Vice President of Schools (AMS Impact Group)

AMS Schools•Tempe, AZ

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President of Schools (VP) is a hands-on, field-based executive leader responsible for overseeing an assigned portfolio of AMS campuses as a unified operating unit. The role provides strategic leadership and operational oversight across academic performance, enrollment, staffing, finance, school culture, compliance, and facilities to support strong school performance and organizational effectiveness. The VP develops high-performing school leaders and ensures effective deployment of shared network resources across assigned campuses. In partnership with principals and network leadership, the VP sets performance expectations, monitors results, identifies improvement opportunities, and implements strategies for continuous growth. The role develops principals into comprehensive school operators accountable for academic outcomes, financial performance, enrollment, staffing, and school operations. The VP serves on the network leadership team and partners with the Chief Schools Officer to advance organizational priorities and growth. This is a hybrid role based in the assigned region, but it is not fully remote. The VP must live within reasonable proximity to assigned campuses and maintain a regular on-site presence. Frequent travel between campuses is required, with regular air travel possible for multi-state assignments. Occasional evening and weekend commitments may be required. Work takes place in school and office environments and includes frequent campus visits, classroom observations, and meetings with school personnel. Campus portfolios and assignments may change based on organizational needs.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Education Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
At least seven years of experience in K-12 education, including significant school leadership experience.
Prior experience as a principal with full accountability for school performance and operations.
Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing school leaders.
Experience overseeing school operations, including budgeting, enrollment, staffing, compliance, and facilities.
Demonstrated success improving academic, operational, or organizational performance.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret academic, enrollment, financial, and operational data and turn findings into actionable strategies.
Excellent leadership, communication, decision-making, and organizational skills.
Ability to reside within reasonable proximity to assigned campuses and maintain a regular on-site presence.
Ability to travel frequently between campuses, meetings, and community events, with regular air travel potentially required for multi-state assignments.
Reliable transportation.
Ability to complete applicable state and federal background checks, fingerprinting, and required child safety clearances.
Occasional evening and weekend commitments may be required.

Nice To Haves

Experience overseeing multiple campuses within a school network, district, or multi-site organization.
Experience launching new schools, leading school turnaround initiatives, or supporting organizational expansion.
Experience working within public charter schools or an education management organization.
Experience working across multiple states or regulatory environments.
Principal certification or eligibility for applicable state licensure.
Ability to establish high expectations while maintaining strong relationships.
Strong judgment in complex situations with incomplete information, and ability to provide direct, constructive feedback and manage performance effectively.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across organizational levels.
Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment.
Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and organizational leadership capabilities.
Commitment to scholar achievement, educational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Maintain accountability for the academic, operational, financial, enrollment, staffing, and cultural performance of assigned campuses.
Establish annual goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures for school leaders.
Conduct campus visits and leadership meetings to assess performance, identify improvement opportunities, and monitor progress.
Analyze school performance data, diagnose root causes, and implement interventions.
Allocate resources across campuses based on performance, needs, and strategic priorities.
Update the Chief Schools Officer on school performance, organizational risks, and improvement strategies; recommend leadership changes when needed.
Coach, mentor, evaluate, and develop principals and assistant principals, including through individualized development plans and ongoing feedback.
Develop school leaders’ capabilities in enrollment, budgeting, staffing, compliance, facilities, community engagement, data-informed decision-making, and operational leadership.
Identify high-potential leaders and support succession planning, leadership pipelines, recruitment, and retention in partnership with Talent Acquisition and Human Resources.
Ensure consistent implementation of the AMS instructional model, curricula, assessment practices, and intervention systems.
Monitor academic performance and scholar achievement, and ensure timely implementation of improvement strategies.
Partner with network academic leadership to carry out instructional priorities at the campus level, and direct coaching and professional development resources to areas of greatest need.
Ensure appropriate support for exceptional learners, English learners, and scholars requiring additional academic intervention; promote collaboration and sharing of effective instructional practices.
Oversee enrollment, recruitment, registration, retention, and attendance performance, and support campus enrollment and retention strategies.
Support school budget development, financial planning, and responsible resource allocation; ensure leaders understand the financial effects of enrollment, staffing, and operational decisions.
Oversee school operations, including staffing, scheduling, transportation, food service, facilities, safety, and student records.
Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, charter and authorizer requirements, and AMS Impact Group policies and procedures.
Maintain readiness for audits, inspections, authorizer visits, and other compliance monitoring; identify and mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risks with network leadership.
Represent AMS Impact Group and its schools with authorizers, community partners, families, and other external stakeholders.
Lead a regional support team serving assigned campuses across operations, enrollment, instructional coaching, exceptional student services, and intervention; set priorities, performance expectations, and measurable outcomes.
Deploy shared team resources and personnel according to organizational priorities and school needs, coordinating with network functional leaders on guidance, processes, and expectations.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment and balance competing campus priorities in resource-allocation decisions.
Contribute to network strategy, planning, and decision-making as a member of the AMS Impact Group leadership team.
Partner with the Chief Schools Officer and network leadership to improve systems, policies, and organizational structures supporting school performance.
Collaborate with other Vice Presidents of Schools to establish consistent leadership standards, tools, and best practices.
Lead or support network initiatives such as new school launches, turnaround efforts, district partnerships, and leadership development.
Support expansion into new communities and states, including planning and operational readiness for new campus openings.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness and scholar outcomes.