Network Director of Operations - Ascend Public Charter Schools

At Ascend, we’re excited about professionals who are fired up about our liberal arts program, positive approach to discipline, and commitment to serve all students. Join us as we foster innate curiosities, encourage discussion and debate, and guide students to think their own way through to answers.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Network Operations, the Network Director of Operations (NDO) co-manages the Assistant Principals of Operations (APOs) along with the Ascend schools’ Principals in pursuit of operational excellence. The NDO supports, coaches, and develops the APOs, identifying and problem-solving network-wide challenges on behalf of schools. The NDO ensures that the schools capture and use operational data and meet internal and external goals. They play a key role in recognizing areas where operations could be more effective, compliant and scalable, and design and execute initiatives to address these needs.

In partnership with other members of the network team, they work to codify operational practices at the schools and support the development and enhancement of data, procurement, and other operational systems. They develop and deliver professional development programs for APOs, and plan the annual summer institute for all school operational staff.

Why extraordinary professionals choose Ascend

Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 5,700 students across 15 schools in Central Brooklyn. Our mission is to lead our students on a great intellectual journey, providing them with an exceptional education and placing them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond.

We guide our students to think critically and independently and to enjoy education as an end in itself. We teach a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures students’ natural curiosity about the world. We foster a positive, non-punitive school culture where students feel connected, empowered, and safe to take academic risks. Even our school buildings are designed to reflect our high aspirations for teaching and learning and the notable accomplishments that occur within our walls.

To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we invest heavily in our team members by providing ongoing, best-of-class professional training and support. We encourage them to collaborate closely and push one another to achieve great outcomes.

You can learn more about the Ascend approach by visiting our website.

Coaching and managing

• Has a dotted line managerial relationship to the schools’ assistant principals of operations (APOs), serves as the primary coach to the school APOs. He or she is the primary resource to solve problems and identify resources to problems that the APO encounters
• Assists the school principals in writing APO performance evaluations by gathering input from other stakeholders and including their own assessment
• Designs and leads recruitment process for APOs, including developing selection criteria, and advises school principals on selecting APOs

School start-up and readiness

• Works closely with and supports each school’s APO as their new school opens or new school year approaches to ensure that every dimension of school operations is in place for launch, including full student enrollment, transportation, the facility, student and adult furniture, supplies, and food service
• Provides onsite school support when necessary

On-call school support

• Serves as an on-call resource to the APOs in all functional areas, providing direct support and when appropriate, referring them to a member of the network team or other operations staff member at Ascend
• Lead, executes, and support key projects and initiatives across all operational areas
• Works closely with the APO and the Managing Director of Technology and the technology team to ensure that all schools have strong technology systems and appropriate support in this area
• Works closely with the APO and the Director of Finance and the finance team to ensure that the schools’ finance function works smoothly
• Work closely with the Director of Human Resources to ensure that the schools’ APOs have what they need to effectively be the first point of contact for all school-level staff on HR matters
• Works closely with the APO and the Director of Facilities and the facilities team to ensure that building maintenance and custodial needs are met

Professional development

• Designs and delivers trainings and onboarding for new APOs
• Designs and implements professional development sessions for school-based operational staff, including the comprehensive annual Operations Institute each summer
• Identifies professional development opportunities from third-party resources to develop APOs and provide them with growth opportunities
• Tracks operational data from the schools to identify specific areas of growth by schools; tailor PD to these deficits

Customer service

• Creates and maintains a culture of exceptional customer service from the network (AL) to the schools across all operational practices, and ensures that this culture infuses all operational and business activities in the schools, including the telephone and web site experiences, reception, food service, nursing, and building appearance.
• Quickly identifies and manages up on roadblocks or bottlenecks, working closely with the MD and COO to eliminate and improve school operations

Operational Performance

• Oversees approach to operational data and evaluation, leading process for evaluations and audits as determined by the network operations team
• Identifies critical network-wide operational data needs and works closely with network teams to create the framework and infrastructure to collect and manage performance in a data-driven manner

Reporting structure

The Network Director of Operations supervises on a dotted line basis the schools’ assistant principals of operations (APOs). The NDO reports to the Managing Director of Network Operations and collaborates with other members of the network operations team as well as other members of the Ascend team.

The Network Director of Operations must demonstrate:

• Experience as a top-performing school Director of Operations in a public school, preferably in a charter school
• Success in developing and supporting junior managers
• Experience in leadership development with strong consulting and coaching skills
• Effectiveness at motivating and influencing others to act, strong management skills
• Capacity to develop strong relationships based upon trust, respect, effective communication, and common goals
• A mindset of excellence; attention to detail and insistence on quality
• A customer service oriented mindset
• Creativity and a solutions mindset—ability to recognize areas for improvement and develop initiatives to move the organization dramatically forward operationally
• Systems-thinking; capacity to envision, plan, and implement new systems and practices that better support school operations
• Strong strategic thinking, planning, financial analysis, and project management skills
• The ability to juggle multiple obligations and initiatives
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude
• Passion and commitment to urban education and our mission of closing the achievement gap
• Alignment with the educational philosophy and core beliefs of Ascend Learning

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Compensation

Initial salary offers for this position range from $120,000 - $140,000. Salaries are determined using an equitable compensation scale that accounts for years of experience and levels of attained education.

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.