Regional Director of Operations - IDEA Houston (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools•Houston, TX

3d•$114,257 - $135,966•Onsite

About The Position

The Regional Director of Operations (RDO) is the operations leader for a portfolio of schools and is responsible for operational excellence across non-instructional areas, including front office management, attendance, student information systems, child nutrition, transportation, health services, facility maintenance, new construction management, technology coordination, and student recruitment and enrollment. The RDO indirectly manages Assistant Principals of Operations (APOs) and partners with principals, Vice Presidents of Schools or an Executive Director, and regional operations managers to coach and develop teams, strengthen operational departments, and ensure quality execution, compliance, board and authorizer relations, and operational excellence. This is a full-time, on-site position in the Houston region. Daily travel between campuses and the regional office is required, as is travel to training events and meetings in and out of the region. Recruitment and enrollment work also requires daily and weekly travel. The role requires flexibility outside standard business hours, including evening administrative work and evening or weekend recruitment responsibilities as needed.

Requirements

At least 8 years of professional experience.
At least 4 years of people management experience, including at least 3 years managing through organizational layers.
Bachelor’s degree required.
Advanced experience with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, Planner, and Excel, and MS SharePoint Online.
Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to coach and develop these skills in others.
Strong organization, prioritization, follow-through, and attention to detail.
Effective verbal and written interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain and build support for recruitment plans and goals.
Ability to build strong, mutually beneficial partnerships through trust, empathy, and credibility.
Ability to manage multiple projects under pressure, competing priorities, and tight deadlines while maintaining composure and quality.
Sound judgment and decision-making ability.
Ability to analyze and interpret data and statistics, identify trends, draw conclusions, and develop effective strategies; ability to build this competency in others.
Ability to advocate, influence, motivate, and hold others accountable through consistent and clear expectations.
Ability to manage adults and achieve results through influence without formal managerial responsibility.
Ability to design, evaluate, and improve policies and procedures for effectiveness and efficiency.
Ability to achieve measurable results through commitment, personal responsibility, and accountability.
Ability to give, receive, and implement feedback to continually improve performance and results.
Ability to travel between sites in a personal vehicle.
Ability to sit for extended periods without leaving the work area; climb ladders or scaffolding or work in overhead areas; regularly lift and carry 35 pounds; work around small children, including sitting, standing, running, and climbing stairs; lift and carry children up to 40 pounds in an emergency; and work indoors and outdoors in excessive heat or cold.
Willingness to work outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends as needed for administrative work and recruitment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or other advanced degree in a relevant field.
K–12 education experience.
Knowledge of the PK–12 education landscape, especially charter or community schools.
Bilingual English/Spanish ability.

Responsibilities

Coach and develop regional operations leaders, APOs, and campus operations staff through observations, feedback, professional development, and accountability systems.
Lead regional enrollment, attendance, and safety strategies by setting benchmarks and goals, monitoring progress through data, and implementing interventions.
Analyze campus and regional performance data, operational systems, and stakeholder feedback to identify trends and root causes, implement corrective actions, and improve effectiveness and the staff and student experience.
Manage and monitor compliance with district, local, and state requirements related to enrollment, attendance, safety, and other operational areas through audits, training, oversight, and accountability measures.
Collaborate with school and regional leaders to align operational and instructional priorities, strengthen campus culture, manage crisis response, and implement strategic initiatives.
Partner with principals to align operational and instructional goals and share responsibility for developing APOs and building their capacity.
Engage with the Vice President of Schools and Regional Student & Family Services Manager to prioritize student persistence, address campus culture concerns, and coach APOs on operations-related problem solving.
Manage regional backwards plans and targeted interventions to achieve enrollment targets and lottery readiness, and track progress at campuses that are off track.
Coach APOs through recruitment, registration, re-registration, and onboarding to achieve full enrollment at each school by the deadline.
Conduct regular in-field observations at campuses, identify strengths and execution gaps, and coach APOs and principals on effective operations practices.
Analyze regional and campus data daily, weekly, and cumulatively; use findings to hold stakeholders accountable and tailor corrective actions to campus needs.
Train, observe, provide feedback, and implement accountability measures for adherence to average daily attendance (ADA) policy, including official attendance times, period-by-period submissions, and escalation procedures.
Identify gaps in prior Beginning of Year (BOY) execution and proactively plan improvements at campuses of concern.
Gather stakeholder feedback to determine root causes and recommend adjustments to systems for APOs to implement.
Plan BOY professional development with APOs and observe sessions to provide feedback and support high-quality facilitation.
Lead regional safety strategy, ensure effective crisis response and communication, and oversee compliance with safety requirements such as trainings, drills, monthly campus crisis team meetings, and door sweeps.
Conduct required safety audits at all portfolio campuses twice yearly, analyze results, and coach campus leaders to address gaps and maintain compliance.
Ensure team members participate in functional professional development and follow up on training with accountability and next steps.
Coach regional operations managers in engaging with campus operations staff and building their capacity through observations, feedback, data analysis, and accountability.
Establish operating mechanisms for ongoing coaching and support, including APO check-ins, regional operations and APO tactical meetings, and regular observation and feedback sessions.
Perform additional duties as assigned by regional leaders.