Director of Operations, School-Based (SY25-26)

About the position

The Director of Operations (DOO) is critical to the successful and efficient running of our schools. The DOO leads implementation and maintenance of clear operational systems that allow the principal and teachers to focus on teaching and learning, and enables a supportive school environment. The DOO therefore will be an individual who embraces structure, innovation, and continuous improvement, and relishes the challenge of finding ways to work smarter and in a cost-efficient manner. The DOO will report to the Principal. They will work closely and collaboratively with school leadership, teachers, and the KIPP Chicago Shared Services Team. The Director of Operations position is school-based and in-person at one of our KIPP Chicago campuses. The DOO is a core member of the school leadership team. Ideal candidates have project management experience and aspire to be an effective leader of the operations team and manager of adults.

Responsibilities

• Is a critical member of the school leadership team, along with the principal and assistant principals, helping the school achieve ambitious academic outcomes.
• Leads the school’s annual effort to enroll new students – including strategic planning, canvassing, waitlist management, and registrations – and re-registers current students each spring/summer.
• Leads the school’s effort to reach 96% average daily attendance for the year, which includes creating a plan for daily attendance calls and data entry with the OMs; analyzing data; and implementing incentives for students, families, and staff members for hitting daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals.
• Assists principal and KIPP Chicago’s regional operations team in overseeing school finances: creating the discretionary budget, managing purchasing, monitoring spending, and ensuring adherence to the school’s fiscal procedures.
• Keeps the school’s physical plant – both inside and out – in good repair and supervises engineers and custodians.
• Ensures compliance with health and safety laws, teacher licensure and fingerprinting, city and state education mandates, and all federal and state workplace regulations.
• Oversees purchasing and maintenance of student and teacher computing devices and other hardware & software.
• Manages the student information system, generates progress reports & report cards, and coordinates with the KIPP Chicago Shared Services Team on data analysis and reporting.
• Plans and coordinates logistics for parent meetings, special events, and field lessons.
• Coordinates with the KIPP Chicago Shared Services Team to ensure that school-based employees receive timely and accurate payroll and benefits.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (required)
• 4 years of work experience (required)
• 2 years of management experience in a school or fast-paced entrepreneurial environment (required)
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities, and to prioritize tasks appropriately
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, Spanish fluency, both written and verbal preferred
• Evidence of strong interpersonal skills
• Evidence of personal initiative and follow-through
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure to hit deadlines
• High level of comfort with financial oversight and budgetary tracking
• Strong technology skills: proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) & Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides), and able to quickly learn how to use new programs/systems
• Demonstrated passion for and commitment to the KIPP mission
• A cleared CPS Background Check before first day of employment

Benefits

• Salaries based on experience related to role and responsibilities
• Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance
• Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost
• Competitive retirement savings benefits
• Stipends for additional leadership and enrichment leadership