Principal, Chief of Staff

Mission

EdReports.org is at the forefront of the curriculum reform movement. By increasing the capacity of educators to identify and demand the highest quality curriculum, EdReports.org is both disrupting a multibillion-dollar market and transforming the way students are taught and ultimately perform. With the firm belief that what is taught matters and that all students deserve high quality materials, EdReports.org publishes free, online, evidence-rich reviews of instructional materials. Explore our organization's core competencies in greater detail here.

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Purpose of Position

The Principal, Chief of Staff is a senior program management leader who provides strategic leadership and high-level support to the CEO, Office Chiefs, the Development Team, and Board of Directors. This role is responsible for organizational performance management, including overarching strategy and annual planning. Through strong cross-functional collaboration, they ensure that the organization operates efficiently and effectively. 

This person is a highly adaptable, results and mission-driven leader who operates with humility, focusing on impact over ego. They find a way to forge ahead through any situation requiring high to low personal decision-making autonomy. They are comfortable working in ambiguity, experimenting rapidly to find what works, and iterating based on data and feedback. They are also adept at giving actionable feedback across all levels of an organization. They thrive in an environment where they can both set strategic direction and roll up their sleeves to execute, seamlessly shifting between high-level problem-solving and hands-on implementation.

Key Responsibilities & Outcomes

Responsibilities:

• Organizational Strategy & Annual Planning – Drive the organization's annual planning process, ensuring strategic alignment, prioritization, and execution feasibility across all teams. Lead and manage execution of organizational strategic initiatives tied to further investing in our 2024-27 strategic plan.
• Executive-Level Performance Management & Data Insights – Develop and lead key performance metrics, organizational dashboards, and data-driven decision-making frameworks to inform leadership and Board-level priorities.
• Organizational Process Optimization & Innovation – Identify, recommend, and implement transformative process improvements that enhance organizational efficiency, impact, and adaptability.
• Executive Leadership in Strategic Program  Management – Serve as the most senior program leader, directing high-impact, cross-functional initiatives critical to EdReports’ mission and long-term success.
• Organizational Project Management Governance – Oversee capacity tracking, resource allocation, and project prioritization to maximize impact and efficiency. Collaborate with the Managing Director of Technology & Operations to develop and implement project management frameworks, tools, and best practices. Build a Community of Practice among leaders to ensure consistent execution of strategic initiatives.
• Trusted Executive Advisor & Thought Partner – Act as a high-level strategic partner to the CEO and Office Chiefs, providing expert analysis, problem-solving, and decision support on mission-critical initiatives.
• Management Partner to the CEO –  Ensuring the CEO’s key leadership responsibilities are effectively executed. Provide structure, accountability, and operational guidance to help the CEO oversee critical functions, particularly Development, that need additional support, proactively identifying gaps and driving follow-through on priorities that ensure organizational OKRs are met.
• Board Governance & Executive Communications – Lead the development and execution of Board governance structures, policies, and high-stakes engagement strategies to strengthen Board-leadership collaboration.
• Organizational Communication & Change Management – Partner with HR and senior leadership to shape and execute organizational-wide internal communication strategies that enhance transparency, engagement, and alignment.
• Organizational Strategic Initiatives & Alignment – In partnership with the MD, Technology & Operations Management, drive the design, execution, and continuous refinement of strategic initiatives, ensuring seamless integration across all functional areas.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Influence – Establish and sustain high-impact cross-functional collaboration models, ensuring teams operate efficiently and are strategically aligned with organizational objectives.
• Other relevant duties as assigned to support the organization's strategic goals, with the expectation that all EdReports employees remain flexible and adaptable to evolving responsibilities.

Outcomes:

• Annual planning and performance management processes are well-coordinated, data-informed, and aligned to organizational priorities.
• High-stakes projects are executed effectively, with clear objectives, strong coordination, and measurable impact.
• The ED and Board are equipped with the necessary insights, tools, and support to drive governance and strategic decision-making.
• Internal communications strengthen staff alignment, engagement, and understanding of organizational priorities.

