Dean of Operations
Description
Organization Overview
Excel Academy was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide a high-quality, free, and public education to students in East Boston and Chelsea Massachusetts, communities that are predominantly low-income and Latinx and historically have faced significant social and educational barriers. Our success in Massachusetts is proof that the opportunity gap can be closed and we opened a new school in Rhode Island in 2022. At Excel Academy Charter Schools, we believe that when a student has the support and tools to pursue a productive post-secondary pathway aligned to their personal identity and values, it can fundamentally change their life trajectory.
Excel Academy was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide a high-quality, free, and public education to students in East Boston and Chelsea Massachusetts, communities that are predominantly low-income and Latinx and historically have faced significant social and educational barriers. Our success in Massachusetts is proof that the opportunity gap can be closed and we opened a new school in Rhode Island in 2022. At Excel Academy Charter Schools, we believe that when a student has the support and tools to pursue a productive post-secondary pathway aligned to their personal identity and values, it can fundamentally change their life trajectory.
At Excel Academy we learn from our students, families, and staff and make improvements. We have increasingly adapted to provide a holistic education that values our community as collaborators in the learning process, social-emotional support, equity for diverse learners, and fosters identity development. We prioritize an approach that is both rigorous and inclusive. Our team of passionate, intelligent, driven, and loving staff are at the core of the work we do.
About the Role
The Dean of Operations is responsible for ensuring operational excellence. They also serve as a member of the school’s leadership team and lead the members of the School Operations Team.
The Dean of Operations works to ensure the quality and efficiency of the school on a day-to-day basis, while also taking on medium-to-long term projects to improve the operations or programs of the school. The ideal candidate will possess skills in organization and demonstrate strong project planning execution and completion in a timely manner.
This is an interim position to cover a leave starting 8/1/2024 and ending in January of 2025, with our ideal candidate being able to start on or before 06/01/2024. Excel is committed to retaining excellent talent, and there is a possibility for continuation in a role within our network after the leave coverage ends.
Your Impact
Specific responsibilities include:
The Dean of Operations is responsible for ensuring operational excellence. They also serve as a member of the school’s leadership team and lead the members of the School Operations Team.
The Dean of Operations works to ensure the quality and efficiency of the school on a day-to-day basis, while also taking on medium-to-long term projects to improve the operations or programs of the school. The ideal candidate will possess skills in organization and demonstrate strong project planning execution and completion in a timely manner.
This is an interim position to cover a leave starting 8/1/2024 and ending in January of 2025, with our ideal candidate being able to start on or before 06/01/2024. Excel is committed to retaining excellent talent, and there is a possibility for continuation in a role within our network after the leave coverage ends.
Your Impact
Specific responsibilities include:
- Manage the school budget in partnership with the Head of School and Network Finance Team and coordinate all school-based procurement.
- Manage all aspects of facility and grounds use, upkeep, and renovation including addressing staff needs and facility work requests.
- Manage IT vendor relationship(s) to ensure staff and students have their IT needs met, including both hardware (doc cams, projectors, laptops, Chromebooks) and software (serve as the liaison for PowerSchool, Clever, and other software)
- Oversee arrival, dismissal, lunch and recess duty assignment and coverage and well as develop/maintain systems for the smooth functioning of each.
- Direct student transportation services for the school: collaborate with external vendor(s) on all busing issues, ensure smooth and regular operation of buses, and coordinate all transportation needs for field trips and other special events.
- Coordinate the food service program for the school, including managing external vendor relationship(s) and ensuring compliance with RIDE and RIDOH regulations.
- Direct student enrollment for the school, through collaboration with the Network Operations Team, to ensure the school remains fully enrolled at all times.
- Support with student recruitment initiatives to build relationships with prospective families and the community.
- Coordinate after school programs, extracurricular activities, and school-wide events (i.e.- fundraisers, picture day, etc.).
- Oversee all family engagement efforts including Parent Involvement Council meetings
- Manage testing operations to ensure for smooth implementation of internal and state assessments, including ACCESS, RICAS, NGSA, and NWEA MAP.
- Manage direct reports to develop an operations team aligned to support the instructional needs of students and teachers.
- Develop ongoing plans to provide for the professional development of direct reports
Qualifications
- A minimum of three years of experience in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred, but not required;
- The ability to speak Spanish preferred, but not required;
- Excellent prioritization and time management skills, and a systematic approach to project management;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Experience in spreadsheet or database management preferred, but not required;
- Demonstrated success in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment;
Preference will be given to applicants who share points of intersection with our students, such as speaking Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, or a language commonly spoken by our students and families at an advanced level, being first generation college graduates, or having grown up low-income.
Mission Alignment
- You share a commitment to and belief in all students and the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model;
- You are committed to addressing racial and economic inequity in education;
- You work effectively in a team environment and have a willingness and desire to support others in doing their best work; and
- You are open to change, are willing to problem-solve, and seek feedback for your own professional growth and improvement.
Excel Academy Charter Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language or prior academic achievement.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.