Director of Office of Public Charter Schools

Pillsbury United Communities • Minneapolis, MN

7d

About The Position

Pillsbury United Communities co-creates, with community, enduring change toward a just society. Built with and for resilient communities, our united system of programs, neighborhood centers, and social enterprises connects with thousands of individuals and their families each year. We are guided by a vision of thriving communities where every person has personal, social, and economic power.

The Office of Public Charter Schools (OPCS) accomplishes this by promoting school choice and high- quality educational settings, bold and innovative educational strategies; providing an environment that promotes respect for all students and their individual identities; and engages students in academic and authentic learning opportunities, service learning, and personal development.

The Director works with the Pillsbury United Communities – Office of Public Charter Schools (PUC-OPCS) to conduct oversight and evaluation of 16 authorized schools impacting over 8000 students. In addition, the Director leads the office and oversight processes, provides strategy, builds relationships and hires and manages program staff.

The Director will have a strong orientation towards educational equity, transparency, and building positive relationships that support the current portfolio of schools and attract new schools that share the PUC mission and values. Through strong accountability measures, the Director will support the operations, compliance, and efficacy of existing and prospective charter schools. Additionally, the Director will continue to develop a ‘community of practice’ related to authorizing standards, advocating for and monitoring policy changes, and work with school leaders and multiple school boards of directors to achieve the best educational experience for all students, particularly black and brown students from under resourced neighborhoods.

Requirements

• Passionate and unwavering commitment to advancing educational equity and anti-racism
• Meaningful connection to the communities PUC-OPCS serves
• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Public Policy, Public Administration or related area or equivalent work experience
• Experience working in or with charter schools and/or education in Minnesota or elsewhere.
• Progressive experience in fundraising and grant writing
• Strong technical and creative writing skills
• Strong financial background and ability to analyze audits, monthly financial statements, P & L
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in charter school governance, operations, and law.
• Understanding of academic and financial performance measures.
• Progressive experience with program evaluation.
• Experience using multiple data points to evaluate student learning and academic performance.
• Analytical Skills
• Financial Acumen
• Team-Oriented
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Problem Solving

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for the OPCS.
• Provide compliance and quality oversight for 16 charter schools located in the Twin Cities Metro, Rochester, and St. Cloud.
• Foster a culture of excellence that advances student achievement, high-quality instruction, holistic student development, and continuous staff growth.
• Lead the implementation and management of Pillsbury United’s Approved Authorizing Plan in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education, including:
• Reviewing and evaluating new school applications
• Assessing and approving requests for site or grade-level expansions
• Evaluation of charter schools’ performance (academic, environmental education, finance, and operations).
• Partner with OPCS advisory council on decision-making related to new schools, transfers, expansion, contract renewals, or terminations of charter schools.
• Attend charter school board meetings to monitor structure and effectiveness of each school’s governance structure.
• Ensure Pillsbury meets or exceeds standards mandated by the Minnesota Department of Education.
• Conduct evaluations and monitor program reports for progress towards established goals and governance.
• Convene authorized school leaders monthly to cultivate positive relationships, key learnings, and knowledge management.
• Conduct and lead annual authorizer sponsor reviews of charters schools.
• Provide targeted technical assistance and support to schools as needed to drive performance and sustainability.
• Lead annual fundraising strategies to secure new and increased funding.
• Actively monitor local, regional, and national giving trends and leverage insights to inform fundraising strategies.
• Ensure mission-aligned messaging is appropriately reflected in narratives.
• Cultivate and sustain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance organizational goals.
• Prepare and manage departmental budget, including the communication of budget to key stakeholders.
• Provide leadership and oversight to the OPCS staff, ensuring effective day-to-day operations.
• Collaborate with Pillsbury’s Advancement Department on any potential fundraising efforts.
• Ensure transparency in OPCS operations through consistent communication, reporting, and visibility into key decisions, risks, and performance outcomes.
• Align OPCS functions with Pillsbury United Communities’ (PUC) organizational processes, systems, and standards to promote integration and operational consistency.
• Proactively identify, escalate, and address issues, risks, and opportunities, engaging appropriate internal stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Keep PUC senior leadership and the Board of Directors informed through regular updates, briefings, and clear reporting on performance, compliance, and strategic initiatives.
• Strengthen organizational governance by supporting effective decision-making structures, ensuring adherence to policies, and reinforcing accountability across all levels of the organization.
• Provide thought leadership amongst key stakeholders (National and Minnesota Associations of Charter School Authorizing, education reform groups and education related funders)
• Advocate and monitor key legislative policies that impact authorizing and/or equitable educational outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership that advances the quality of authorizing and elevates the visibility of Pillsbury’s best practices and approaches.

Benefits

• Benefits are offered to all regular employees who work at least 20 hours a week.
• Our benefits package includes health insurance, dental insurance, vision coverage, employer paid long term disability, employer paid life insurance, health saving account (HSA) option, flexible spending account (FSA) option, retirement plan option with an employer match, paid time off and floating holidays, and 19 paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees