IDEA Public Schools Careers

Description

Director of SIS Operations – Academic Systems

Mission: ​​ The Director of SIS Operations - Academics owns the governance, standards, SOPs, training, and quality assurance for scheduling, grades/gradebooks, ADA and period-by-period attendance, and discipline. This role is responsible for delivering data that is accurate, timely, and actionable by treating the SIS as a holistic ecosystem of people, process, procedure, and data.

The Director serves as a strategic leader who builds strong coalitions with cross-functional partners to co-design scalable processes and controls. By ensuring Day 1/BOY readiness and quarterly audit reliability, this role provides the operational foundation necessary for state reporting alignment and organizational success.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Directly manage team members responsible for academic systems operations.

• Develop team capability and coverage by coaching staff and building cross-training and succession plans.
• Reinforce a team culture of service, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Location: ​​ Full-time position based in Texas. Preference is given to candidates in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County, or those willing to relocate.

Travel Expectations: Approximately 25% travel requirement.

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

Operational Governance & Policy Execution

• Operationalize established policies by maintaining districtwide SOPs, calendars, SLAs, and internal controls.
• Ensure consistent, compliant execution of scheduling, grades, attendance, and discipline through the creation of job aids and clear workflows.
• Establish and codify data standards for attendance and discipline, including incident coding timelines and documentation norms.

Quality Assurance & Audit Management

• Oversee quality assurance for scheduling and grades by governing calendars and managing grade-change workflows and audit trails.
• Lead audit and monitoring cycles, including quarterly audits and targeted spot checks, to meet audit pass-rate targets.
• Utilize dashboards and exception management to drive corrective and preventive actions across the organization.

Cross-Functional Alignment & Technical Integration

•  Partner deeply with IT Applications (PowerSchool), Data/PEIMS, and Academics on system requirements, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and change control.
• Coordinate cross-functional releases and communications to ensure seamless system updates.
• Translate complex academic requirements into scalable processes and preventive measures.

Capacity Building & Service Excellence

• Deliver capacity-building through training, help-center content, and office hours to improve the user experience.
• Manage high-volume deliverables while maintaining strict data integrity in complex situations.
• Ensure accelerated issue resolution through defined SLAs and active stakeholder engagement.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities: All other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

• Make Strategic Decisions: This team member uses data and trends to drive decisions that impact multiple teams, while anticipating risks and planning contingencies for key initiatives.
• They apply strategic frameworks to clarify challenges and guide coherent action, and they actively support others in strengthening their strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities.
• Manage Work and Teams: This team member leads cross-functional coordination to align efforts with strategic goals, optimizing resource use and minimizing silos. They build accountability frameworks, monitor key performance indicators to guide adjustments, and mentor emerging leaders, while implementing scalable systems that enhance efficiency and team effectiveness.
• Grow Self and Others: This team member identifies development needs across multiple groups and integrates them into broader strategic plans. They create structures that support ongoing growth, engage in succession planning, and continuously refine development strategies based on outcomes and data. Through this work, they foster a culture where continuous learning is a core part of daily work and leadership.
• Build a Culture of Trust: This team member builds trust and drives positive engagement across multiple groups, as reflected in strong feedback and survey results. They proactively address concerns, model transparency and authenticity, and foster collaboration through open, honest communication and shared ownership.
• Communicate Deliberately: This team member communicates a clear and compelling vision that aligns team efforts with organizational goals. They proactively identify and address communication gaps across workstreams, implementing solutions to enhance coordination, while anticipating and resolving stakeholder concerns before they surface.

Additional Skills:

• Systems thinking with strong attention to data integrity and downstream impacts
• Ability to translate complex logic into executable system structures
• Strong cross-functional influence without direct budget ownership
• High comfort operating in ambiguity during system and process transformation
• Makes sound decisions using data, audit findings, and stakeholder input
• Builds clear operating mechanisms and scalable processes
• Develops team capability and institutional knowledge
• Communicates deliberately across technical and non-technical audiences
• Builds trust through consistency, clarity, and follow-through
• Ability to create and lead strategy while also being a functional leader

Required Education and Experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required.
• Professional Experience: Minimum of five years in student information systems or a similar role with a record of results.
• Technical Proficiency: Deep experience with PowerSchool functions (scheduling, grading, attendance, discipline) and data extraction/analysis.
• Environment: Experience in K-12 education or a similarly regulated educational setting.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Proven ability to research, plan, develop, and present comprehensive training resources.

Physical Requirements: ​

• Be able to sit and work at a computer for prolonged periods.
• Must be able to lift and move up to 25 pounds.
• Perform repetitive keyboard/mouse tasks and maintain visual acuity.

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $98,200 and $115,900, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values

IDEA Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the organization's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), may contact IDEA Human Resources at (956) 377-8000.