Director of Regional Operations

KIPP • Camden, NJ

4d • $125,000 - $140,000

About The Position

The Director of Regional Operations leads and owns operational functions that directly impact schools in each region, including but not limited to, transportation, nutrition, technology, purchasing, budgeting and regional data. The DRO also leads special projects and initiatives that improve the region’s operations and create better delivery of services and create operational efficiencies across the region. These could include attendance or student persistence initiatives, or special projects such as tutoring or summer school programming. The DRO also oversees and implements key enrollment processes and procedures for the region. The DRO supports the Managing Director of Operations in their work leading the region to achieve operational excellence in our schools.
The Director of Regional Operations (DRO) leads and manages operational areas as delegated by the MDO of the region which may include, but is not limited to transportation, purchasing, budgeting, nutrition, technology, regional data, and summer school. Manage all aspects of vendor relationships as necessary (e.g. food service, transportation, after school provider), including:
Liaise between vendor and school-based ops teams and troubleshoot problem areas.
Work with the compliance team to ensure vendors are procured according to state and local laws.
Define standards for internal functions such as technology and nutrition
Roll out region-wide policies and initiatives related to the operational areas that the DRO manages.
The DRO will support the MDO in running point for centralized support teams such as technology, facilities, data, compliance, finance/budget, HR Ops, purchasing, academic operations, and student recruitment. The MDO will manage some of these directly and will delegate to the DRO or DROs as necessary.
Work with KTAF support teams to define regional and school based roles in service level agreements.
Liaise between school-based ops teams and KTAF teams as necessary.
Develop region-wide efficiencies to better support school operations leads in these areas.
Facilitate communication and build structures to ensure both DSOs and department leads can do their best work.
The DRO supports the MDO in managing the local board, which may include:
Schedule all local board and committee meetings.
Work with a compliance team to ensure compliance with state and local laws; post meetings on website as necessary.
Ensure quorum for board meetings.
Lead efforts to prepare agenda items for board meetings and ensure presenters are assigned tasks and prepared to present; run board prep meetings.
Assemble all board books and ensure resolutions are accurate and vetted by MDO and key KTAF stakeholders.
Manage board meeting minutes and resolutions and file in google drive, in coordination with the compliance team.
Manage all logistics for all board meetings.
The DRO leads enrollment systems and routines for the region:
Managing all aspects of Power School including student transfers, withdrawals and pushing new students into Power School
Managing HHIS SOM training and application process.
Managing and ensuring fidelity of FinalSite in collaboration with the SRE team
Meet regularly and as needed with the SRE team and other regional DOE
Leading the 8th to 9th transition project plan and driving towards regional metrics of success
Identifying and implementing needed systems, data reports, etc to ensure the seamless and accurate implementation of student data systems
Support the monitoring of student registration and conversion data across the region including regular progress update emails to key stakeholders
Support ongoing student recruitment initiatives.
In support of the MDO, the DRO will work with the Finance team to determine how regional school budgets are developed and managed. The regional team will provide input on the budgets and will work with the Finance team to determine the roles and responsibilities of the regional team for regional budgeting. The DRO will support with the following:
Support MDO and finance team with annual resource allocation and budgeting process.
Act as an accountability partner with monthly budget deadlines for regional partners (e.g. SPED, Facilities, etc).
Manage one or more regional budgets, e.g. associated with an operations function that the DRO more broadly manages (such as food service) and/or for regional team-wide categories (such as supplies/events).
Coordinate and complete purchases for the region.
Manage tracking of emergency funding requests and expenses.
Manage all regional stipend pay outs and/ or any other salary adjustments and support all payroll and HR functional areas.
A key part of the DRO role will be to assume special regional projects and initiatives that arise from time to time, including but not limited to:
Lead/project management charter renewals on behalf of region.
Lead special initiatives to tackle a problem such as attendance or student persistence.
Manage grant funded programs that are specific to the region.
Lead network wide ops efforts under the direction of the COO/MDO/MDSO
Lead communications during emergencies/inclement weather as directed by the MDO/MDSO
Maintaining a centralized regional operations launch/resource site
In addition to the above, the DRO may support the MDO in the following ways:
Identify opportunities for cross team collaboration, systemization and efficiencies to support effective, efficient and sustainable cross regional systems implementation and communication.
Develop regional systems and structures across regional teams to streamline processes, communicate effectively with key stakeholders, and hold teams accountable for executing the systems with fidelity.
Prepare presentations and data to guide regularly occurring and one-off meetings including, initiative launches, etc.
In conjunction with MDO and MDSO, co-plan materials for retreats, PDs, strategics and goal-step backs, etc.
Plan and lead weekly DSO Tactical Huddle with MDSO
Support MDO/MDS with reimbursements and calendar management as requested
The DRO may support the MDO and the region with events, which may include:
Co-manage any large regionally mandated travel (TEAMSPYs, Leader Summit, Heartbeat Summit, KSS, etc.) with the KTAF events team
Manage regional events such as but not limited to regional PDs, New Staff Orientation, holiday party,etc.
Ensure that regional events are executed according to project plan and milestones are hit.
Manage school and regional calendar and communications.
Plan logistics for various meetings and special events.
As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above essential duties and responsibilities.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressively increasing operational management experience in the context of a growing organization or business, required
• Bachelor’s degree, required
• Maintains an unrelenting commitment to continuous improvement, results-orientation and unwavering determination to ensure students and teachers succeed
• Always makes decisions in the best interest of students, striking the right balance with external constraints
• Possesses a constant focus on excellence
• Builds positive and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders
• Influences others to achieve outcomes that best support kids
• Knows what’s important and what to prioritize at all times
• Is the fastest of learners and synthesizes information quickly
• Maintains supreme flexibility, with an ability to maneuver effectively in the face of uncertainty and transition and to continuously adapt priorities while maintaining focus on goals
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement and manage business systems and processes to support a growing region
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with a demonstrated ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, lead projects, meet multiple concurrent deadlines and organize time and priorities
• Ability to collaborate with a wide range of constituents and to build partnerships around common interests and goals
• Robust knowledge of public education, education reform initiatives and the charter school movement
• Sense of humor and strong interpersonal skills that contribute to a collegial working environment
• Weekend and evening work will be necessary to carry out the requirements of this job
• Period presence in person will be required for events, training, events and applicable meetings.
• Travel to other KTAF regions or for work-related conferences and professional development will be required from time to time

