Managing Director of Academics

Excel Academy Charter Schools•Chelsea, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Excel Academy is seeking a Managing Director of Academics (MDA), a senior, network-level leader responsible for setting direction for curriculum, instruction, and professional learning across the organization. Reporting to the Chief Schools Officer, the MDA is responsible for building instructional leadership across the network and developing leaders to improve the quality of teaching and learning across classrooms. The MDA’s work is grounded in developing people and improving practice, strengthening the instructional leadership capacity of network and school-based leaders, including principals, academic leaders, and content leaders. The MDA directly manages and develops the Director of ELA and Math and the Director of the Excel Teaching Fellowship. Through this work, the MDA strengthens the quality and coherence of Excel’s academic program across grade levels and content areas. This includes improving curriculum and its implementation, overseeing the continued development of Excel’s high school academic program—including curriculum strategy for the founding Rhode Island high school and coherence with the Massachusetts high school model—and strengthening the middle school curriculum to consistently meet a high bar and prepare students for high school. The MDA ensures that curriculum and instruction are rigorous, aligned to college-ready standards, and culturally responsive, and prepare students for college and career pathways. As a member of the Network Team, the MDA works closely with leaders across student supports, data, talent, and operations to ensure that academic priorities are aligned across the organization.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience as a senior leader in academics, curriculum, or instructional systems, with responsibility for setting vision and designing systems across multiple teams or schools
Experience leading at a systems level and/or managing and developing other leaders (e.g., principals, network leaders, or equivalent roles)
Proven ability to lead through influence, including partnering with school leaders and coaching senior staff
Strong judgment and problem-solving skills in complex, high-stakes situations
Track record of building trust, developing leaders, and strengthening teams
Ability to work across functional areas to integrate priorities into broader organizational systems
Deep understanding of rigorous instructional practice, particularly in Tier 1 instruction
Experience improving teaching and learning through curriculum and instruction
Bachelor’s degree required
Strong systems-thinking and ability to create clarity in complex environments
Exceptional relationship-building and collaboration skills
Strategic and analytical thinking with a focus on continuous improvement
Strong communication and facilitation skills
Ability to balance long-term strategy with operational execution
Commitment to and belief in all students and Excel Academy’s mission
Dedication to addressing racial and economic inequity in education
Collaborative, inclusive, and team-oriented approach
Growth mindset and openness to feedback
Strong sense of ownership and commitment to continuous improvement

Nice To Haves

Experience scaling systems in multi-site educational organizations.
Experience working in growing charter schools and networks.
Advanced degree in education, leadership, or a related field

Responsibilities

Set and steward the network’s instructional direction, ensuring coherence across schools, grade levels, and content areas
Identify and prioritize the highest-leverage opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning across the network
Partner with school and network leaders to translate academic priorities into strong instructional practice
Ensure alignment with Excel’s instructional philosophy while balancing network consistency with school-based flexibility.
Serve as a strong instructional leader, modeling effective practices in teaching, coaching, and adult learning
Design and lead (or oversee the design and facilitation of) high-impact professional development for principals, academic leaders, and teachers
Manage and develop the Director of ELA and Math and the Director of the Excel Teaching Fellowship, and coach and develop leaders across the network
Build systems that support consistent, high-quality instructional feedback and development across schools
Oversee the selection, adaptation, and implementation of curriculum across grade levels and content areas
Lead curriculum strategy for the founding Rhode Island high school and ensure coherence with the Massachusetts high school model
Improve the quality and consistency of the middle school curriculum to ensure strong preparation for high school
Work with content leaders to strengthen coherence across subjects and grade levels
Ensure curriculum materials are rigorous, aligned to college-ready standards, culturally responsive, and connected to college and career pathways
Partner with data and assessment leaders to analyze student achievement trends and identify priorities for improving teaching and learning
Support leaders in using data to inform instructional decisions, curriculum adjustments, and professional learning priorities
Ensure coherence between curriculum, assessment, and instructional practice across schools
Use network-wide data to inform academic strategy and continuous improvement efforts
Collaborate with leaders across student supports, data, talent, and operations to ensure coherence of curriculum, instruction, and professional learning within broader network systems
Partner with the Managing Director of Student Supports to strengthen differentiation, accessibility, and alignment of Tier 1 instruction with Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports
Contribute to network-wide academic strategy as a member of the Network Team
Build relationships with school leaders to support strong implementation of academic priorities across schools