Travel

National travel will occur related to organizational needs and for professional learning, as needed. The amount of travel will be monitored to ensure it is appropriate for both the organization and the Principal, Chief of Staff.

Qualifications

Required:

• Passion for EdReports’ mission and vision, our core values, and our commitment to Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity;
• 10+ years of program management and project management experience within  strategy and operations functions, with a proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong strategic planning and organizational performance management expertise (both advising and implementation), including goal-setting, metrics tracking, and process improvement.
• Proven ability to cut through politics and drive execution, ensuring that priorities move forward effectively and without unnecessary roadblocks.
• Demonstrated success in revenue-generating strategies, philanthropy, or nonprofit fundraising, supporting financial sustainability.
• Strong ability to manage up to executives, ensuring alignment, clarity, and prioritization while navigating organizational dynamics.
• Exceptional problem-solving and structured thinking skills, with the ability to drive clarity and execution in ambiguous situations.
• Strong internal communications and stakeholder engagement abilities, with experience working across teams to ensure alignment.
• Ability to navigate complex challenges, anticipate problems, and develop proactive solutions​.
• Bachelor’s degree, or commensurate experience

Preferred:

• Experience in nonprofit governance, education policy, or K-12 curriculum initiatives.
• Prior experience in an executive project management or chief of staff capacity.
• Proficiency in performance dashboards, data visualization tools, and strategic planning frameworks.
• Expertise in earned-revenue models, helping to diversify funding streams for nonprofit sustainability.

Salary

The salary for this position is $116,036 - $174,053 annually. At EdReports, we determine final salaries based on the role's requirements and the candidate's experience and skills, while maintaining equity within our compensation bands. To support fairness and provide opportunities for growth, we typically offer salaries at or below the midpoint of the range. All salary offers are non-negotiable to ensure consistency and equity across the organization.

Benefits

We know the importance of living a fulfilling, healthy life–both professionally and personally. That’s why some of the benefits we offer include:

• Unlimited Discretionary Time Off (DTO) and Sick Time,
• 21 days of paid holidays and office closure days in 2025,
• Monthly Communications Reimbursement,
• Initial home office and technology setup stipend,
• EdReports pays for 90% of health care for both the employee and their immediate family, and
• 401k that new hires become eligible for after six months of employment (includes safe harbor, employer match, etc.).

Physical Requirements

Work is normally performed in a remote office environment including, but not limited to standing and sitting for long periods of time; and fine-finger and hand manipulation to operate a computer and keyboard. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing electronic information, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and extensive reading. This person will travel by car, air, or other transportation (as indicated in the Travel section) and should be able to physically withstand the demands of such travel. Employee may be required to walk for long distances at retreat venues or other relevant sites.

Core Competencies

• Commitment to Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, & Equity
  Actively welcome diverse perspectives, center equity in decision-making, foster authentic and inclusive relationships that promote a sense of belonging, confront biases to build understanding, and continuously build knowledge of systemic inequities to inform behaviors that lead to an inclusive organizational culture.
• Accountability
  Proficiently organize projects aligned with overarching objectives while proactively addressing challenges; ensure timely and high-quality fulfillment of responsibilities.
• Communication
  Effectively engage stakeholders, actively listen to others, convey information for desired results, and adapt style to foster relationships and trust.
• Continuous Improvement
  Consistently reflect, seek feedback, and apply new insights; identify and implement solutions that enhance individual, team, and overall performance.
• Core Expertise
  Possess skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform essential duties; keeps knowledge current; utilize multiple points of view to achieve goals and is a subject matter resource for others.
• Organizational Stewardship
  Cultivate external relationships, uphold policies, leverage historical insights, actively participate in organizational improvement, and adapt to align with the needs of the organization.

We Value All Voices

EdReports is committed to equal-employment principles and we recognize the value of committed employees who feel they are being treated in an equitable and professional manner. We strive to find ways to attract, develop, and retain the talent needed to meet business objectives, and to recruit and employ highly qualified individuals representing the diverse communities in which we live, work, and serve. As such, all employment decisions at EdReports are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

We are also committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your inquiries to our HR department at careers@edreports.org.