Founding High School Director of Operations
4 days ago
New York
Job DescriptionAbout the Role The Founding High School Director of Operations is responsible for building and leading the operational systems that enable the NCS high school to open strong and scale effectively over time. Reporting to the Founding High School Principal and working in close partnership with the Senior Director of Operations & Enrollment and other network teams, the DOO translates the school’s vision into operational reality—ensuring that enrollment, facilities readiness, scheduling, and core systems are designed to support a high-quality student and family experience. This role is both foundational and outcomes-driven. The Founding DOO will build systems that do not yet exist while also owning high-stakes results, including meeting enrollment targets, preparing a temporary facility for opening, and ensuring that high school–specific operational systems function smoothly from day one. Through this partnership, the Founding DOO ensures alignment with network-wide enrollment and operations systems while retaining day-to-day ownership of high school execution. As the school grows, the DOO will steward these systems so they remain coherent, sustainable, and responsive to increasing complexity. The Founding DOO is a visible, trusted leader within the school community and an essential partner to the Principal in realizing the NCS high school model in practice. Culture About Neighborhood Charter Schools Neighborhood Charter Schools (NCS) is a public charter school network rooted in Harlem and the Bronx, serving students in an intentionally designed, inclusive learning community. NCS is built on a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves to be known, valued, and supported as their full self. Our schools operate as a true neighborhood model, grounded in deep relationships with families and a commitment to belonging for every student. What distinguishes NCS is an inclusive-by-design approach. Classrooms, schedules, and supports are intentionally built to serve autistic students, multilingual learners, students with IEPs, and general education students together. Inclusion is not a program or an add-on—it is the foundation of how our schools function and how students experience learning every day. As NCS expands from a K–8 network to a K–12 system, the launch of its first high school marks a defining moment for the organization. The Founding High School Director of Operations will play a critical role in ensuring that the systems, structures, and operational foundations of the high school are built with the same intentionality, coherence, and ambition as the academic model. Responsibilities What You’ll Do Serve as a Senior School Leader and Strategic Partner • Serve as a core member of the school leadership team, advising the Principal on school-wide decisions and aligning operations to instructional priorities, student culture, and equity goals., • Partner with the Principal, Senior Director of Operations & Enrollment, and school leadership team to foster a safe, inclusive, and student-centered environment., • Analyze operational and financial data to identify risks, anticipate challenges, and recommend strategic adjustments that sustain the school’s financial health., • Provide clear, timely, and data-driven updates to school and network leadership. Own Enrollment, Engagement, and Retention Outcomes • Own all student recruitment, engagement, and retention efforts—including internal matriculation and external enrollment—to meet enrollment targets., • Oversee branding and marketing aligned to the school’s mission and vision, ensuring families receive an accurate and compelling picture of the high school experience., • Manage recruitment and enrollment projects, including tours, open houses, and family onboarding, to ensure a welcoming and inclusive experience., • Ensure enrollment systems and family-facing processes are coordinated, accurate, and responsive. Lead Financial Management and Budget Stewardship • Partner with the Principal and Network Finance Team to build, monitor, and adjust the school budget, recommending corrective actions to meet reserves and targets., • Track revenue and expenses across all categories, proactively identifying and closing gaps., • Coordinate procurement of curricular and operational supplies to ensure timely, efficient, and compliant delivery. Ensure Facilities Readiness, Safety, Compliance, and School Food Operations • Manage the operational project plan for launching the school, driving timelines, and coordinating stakeholders to ensure readiness on day one., • Oversee facilities management and vendor partnerships in collaboration with the Director of Facilities., • Lead School Food Authority (SFA) operations, ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and NYC DOE requirements., • Develop and maintain calendars for facilities, safety, and nutrition services, ensuring readiness for audits, inspections, testing windows, and the first day of school., • Supervise emergency preparedness systems, including safety drills, protocols, and coordination with external agencies., • Ensure compliance with all health, safety, nutrition, and legal requirements. Execute Complex Operational Planning and Systems • Design and execute detailed operational plans for complex school events (testing windows, orientations, family nights), managing logistics, staffing, and contingencies., • Lead systems for enrollment, attendance, testing, and state assessments to ensure accuracy, compliance, and clear communication., • Steward operational and student data systems to support accuracy, accessibility, and decision-making., • Lead professional development for staff on operational systems and procedures. Build, Manage, and Develop the Operations Team • Manage, coach, and develop operations staff through clear expectations, feedback, and accountability., • Address underperformance directly while supporting professional growth., • Build a collaborative, high-trust operations culture that inspires confidence among staff and families. Own Core Operational Outcomes • Be accountable for the effectiveness and accuracy of systems related to:, • Enrollment and retention, • Attendance, • Family communication, • School food services, • Procurement, • Health, safety, and compliance, • Student data, reporting, and graduation requirements, • Student and family satisfaction Who You’ll Work With • Founding High School Principal – your manager and closest partner in launching and leading the high school., • Senior Director of Operations & Enrollment – dotted-line manager and key partner supporting alignment across enrollment, operations systems, and network priorities., • Other Directors of Operations – essential partners in systems design, enrollment execution, and compliance., • High School Leadership Team – collaborators in aligning operations with instruction, culture, and student supports., • Network Teams – essential cross-functional partners in finance, technology, facilities, and student support services., • Families and Community Partners – key stakeholders whose trust and experience are central to the school’s success.Required Skills, Experience & Mindsets Core Experience • Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or other advanced degree preferred., • Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in school operations leadership, with direct experience in NYC school operations., • Proven success leading school operations, with responsibility across multiple operational domains (e.g., finance, compliance, HR, enrollment, facilities, or systems)., • Demonstrated track record of high achievement and accountability across operational functions., • Proven ability to manage and develop employees and teams, including setting expectations, providing feedback, and fostering accountability., • Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and stakeholders., • Strong communication and relationship-building skills., • Spanish language proficiency is a strong plus. Founding and Growth Mindsets • Self-starter with a high degree of initiative and comfort tackling complex, ambiguous, or “thorny” problems without waiting for direction., • Deep sense of personal accountability and eagerness to own all aspects of high school operations across domains., • Comfort building systems that do not yet exist while simultaneously delivering high-stakes results., • Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively solve problems in fast-moving, high-accountability environments., • Strong judgment about sequencing and pacing work so teams experience clarity rather than overload., • Commitment to equity, inclusion, and operational excellence as mutually reinforcing priorities., • Alignment with NCS’s mission, values, and vision for a high-quality, inclusive high school experience. Additional Details • This is a full-time, NYC-based, in-person role., • The Founding Director of Operations will engage in pre-launch planning during SY26–27 prior to the school’s opening in SY27–28., • The salary range for this position is $115,500- $131,325, commensurate with years of prior experience. Neighborhood Charter Schools is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds who share our mission and values to apply. Requirements Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in school operations leadership, with direct experience in NYC school operations. Minimum Bachelors Degree Requisition #cmn51j9n90tbu0ilhuo5zhwlu
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