Founding Director of Operations

The Gate School•Nashville, TN

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Gate School (TGS) is a tuition-free public charter middle school opening in Nashville in Fall 2027. The Director of Operations is a founding-team role responsible for building the school’s operational systems before launch and running operations day to day after opening. The role owns work outside the classroom so teachers can teach and students can learn, and reports to the Operations Partner. It is a full-time, exempt, 12-month, on-site position in Nashville, Tennessee, with a flexible start date, ideally January or February 2027. The Director of Operations leads community engagement logistics, enrollment and student records, finance and business operations, governance and compliance, daily school operations, facilities, talent and HR, payroll, and the development of the operations team. Responsibilities span planning the school launch through Fall 2027 and managing ongoing operations once the school opens.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least 4 years of operations experience, including 2 years in a school, nonprofit, or startup.
Track record of building systems and managing complex projects to a deadline.
Experience managing budgets and vendor relationships.
Strong command of Google Workspace and spreadsheets.
Ability to pass a Tennessee background check.

Nice To Haves

Operations experience at a charter school, especially a school launch or early-stage school.
Familiarity with Tennessee charter compliance, school finance, and student information systems.
Supervisory experience.
Ties to the Nashville community, especially West or North Nashville.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Executive Partner on recruitment events and outreach; plan and run logistics for family and community events.
Manage agreements and logistics with community partners and facility users, and maintain relationships and communication with community partners.
Manage and execute enrollment and lottery processes in accordance with Tennessee charter law.
Manage student records, registration, and family communications.
Manage the day-to-day budget, purchasing, Bill.com processes, and reconciliations with the back-office provider.
Analyze the monthly P&L with the Operations Partner to ensure budget targets and process expectations are met.
Ensure compliance tasks and deadlines are completed with the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission and Tennessee Department of Education; maintain the compliance calendar tracker, submit required reports on time, and respond promptly to real-time requests.
Build and execute the operational launch plan and timeline for the school’s first year, and hold the team accountable to it.
Run arrival, dismissal, meals, transportation, and attendance.
Manage technology, including devices and AI tools that support instruction.
Lead emergency planning, drills, and campus safety.
After opening, maintain building compliance, including annual fire marshal inspection and required insurance; manage regular maintenance, custodial staff, security, and building organization.
Plan furniture and technology installations and safety checks for move-in.
Manage hiring logistics, onboarding, background checks, and licensure tracking.
Maintain personnel files and HR policies; manage payroll, benefits enrollment, and Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System reporting; maintain the employee handbook.
Build and supervise the operations team as the school grows.