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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing approximately 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.  Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Innovation Incubation serves as Chicago Public Schools' charter authorizing agent. II  oversees and sets academic and operational expectations and promotes best practices among the district's 89 charter and contract schools. The office supports charter and district-run schools, promoting innovative models and procedures to ensure that all students, from kindergarten to post-secondary education, have the necessary resources for success.

Job Summary: 

Reporting to the Executive Director of Innovation and Incubation, theDirector of Colocation and Operations

is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the operational management, incubation of schools and programs, school closures, student records management, facilities planning, and colocation processes for district and charter schools. The Director will lead efforts to ensure efficient operations, effective utilization of facilities, and successful colocation partnerships with district and charter schools authorized by the district.This person is the liaison to all CPS operating departments, such as facilities, food nutrition, safety and security, capital, etc. Responsible for establishing district-wide policies, systems, and relationships that ensure students in charter and contract schools have access to safe facilities and program-ready schools, providing a critical response system for school crisis management. This person will also manage the II budget and all business and HR processes for II. This full time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Director of Operations and Colocations will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Lead charter school facility management and performance reviews 
• • Lead charter school performance reviews related to facilities, student, and facility safety.
  • Assist with reviewing and conducting facility Repair Plan evaluations with the CPS facilities team. 
  • Lead the monitoring and compliance with charter schools' facility Asbestos Survey and Inspections.
  • Ensure that charter and new schools are appropriately provisioned for CPS systems access (Aspen, ODA, etc.) through IT Provisioning/Rapid ID/systems access. 
  • Working intra-departmentally to build efficient support systems for school operations throughout the District, particularly with Facilities, Nutrition Services, ITS, and Operations. 
  • Provide regular reports to district leadership on the status of facilities and leases.
  • Develop long-term facility plans, manage lease agreements, and oversee facility inspections to maintain safe, functional, and conducive learning environments for students and staff.

• Supervise, develop, and manage the performance of multiple teams of direct reports.
• Supervise the colocation process for charter and district schools within district facilities, ensuring compliance and execution with legal requirements, lease agreements, and facility guidelines.
• Facilitate communication, collaboration, and coordination between district and charter schools to promote positive relationships, shared resources, and effective utilization of shared spaces.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of colocation arrangements, identifying opportunities for improvement and resolving conflicts or issues as they arise.
• Establish a new Facility Sharing Policy that reflects the district's core values and strategic plan. 
• Assist the Portfolio Officer with community roundtables and strategy regarding facilities and colocation. 
• Lead facilities planning initiatives for charter schools, including assessing space needs, coordinating facility upgrades, renovations, and maintenance, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.

• Lead the incubation process for new district-managed, charter, and contract schools and programs, coordinating timelines, resources, CPS departments, and stakeholders. Monitor progress, address challenges, and make data-informed decisions to launch a new school or program successfully. 
• Oversee and manage the development and implementation of an Incubation Program Playbook 

• Develop, implement, and lead operational policies, procedures, and systems to support the effective management and oversight of charter schools authorized by the district, including Sports safety planning, Strike Contingency Planning, and parent support, II cataloging process.
• Lead collaboration with school leaders, district staff, and external partners to address operational challenges, streamline processes, and optimize resources for operational efficiency.
• Monitor the department's financial performance, analyze cost efficiencies, and make recommendations for optimizing financial resources and operational effectiveness.
• Lead annual budget planning process and creation of budget narratives.

• Develop and implement procedures for the systematic organization, retention, and disposal of school records, documents, and data in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the secure storage, retrieval, and transfer of records to relevant stakeholders, ensuring data privacy, confidentiality, and integrity throughout the closure process.
• Following established reuse, transfer, or disposal procedures, coordinate the inventory, assessment, and disposition of physical and digital assets, including equipment, supplies, furniture, technology, and materials.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive plan for winding down school operations, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables related to personnel, facilities, contracts, services, and other operational aspects.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition, closure, or transfer of operations, services, and resources in a timely and efficient manner.
• Ensure compliance with legal, contractual, and regulatory requirements governing the closure of charter schools, including reporting obligations, data protection, student records management, and financial accountability.
• Prepare and submit closure reports, documentation, and records to relevant authorities, auditors, and oversight bodies as required by law or contractual agreements.
• Conduct post-closure evaluations, assessments, and reviews to capture lessons learned, identify best practices, and make recommendations for improving future closure processes and records management practices.
• Document and share insights, challenges, and successes to inform organizational learning and continuous improvement in managing school closures.
• Partner with the Executive Director to ensure alignment across II’s strategic vision and shared understanding of challenges and opportunities
• Other duties and workstreams as assigned.

Supervision:This role supervises multiple teams, which may include, but is not limited to the campus governance manager, 4-6  support coordinators, and a team of 4-6 retired administrators. 

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Director of Colocations Operations Support must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Master’s degree preferred

Experience Required: 

• Minimum of seven (7) years of full-time professional leadership in the development and execution of large-scale, organization-wide strategic initiatives involving multiple internal and external stakeholders 
• Minimum of five (5)  years of full-time professional experience in education administration, including budget and operations management 
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience supervising a team of direct reports, including hiring, discipline, performance management, etc.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in charter school authorization and/or colocations required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Effective strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, effectively guide schools and principles to shared goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
• Strong analytical, budgeting, organizational, interpersonal, and diplomacy skills 
• Knowledge of modern management practices (policy and procedures), methods, and techniques related to charter school operations, small businesses, or non-profit organizations. 
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of operating budget formulation, evaluation, and administration 
• Strong communication skills, including developing external communication documents for a wide range of audiences and effectively addressing stakeholder concerns and inquiries 
• Ability to analyze, synthesize, and interpret complex data 
• Skills in planning and implementation of projects that engage parents, community members, students, and other external stakeholders 
• Skilled in  coaching and developing people and building effective teams 
• Is flexible and can function effectively in ambiguity 
• Is astute and keenly aware of the interests and motivations of others and acts with integrity in a politically-charged environment 
• Ability to receive, internalize, and respond to feedback from department leadership, manager, colleagues, and external partners

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency -Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.