Founding Director of Operations

The Gate School•Nashville, TN

2d•$75,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Operations is a founding-team member responsible for building and managing the operational systems that enable teachers to teach and students to learn at The Gate School, a tuition-free public charter middle school opening in Nashville in Fall 2027. The role leads operational planning through school launch and manages day-to-day operations after opening. It is a full-time, exempt, 12-month, on-site position in Nashville, Tennessee, reporting to the Operations Partner. The start date is flexible, ideally January or February 2027. The Director owns community and family outreach logistics, enrollment and student records, finance and business operations, governance and regulatory compliance, daily school operations, facilities, talent and HR administration, payroll, and the development of the operations team as the school grows. The role includes managing arrival, dismissal, meals, transportation, attendance, technology, emergency planning, campus safety, maintenance, and building organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
At least 4 years of operations experience, including 2 years in a school, nonprofit, or startup.
A track record of building systems and managing complex projects to deadlines.
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 with 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 manage logistics for family and community events, including agreements and logistics with community partners and facility users.
Maintain relationships and communication with community partners.
Manage and execute enrollment and lottery processes in compliance with Tennessee charter law.
Manage student records, registration, and family communications.
Manage day-to-day budgeting, purchasing, bill.com processes, and reconciliations with the back-office provider.
Review monthly P&L with the Operations Partner to monitor budget targets and process expectations.
Complete compliance tasks and deadlines with the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission and the Tennessee Department of Education; maintain the compliance tracker, submit required reports on time, and respond promptly to other requests.
Build and execute the operational launch plan and timeline for the first year, and hold the team accountable to it.
Manage 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 inspections and required insurance.
Manage regular building maintenance, custodial staff, security, and overall 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.