services to the school’s educational program
Compliance
- Oversee, in coordination with New Visions CMO on the preparation and submission of all Federal, State, and Local grant applications and reporting
- Ensure that essential personnel policies and procedures are followed in a timely manner
- Ensure that the school completes all required Federal, State and Local compliance activities on time and completely with the assistance of the New Visions CMO
- Understand accountability metrics and annual reporting required of charter schools and oversee the submission of all accountability metrics
- Ensure that the new student lottery is implemented in compliance with State law and maintain student waiting list, in
conjunction with the New Visions CMO - Oversee, in coordination with New Visions CMO, year-end audits as well as any site audits from State or Federal agencies
Data Analysis and Reporting
- Oversee, with New Visions CMO, all data analysis and reporting for Federal, state, City & Board
Enrollment Management & Student Services
- Oversee student outreach and recruitment process including student registration and management of the wait list
- Oversee the development and implementation of the capital program
Facilities
- Oversee processes and procedures to address facility needs (lighting, repairs in rooms, etc.) and ensure that facility and systems are designed to maximize student learning
- Oversee processes and procedures for preparation for public events (hallways, bulletin boards, classrooms)
Finance
- Review monthly financial reports and update monthly financial estimates
- Oversee the performance of basic Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions in the routine course of daily operations
- Provide financial and operational oversight for invoice approval, budget development, delivery tracking and inventory control
- Confirm accuracy of payroll processing in conjunction with New Visions CMO
- Work with the school Principal, New Visions CMO and the Charter Board of Trustees to implement and manage the school’s budget
Food Services
- Oversee all aspects of free and reduced lunch programs including managing entire application process
- Manage National School Breakfast program, National School Lunch Program, and snacks
Governance
- Actively participate on the school’s leadership team
Human Resources – Management
- Manage payroll processes in conjunction with New Visions CMO
- Deploy Operational staff so that all critical operational functions are covered and carried out efficiently
- Directly manage, at full growth, a department of at least 10 non-instructional staff carrying out Operations functions in the school
Human Resources – Talent Management
- Serve as primary HR liaison for the school including managing the recruitment and on boarding of operations staff,
and overseeing new hire and termination procedures for all staff - Manage the performance appraisal process (e.g., goal-setting and regular feedback mechanisms for business and operations staff
Management
- Meet with direct reports regularly to manage projects and tasks
Safety
- Assist in supervising student entrance/dismissal, locker rooms, lunchroom and hallway duty as needed under the direction of the principal and or other appropriate staff members
Student and Family Engagement
- Respond to student, parent and staff inquiries and act in the absence of administration
- Foster an attitude of cooperation and positive support with all school patrons and parents
- Working closely with all school, parent and community organizations to increase parent involvement
- Attends parent meetings along with the principal, where appropriate
Student Services
- Serve as Hearing Officer in cases when a student has violated the school’s Code of Conduct and a removal from school is contemplated. The role of the Hearing Officer is to preside over a hearing and, based on the evidence, make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees
- Serves as a school liaison for vendors providing student support services
Systems Development
- Oversee the purchasing and maintenance of technology equipment and implementation of technology training in partnership with the New Visions CMO Technology team
- Manage school-wide data systems (managing student attendance, tracking the student discipline incidents, managing parent data systems, coordinating community engagement activities)
- Ability to set up systems that forecast the growth of the school
Technology
- Oversee implementation of student information systems related to attendance, student biographical information, etc.
Additional Job Responsibilities
- Willingness to work non-standard hours as needed
- Additional responsibilities as needed to meet the needs of the organization
Qualifications
- Master’s degree from an accredited college in education, policy, finance or other related field with MBA/MPA preferred
- At least 10 years of operations management experience and/or project management experience preferred. Certified PMP a plus
- Experience working in an urban school setting strongly preferred with previous charter school experience and/or working with young people, a plus
- Excellent computer skills including proficiency with Google Docs and Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, Excel and Access
Experience
- Demonstrated success in monitoring budgets in excess of $7 million and in managing contracts of at least $100,000
- Prior supervisory experience and demonstrated ability to manage staff including experience managing cross-functional teams to develop and implement systems and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a growing organization
- Prior experience ensuring legal and regulatory compliance are maintained
Characteristics
- Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines coupled with the ability to think and act strategically
- Experience and zeal for working in an entrepreneurial school environment
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including exceptional writing, editing and grammatical skills
- Ability to work effectively in a student-centered environment
- Demonstrated commitment to the school vision and mission
- Experience and/or passion for working with youth
- Ability to clearly articulate outcome requirements and provide the necessary and appropriate resources and support for school-based staff to successfully deliver on outcomes
- Ability to ensure integrity of information and workflow processes
- Ability to inspire trust and teamwork and motivate staff to work diligently and collaboratively
- Effective at establishing and cultivating strong relationships to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals and objectives
New Visions for Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer.
