Operations Project Manager
Description
The Operations Project Manager is a temporary, one year role beginning by October 2024 and ending October 2025. This teammate will join KIPP Stockton’s leadership team during an exciting phase of growth and development, reporting to the Stockton Managing Director of Schools.
KIPP Stockton is one of five subregions in KIPP Public Schools Northern California and part of 22 schools across the Bay Area and the Central Valley. Over the past four years, we have launched four schools, two elementary schools and two middle schools in Stockton, and will complete our growth with the opening of a high school in August 2025.
This role is crucial in ensuring strong site readiness and school launch. Construction is concluding on the permanent sites for KIPP Stockton Elementary School and KIPP University Park Middle School in Summer 2025. Given we have three new sites launching, we need a teammate who can manage our regional team tasks and be a liaison to our construction teams to ensure our schools are able to continue focusing on teaching and learning while preparing to move into their new sites.
The ideal candidate possesses knowledge of K-12 school operations. This individual should demonstrate strong customer service and project management skills and the capacity to build effective relationships with school-based staff, manage vendors, and navigate ambiguity with ease. They should be enthusiastic about addressing a variety of high-priority challenges faced by the organization and be willing to roll up their sleeves to help out. We seek a dedicated individual who can self-perform and independently execute many of the required activities, while being passionate about KIPP’s mission and embodying our organization’s values.
The role is based out of our Stockton Support Office. The Operations Project Manager will be expected to be on site at least four days per week. This role may be asked to work weekends and evenings to ensure school launch is not delayed at any of the three sites.
Preferred Qualifications
Education and Experience:
- Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree
- Approximately 5-7 years of work experience, with 2-3 years’ experience as a project or program manager
- Possession of a valid California Driver’s License required
Knowledge/skills required:
- Exhibits exceptional customer service and communication skills
- Ability to maintain continuous, empathetic relationships with on-site school staff.
- Demonstrates expertise in understanding their challenges and effectively collaborating to develop tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency and achieve high customer satisfaction.
- Outstanding project management skills and the ability to coordinate and maximize the contributions of others. Results orientation and the ability to get things done well, with careful attention to detail. Ability to self‐direct and prioritize among competing goals and exhibit flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment.
- Proficient in Google Suites (Sheets, Slides and Docs)
- Experience analyzing, interpreting, and using data for improvement, and driving results.
- Inclination to quickly and effectively build relationships and engage a diverse group of stakeholders including school administrators, landowners and school district administrators.
- Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment.
- Proven experience problem solving in high stress situations
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
Planning and Coordination
- Manage site readiness plans: oversee detailed project plans outlining timelines, milestones, and deliverables for the school launch.
- Coordinate across teams: coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including district officials, contractors, RSO departments, and school staff.
- Scheduling: support the coordination of schedules across RSO departments and construction teams to ensure all tasks are completed on time with minimal burden to school teams.
Facility Readiness
- Site preparation: oversee the preparation of school facilities.
- Equipment and supplies: support school leaders and DSO to ensure that all necessary equipment, furniture, and supplies are procured, installed, and ready for staff use
- Progress monitor site readiness and launch tasks: track progress toward launch milestones and site readiness completion.
- Training: coordinate RSO teams to conduct training sessions for school leaders and DSO Founder on time.
- IT and technology: serve as on-the-ground support for RSO Tech team and external vendors to ensure proactive planning of infrastructure needs and on-time equipment installation and testing.s.
Risk Management
- Risk assessment: identify potential risks and develop mitigation plans.
- Issue resolution: address and resolve any issues or obstacles that arise during the project quickly and collaboratively.
- Contingency planning: develop and implement contingency plans to address unexpected challenges.
- Quality control: implement quality control measures to ensure all work meets the required standards.
Communication and Reporting
- Status updates: provide regular updates to stakeholders including school leaders and KIPP Norcal’s Executive Team on the progress of the project.
- Stakeholder communication: maintain clear and open communication with all internal and external stakeholders.
- Documentation: ensure all project documentation is complete and up-to-date.
- Communication: ensure effective communication and coordination across the three launches to ensure efficient execution of tasks.
- Feedback collection: gather and address feedback from stakeholders involved in the three launches.
Post-Launch Support
- Transition management: support the transition from project to operational status to the RSO and school-based teams.
- Evaluation: conduct post-launch evaluation and after action review to identify areas for improvement.
Physical, Mental and Environmental Demands
Physical: Ability to navigate office and school campuses, and hold meetings in different spaces. Much of the day involves sitting and visiting schools. Ability to access and utilize technology. Occasional lifting/carrying of equipment 1-20 lbs. Physical agility to move self in various positions in order to execute duties effectively, which may include kneeling, walking, pushing/pulling, squatting, twisting, turning, bending, stooping and reaching overhead
Mental: Stress of deadlines and normal work standards, ability to analyze problems and generate alternatives, work with interruptions, concentrate for long periods of time, read, calculate, perform routine math problems, memorize and recall objects and people.
Environmental: Office and school environment subject to constant interruptions and distractions. Frequent on site school environment and travel up-to 4 days a week. KIPP adheres to health and safety guidelines as outlined by the CDC, CDE, and public health agencies’ recommendations.
Classification
This is a full-time, temporary (one year), exempt position based on a full year calendar cycle based out of Stockton with frequent travel to Stockton schools.
About KIPP Public Schools Northern California
We are a thriving nonprofit network of 22 free, public charter schools open to all students. At KIPP, we believe all children should grow up free to create the future they want for themselves and that schools can and should be a critical factor in making that vision a reality. Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
Our student community consists of nearly 7,000 elementary, middle, and high school students in East Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco, San Lorenzo, San José, Redwood City, and Stockton. 81% qualify for free or reduced price lunch, 34% are multilingual learners, and 12% have special needs. We strive to cultivate a representative team of teachers and leaders that reflect our students’ diversity.
Compensation
KIPP Northern California is dedicated to you and your family's well-being! We offer a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and transportation benefits.
We benchmark annually against comparably-sized non-profit organizations in the regions where we operate, to offer competitive salaries. The salary range for this position is between $90,000 and $114,000. Most candidates would be compensated at $95,000.
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume by clicking apply on this page.
KIPP Northern California Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin or ancestry, cultural background, religious creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital/registered domestic partner status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, primary language, citizenship or immigration status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.