Student Services Manager

About the Team

Gateway Online Academy of Ohio is a full-time, online option for students who need to catch up and cross the finish line to high school graduation. Gateway is a proud member of the ACCEL Schools network, with decades of experience serving students virtually throughout the United States. Gateway serves students through an innovative public-school model that prioritizes academic progress, student engagement, social-emotional development, and flexible supports for students and families.

While this is an online school position and most work occurs virtually, travel and face-to-face attendance will be required several times per year to support in-person state testing, student events, professional development, and other school needs.

ELIGIBILITY: This position is open to residents of Ohio.

Position Summary

The Student Services Manager leads and coordinates student support systems that promote student engagement, onboarding, career advising, school culture, compliance, and successful progress toward graduation. This role supervises assigned Student Services team members, builds processes that help identify and support non-engaged students, and works closely with school leadership, operations, teachers, families, and ACCEL national partners to ensure students receive timely and effective support.

This position blends student services leadership with strong operational execution. The Student Services Manager is expected to use data, compliance knowledge, communication systems, and schoolwide processes to improve the student and family experience while helping Gateway maintain accurate records, consistent procedures, and effective online school operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Student Services Leadership

• Supervise assigned Student Services team members and provide direction, coaching, accountability, and support aligned to school goals.
• Create, implement, and monitor identification and intervention plans for non-engaged students.
• Oversee student onboarding and orientation plans to ensure students and families understand school expectations, systems, supports, and graduation pathways.
• Facilitate the identification of barriers to learning and connect students and families to appropriate school-based and community resources.
• Collaborate with administrators, teachers, counselors, success coaches, and other staff to support student engagement, academic progress, behavior, attendance, and graduation planning.
• Design and implement proactive student and family outreach strategies to improve communication, engagement, and retention.
• Create and deliver professional development for staff related to student engagement, student support systems, social-emotional well-being, school procedures, and customer service expectations.
• Collaborate with the administrative team to support career advising, advisory programming, life skills curriculum, and schoolwide positive behavior programming.
• Oversee advisory sessions and support implementation of student life skills, engagement, and readiness programming.
• Work closely with the Head of School, Principal, and ACCEL national team members on student support program creation, implementation, and measurement.
• Serves as the hiring manager for assigned roles, overseeing recruitment, selection, onboarding, and supervision of 20+ employees to ensure staffing needs, performance expectations, and organizational goals are met.

Operations, Compliance, and Data Support

• Create, implement, audit, and improve processes and procedures that support effective online school systems and compliance with school board, state, federal, and organizational guidelines.
• Track, maintain, and report student services data as directed by school leadership.
• Use data to identify student needs, monitor trends, support intervention planning, and measure the effectiveness of student support initiatives.
• Assist with maintaining schoolwide data for reports, audits, student support tracking, graduation planning, and leadership review.
• Support internal operational needs related to student services, student records, family paperwork, student information systems, and school procedures.
• Assist with the management and review of student information system updates related to student contact information, documentation, program participation, and support services as assigned.
• Support grade storage, records review, audit preparation, and documentation processes connected to student services and graduation planning.
• Assist with school and state audits by ensuring student services documentation and related processes are organized, accurate, and timely.
• Support testing coordination, student communication, staff coordination, and in-person testing logistics as needed.
• Serve as a resource for internal and external stakeholders by helping resolve escalated needs related to school procedures, student support, technology systems, course or teacher assignments, student engagement, and family concerns.
• Fill in, provide coverage, or help coordinate coverage for related student services and operational duties when needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Student Conduct, Climate, and Engagement

• Create forms, processes, and communication systems to support implementation of the Student Code of Conduct.
• Document disciplinary actions according to established processes and maintain disciplinary data as required for internal review and state reporting.
• Support the Head of School and Principal in responding to disciplinary situations in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders, including administrators, staff, students, and families.
• Promote a positive, student-centered, and service-oriented school culture that supports student persistence, accountability, and progress toward graduation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in education, business, social services, student services, school administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent school-based operations, student services, or program coordination experience may be considered.
• Master’s degree in education, social services, leadership, administration, or related field preferred, but not required.
• 3+ years of experience in a K-12 school setting, virtual school setting, student services, operations, compliance, program coordination, family support, or related educational environment preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a coordinator, specialist, or similar role with progressive responsibilities required.
• Prior experience supporting nontraditional, online, dropout prevention and recovery, at-risk, or high-need student populations preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain systems, processes, reports, trackers, and documentation to support student services and school operations.
• Experience leading projects, coordinating cross-functional work, supporting staff, or supervising team members preferred.
• Fundamental understanding of graduation requirements, student engagement, attendance, career advising, CTE pathways, and school-based support systems preferred.
• Knowledge of school compliance requirements, student information systems, audit preparation, state testing coordination, and records processes preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite products.
• Above-average spreadsheet skills, including the ability to use basic and intermediate formulas, functions, filters, and data tracking tools.
• Ability to handle confidential information responsibly and exercise sound judgment while maintaining confidentiality.
• Demonstrated reliable, dependable, and trustworthy work ethic.
• Ability to manage difficult or emotional student, family, and staff situations with professionalism and care.
• Ability to make sound decisions after gathering and reviewing available information.
• Demonstrated maturity, professionalism, and insight into matters affecting students, staff, the department, and the school.
• Demonstrated leadership, project management, communication, and organizational ability.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure, prioritize effectively, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Customer-service oriented approach with students, families, staff, and external partners.
• Ability to learn new technologies and acquire new skills through independent study, professional training, and collaboration with colleagues.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to lift 25 lbs.
• Ability to pass federal and state criminal background checks.

Preferred Experience

• Experience as an Operations Program Specialist, Student Services Coordinator, Success Coach, school operations staff member, compliance support staff member, or similar school-based role.
• Experience supporting student onboarding, family communication, student engagement, attendance, discipline documentation, graduation planning, testing coordination, or audit preparation.
• Experience working in a virtual, alternative, dropout prevention and recovery, or nontraditional school setting.
• Prior administrative assistance, program coordination, or school operations experience.

About Us

“We believe that every child should be able to be anything they want in life, regardless of their birthplace and circumstances.” – Ron Packard, CEO & Founder

ACCEL Schools is a network of high-performing public charter schools serving PK-12 students. We proudly advocate for school choice and work to address educational inequities throughout the United States. Our schools are inclusive and reflect the unique values of the many urban, suburban, and rural communities we serve. Our brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid schools specialize in closing educational gaps and offer innovative models such as career-technical education, bilingual programming, virtual learning, and more.

We offer the following benefits: 

Compensation and Benefits: The compensation and benefits information below is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law. 
  
The annual starting salary for this position is between $55,000 – $70,000 annually. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. 

Life benefits – time & peace of mind 

• Paid time off 
• Retirement contributions 
• Optional Basic Life and AD&D insurance 
• Voluntary life insurance (employee, spouse, child) 
• Discounted childcare at Early Learning Academies locations 

Health benefits – stay well & thrive 

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 
• Employee Assistance Program 
• Voluntary short-term disability insurance 
• Voluntary long-term disability insurance 

Career benefits – keep growing 

• Career advancement opportunities throughout Accel Schools and our strong network of 4,000+ instructors and education professionals 

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is our policy to abide by all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on a person’s race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status, veteran status, marital status, familial status, gender, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other protected status except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.

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