Operations Fellow (SY 21-22)

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.

At Uncommon Schools, we know running exceptional schools takes more than great instruction—it also takes exemplary operations! Uncommon Schools' operations leaders work relentlessly to ensure that our faculty maximizes time and energy on student achievement. We design, implement, and refine systems that anticipate the needs of our school community. As service-oriented leaders, we tackle problems, share standard methodologies across campuses, and respond to urgent needs. We partner to build an academic and cultural environment which supports our ultimate goal: ensuring that every student will earn a college degree.

The Operations Fellowship is a year-long, full-time program that prepares you to become a Director of Operations (DOO)of an Uncommon school. As DOO, you co-lead alongside a Principal, partnering to ensure your students receive an exemplary education.

The Fellowship is based on a foundation of four core elements that are aligned to the competencies of Uncommon leaders. Each element is designed to build Fellows’ capacity towards becoming effective Directors of Operations. These include Fellowship Deliverables and School Immersion; Evaluation and Feedback; Operations Leadership Meetings, and Professional Development.

Fellowship Deliverables and School Immersion

Fellows are placed at an existing Uncommon school and serve as full-time members of the school's operations team. They engage in operations work at their host school, tackle Uncommon-wide operations projects, and conduct observations and analysis of operational systems. Fellows are responsible for completing a variety of pre-determined deliverables designed to provide active learning that supports the development of their leadership.

Evaluation and Feedback

Fellows receive coaching and feedback from their Associate Chief Operating Officer and host DOO. This support is rooted in their Individualized Development Plans, which are customized around their strengths and areas of growth.

Operations Leadership Meetings

Fellows meet periodically with current DOOs, other Fellows in their region, and Fellows across all of Uncommon to share and problem solve around current cross-organization operational challenges and to build their network of current leaders.

Professional Development

Starting in the summer, Fellows engage in professional development focusing on Cultural Leadership, Management, and Operational Leadership. Each session will be led by our experienced group of Associate Chief Operating Officers, current leaders, Home Office teams, and a select group of external partners. Some examples of professional development sessions provided to our Fellows are Connecting with and Leading Teachers; Difficult Conversations; Managing Teams and Groups; Financial Management, and School Transportation, Food Services, Health & Safety.

• Passionate commitment to improve the minds, characters, and lives of students both in and out of school;
• Strong critical thinking skills;
• Demonstrated grit and personal responsibility;
• Ability to think strategically and innovatively, in order to continuously improve school operations;
• High quality written and verbal communications skills with multiple partners including teachers, students, families, vendors, and colleagues;
• Ability to have difficult conversations in a respectful manner;
• Dedication to continual professional growth;
• Strong organizational skills; careful attention to detail and follow-through;
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed;
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel and Access;
• Strong time management skills; ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet tight deadlines;
• Ability to maintain a calm, professional attitude in the face of challenging demands and external pressures;
• Required experience:
  • 4 or more years of work experience;
  • School-based or other educational experience preferred;
  • Project planning experience required, with proven ability to see large projects through to completion;
  • Experience managing others preferred;
  • A Bachelor's degree is required.

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.