Associate Chief Operating Officer

Uncommon Schools is a non-profit network of 55 outstanding public charter schools in grades K-12 across New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Our mission is to start and manage outstanding urban public charter schools that close the achievement gap and prepare students from low-income backgrounds for success in college and beyond. We are accomplishing that mission every day, with a college graduation rate that is well above the national average and thousands of stories of our students and alumni achieving their dreams.

We are always looking for excellent school leadership talent. While this is not an immediate opening, we welcome your application to begin the conversation about future opportunities that may arise.

Role Description

To build more high performing schools, we need senior operations leaders to commit themselves to the most urgent and exciting work of our time! Associate Chief Operating Officers (ACOO) at Uncommon Schools serve as vitally important leaders in our organization and help drive the success of our schools. As ACOO, you will oversee school and regional operations within your region in conjunction with your manager, the Managing Director of Operations (MDO). ACOOs are responsible for ensuring that their schools operate at the highest level, with systems in place that allow teachers and Principals to focus on instruction and academic achievement. The ACOO ensures excellent school operations through direct management of a “portfolio” of Directors of Operations (DOOs), or school leaders who lead all non-instructional aspects of the school.

We are seeking an experienced, strategic operational leader who will set a high bar for school operations and will achieve that vision of excellence by managing and supporting a team of DOOs. The ACOO will build their DOOs’ capacity to run high-functioning, operationally excellent schools. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

School Management

• Ensure DOOs lead outstanding school operations (e.g., daily school systems, facilities, financial management, food & transportation, student & staff culture, enrollment management, etc.)
• Hold DOOs accountable to performance metrics (e.g., Operations Dashboard, Operations Inspections, Mid-Year Evaluations), and support them in improving performance and meeting goals
• Build, implement, and monitor cross-regional operations initiatives (e.g. aligned toolkits for State Testing and School Launch; PD session facilitation and follow-up)
• Support hiring, on-boarding, management, and evaluation of all operations staff, including DOOs and school-based operations teams

Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as an outstanding role model as a leader and manager, investing deeply in supporting and developing team members and growing their capacity to learn, contribute and engage in the work of the team and organization
• Partner with ACOOs across Uncommon to foster consistent implementation of school operations priorities
• Work seamlessly with Assistant Superintendents to support Principal/DOO co-leader partnerships
• Partner with regional school support team on regional initiatives and systems (e.g. enrollment, child nutrition, government reporting, etc.)
• Serve as the liaison between schools and Home Office teams to strategically identify issues and implement sustainable solutions

• Passionate commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization;
• Significant experience and a track record of success in school operations management;
• Demonstrated experience with effectively managing team members to concrete outcomes;
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills and ability to work towards a common vision with various partners (e.g. school leaders, regional leaders, Home Office teams, Uncommon families);
• Ability to effectively and strategically prioritize between multiple high-leverage, high-risk issues; outstanding judgment and understanding of the implications of decisions on schools and partners;
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-change organization;
• Excellent organization, time management, and follow-up skills; ability to demonstrate an appropriate sense of urgency.

• Required Experience

• 3-5 years of experience in school operations management;
• Experience managing a team to strong outcomes;
• A Bachelor’s degree is required, and a graduate degree in business or operations is highly preferred.

Uncommon Schools offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Aside from extensive professional development, all our staff members are equipped with a laptop computer, email, and all necessary supplies.

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building a talented team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. At the same time, we work to ensure an inclusive community through creating a space for important dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.