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in education and/or nonprofit environment, strongly preferred
• Familiarity with school-based operational structures, strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Leads and owns operational functions that directly impact schools in each region, including but not limited to, transportation, nutrition, technology, purchasing, budgeting and regional data.
• Leads special projects and initiatives that improve the region’s operations and create better delivery of services and create operational efficiencies across the region.
• Oversees and implements key enrollment processes and procedures for the region.
• Supports the Managing Director of Operations in their work leading the region to achieve operational excellence in our schools.
• Manages all aspects of vendor relationships, including liaising between vendor and school-based ops teams, troubleshooting problem areas, and ensuring vendors are procured according to state and local laws.
• Defines standards for internal functions such as technology and nutrition.
• Rolls out region-wide policies and initiatives related to operational areas.
• Supports the MDO in running point for centralized support teams such as technology, facilities, data, compliance, finance/budget, HR Ops, purchasing, academic operations, and student recruitment.
• Works with KTAF support teams to define regional and school based roles in service level agreements.
• Develops region-wide efficiencies to better support school operations leads.
• Facilitates communication and builds structures to ensure both DSOs and department leads can do their best work.
• Supports the MDO in managing the local board, including scheduling meetings, ensuring compliance with laws, preparing agenda items, assembling board books, managing minutes and resolutions, and managing logistics.
• Leads enrollment systems and routines for the region, including managing Power School, HHIS SOM training, FinalSite fidelity, and the 8th to 9th transition project.
• Identifies and implements needed systems, data reports, etc. to ensure seamless and accurate implementation of student data systems.
• Monitors student registration and conversion data across the region and supports ongoing student recruitment initiatives.
• Works with the Finance team to determine how regional school budgets are developed and managed, and supports the annual resource allocation and budgeting process.
• Acts as an accountability partner with monthly budget deadlines for regional partners.
• Manages one or more regional budgets.
• Coordinates and completes purchases for the region.
• Manages tracking of emergency funding requests and expenses.
• Manages all regional stipend pay outs and/or any other salary adjustments and supports all payroll and HR functional areas.
• Assumes special regional projects and initiatives, such as charter renewals, attendance/student persistence initiatives, grant-funded programs, network-wide ops efforts, and communications during emergencies.
• Maintains a centralized regional operations launch/resource site.
• Identifies opportunities for cross-team collaboration, systemization, and efficiencies.
• Develops regional systems and structures to streamline processes, communicate effectively, and hold teams accountable.
• Prepares presentations and data to guide meetings.
• Co-plans materials for retreats, PDs, strategics, and goal-step backs.
• Plans and leads weekly DSO Tactical Huddles.
• Supports MDO/MDS with reimbursements and calendar management.
• Co-manages large regionally mandated travel with the KTAF events team.
• Manages regional events such as regional PDs, New Staff Orientation, and holiday parties.
• Ensures regional events are executed according to project plan and milestones are hit.
• Manages school and regional calendar and communications.
• Plans logistics for various meetings and special events.

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision
• KIPP 403b retirement plan, including matching contributions
• A school-issued laptop
• Generous Time-Off Policy
• Up to 12 weeks 100% parental leave for primary caregivers
• Employer paid life insurance
• Extensive optional ancillary benefits including, short term and long term disability and accident and hospital indemnity

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director