Job Description

Executive Director

Start Date:  Spring /Summer 2019

Location: Neighborhood Charter School Network: Central Office (Harlem & Bronx)

The Neighborhood Charter School: Harlem is one of the highest performing charter schools in New York City.  In August 2019 NCS will open a second school in the Bronx and both schools will move into brand new facilities built specifically for our needs.  NCS is seeking a dynamic, proven Executive Director. The ED, under the direction of the Board of Trustees, will provide overall leadership and direction for the Neighborhood Charter Schools, including the network leadership team and two K-8 schools, NCS: Harlem and NCS: Bronx. The ED will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Schools, including the educational program, financial operations, legal compliance, authorizer and NYC Department of Education relationships, facilities, student and staff recruitment, high school placement, fundraising and community relations.  The ideal candidate has demonstrated leadership experience in these areas and proven academic success.

Mission of NCS

Our mission is to provide the children of Harlem and Bronx with new educational opportunities through a rigorous, comprehensive K-8 program that cultivates the intellectual, social and emotional development of each child. Our students, who will include high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders, will become independent learners and critical thinkers, will acquire the academic skills that they need to succeed in college preparatory high schools and will exhibit the social and emotional skills that will allow them to reach their full potential.

Responsibilities of the Executive Director

1. Leadership –

• Ensures that people and resources are allocated appropriately to achieve the Schools’ missions and the goals and requirements set out in their charters.

• Establishes, develops and leads an effective leadership team in a manner that engages and empowers others to take action and responsibility to achieve results.
• Articulates mission, values, and behavioral expectations that drive student achievement and social and emotional development.
• Builds a school culture defined by the Schools’ LIGHT values and inclusion of all students, including ASD students, other students with IEPs and ELL students.
• Assumes responsibility for his/her own professional growth and development and sets an example for others by seeking and reflecting on feedback.
• Fosters and models a culture of continuous learning and improvement for staff and students.

2. Board Relationship –

• Works collaboratively with the Board as stewards of the Schools’ charters.
• Works with the Board President and committees to prepare for Board meetings.
• Provides timely communication, information, dashboards and recommendations to the Board on all significant school related matters.
• Alerts the Board promptly to potential problems.

3. Organizational Planning and Oversight –

• Drives a collaborative planning process with the Schools’ leadership teams that results in the development of yearly academic goals aligned with the charter goals and ongoing school improvement.
• Ensures that frameworks and practices are in place to assure regular cycles of long-range  planning.
• Assures an ongoing process of data collection to gain information that assists the Schools leadership teams in determining the needs of students.
• Develops, articulates, and maintains policies and procedures that are consistent with the Schools’ mission and goals.
• Ensures legal and charter compliance.
• Works with the staff, CSBM, Finance Committee, and Board to prepare budgets, monitor progress, and initiate changes as appropriate.
• Ensures a robust student recruitment process to assure adequate enrollment of all populations required to be served by the Schools’ mission, charter and applicable law.
• Develops and maintains a thoughtful and robust counseling and high school placement program to assure that all 8^th grade students have the option to attend a high school that is academically rigorous and appropriate for their interests and abilities.

4. Administration and Human Resources—

• Works to ensure that the principles of integrity and excellence guide all school operations.
• Ensures compliance of all policies and procedures with relevant laws.
• Supervises the hiring of all personnel and, where necessary, termination.
• Ensures that job descriptions are developed and that regular performance reviews for all staff are completed and documented.

5. Fundraising and Marketing—

• Works with the Board to advance a plan that guides all fundraising and marketing strategies employed by the Schools.
• Establishes positive relationships with individual donors and institutional funders, and pursues available grants from foundations, corporations and government grant programs.
• Serves as primary spokesperson to all audiences (government, media, funders, and community partners).

6. Community and Parent Relations –

• Ensures active parent engagement that supports students’ success and the NCS community.
• Develops and nurtures community relationships and maintains a positive image of NCS in the community.
• Establishes and makes use of working relationships with peer schools and develops and maintains connections with local and state officials, the Schools’ authorizer and the NYC Department of Education.

7. Facilities –

• Assures that adequate facilities for the Schools are procured and maintained.
• Manages the Schools’ relationship with realtors, developers, contractors, architects, vendors, banks and others involved in the procurement, construction and maintenance of the Schools’ facilities.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success as a school leader
• Experience working in an urban area with an unyielding belief in the power of good schools to change lives
• Personal and professional dedication to public education and high expectations for all scholars
• Excellent communication and organization skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, no excuses environment
• Self-starter and motivated to “think outside of the box” and innovate
• Ability to support and encourage others
• Ability to work long hours, which includes early arrival and late departure
• Have high expectations for self and other staff members
• Ability to establish a warm rapport with staff, families, community and scholars
• Excellent public speaking abilities

Compensation

Generous salary including a comprehensive onboarding package

 Neighborhood Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer

How to Apply

To Apply E-mail cover letter and resume to Patricia Soussloff, Board Chair:  psoussloff@ncsharlem.org Please do not apply if you do not have prior school leadership experience and proven success.  

Bureaus: New York. Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: School Network Staff. Salaries: 100,000 and above.