Director of Operations

United Charter High Schools is committed to academic excellence in a welcoming, safe school environment. We develop, enlighten and challenge a range of learners to critically and creatively solve problems inside their classrooms, in their communities and out in the world. Through a rigorously structured system of teaching and learning, students advance their understanding of science, math and humanities concepts and master content, knowledge and skills, while project-based experiences spark their civic imagination and appetite for advocacy leadership.

At any of our 7 charter high schools (Advanced Math and Science / Humanities) across the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, students receive personalized academic and social emotional support, have access to a range of clubs, sports teams, leadership opportunities and internships, and maintain a focus on college and career readiness.

Summary of Position

The Director of School Operations (DSO) is critical to the successful and efficient running of United Charter High School for United Charter Preparatory School.  The DSO functions similar to what is commonly referred to as an Assistant Principal of Operations in some schools and oversees operational performance through managing finance, administration, technology, facilities, compliance and general school operations in order to support student achievement and financial success.  The DSO reports to the Principal and manages the school's Operations team. They will work closely and collaboratively with the Principal and will be a member of the school's Leadership team. The DSO is responsible for all matters of school administration that do not directly relate to instruction. This role is essential to the United Charter High School (UCHS) model, which intentionally relieves the Principal of non-instructional obligations so that they can focus on student achievement and professional development of the teaching.

Essential Job Functions:

Finance

• Work with the school Principal or designee, UCHS, and the Charter Board of Trustees to implement and manage the school’s budget
• Review monthly financial reports and update monthly financial estimates in collaboration with the Principal/ or designee
• Oversee the performance of basic Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions in the routine course of daily operations
• Provide financial and operational oversight for budget development, invoice approval, delivery tracking and inventory control
• Confirm accuracy of payroll processing in conjunction with UCHS

Compliance

• Ensure school-wide compliance with health and safety laws, teacher certification and fingerprinting, city and state education mandates, and all federal and state workplace regulations
• Oversee, in coordination with UCHS, the preparation and submission of all Federal, State, and Local grant applications and reporting
• Ensure that essential personnel policies and procedures are followed in a timely manner
• Ensure that the school completes all required Federal, State and Local compliance activities on time and in full
• Understand accountability metrics and annual reporting required of charter schools and oversee the submission of all accountability metrics
• Ensure that the student lottery is implemented in compliance with State law and maintain student waiting list
• Oversee school year-end audits as well as any site audits from State or Federal agencies

●      Manage all data analysis and school reporting for Federal, state, City & Board

Personnel Management

• Directly manage, at full growth, a department of at least 10 instructional/non instructional staff carrying out functions in the school
• Deploy Operational staff so that all critical operational functions are covered and carried out efficiently
• Meet with direct reports regularly to manage projects and tasks
• Support the HR liaison for the school, including managing the recruitment and onboarding of operations staff
• Oversee new hire and termination procedures for all staff
• Manage the performance appraisal process (e.g., goal-setting and regular feedback mechanisms for business and operations staff
• Track payroll processes in conjunction with UCHS

Building & Technology Management

• Oversee processes and procedures to address facility needs (lighting, repairs in rooms, etc.) and ensure that facility and systems are designed to maximize student learning
• Oversee the purchasing and maintenance of technology equipment and implementation of technology training in partnership with the Technology team
• Manage school-wide data systems (managing student attendance, tracking the student discipline incidents, managing parent data systems, coordinating community engagement activities)
• Oversee processes and procedures for preparation for public events (hallways, bulletin boards, classrooms)
• Manage paperwork, contracts, permits, and logistics related to third party work
• Oversee the development and implementation of the capital program

Community & Family Engagement

• Oversee activities related to Community Advisory Board, student recruitment and family engagement activities (e.g., speaker visits, events involving the community)
• Develop and manage relationships with community organizations/external partners that are involved with providing services to the school’s educational program
• Respond to student, parent and staff inquiries and act in the absence of administration
• Foster an attitude of cooperation and positive support with all school patrons and parents
• Working closely with all school, parent and community organizations to increase parent involvement
• Attends parent meetings along with the principal, where appropriate

Student Enrollment & Support Services

• Serve as Hearing Officer in cases when a student has violated the school’s Code of Conduct and a removal from school is contemplated. The role of the Hearing Officer is to preside over a hearing and, based on the evidence, make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees
• Serves as a school liaison for vendors providing student support services
• Oversee student outreach and recruitment process, including student registration and management of the waitlist
• Oversee all aspects of free and reduced meal eligibility programs, including managing entire application process and relationship with program vendors
• Manage National School Breakfast program, National School Lunch Program, and snacks

School Administration

• Participate on the school’s leadership team and oversee school governance
• Assist in supervising student entrance/dismissal, locker rooms, lunchroom and hallway duty as needed under the direction of the principal and or other appropriate staff members
• Ensure all logistics are taken care of in advance of excursions including registration, transportation, and permission slips
• Coordinate the necessary clearances and permissions for students and staff to appear in brochures, videos, etc.
• Oversee mailings and other community correspondence to ensure they happen in a timely and thorough manner

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Education, Policy, Finance, Business or other related field.
• 5+ years experience working in a school settings as a teacher, counselor or certified staff; urban schools and/or charter schools experience strongly preferred
• Proficiency in a second language to support outreach with families preferred.
• Previous experience with staff supervision and development
• Experience in managing school-based facilities and technology highly preferred

 Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to manage staff, including experience managing cross-functional teams to develop and implement systems and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a growing organization
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines coupled with the ability to think and act strategically
• Demonstrated success in monitoring multi-million dollar budgets and in managing critical contracts
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including exceptional writing, editing and grammatical skills
• Ability to clearly articulate outcome requirements and provide the necessary and appropriate resources and support for school-based staff to successfully deliver on outcomes
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, innovation, and customer service in an entrepreneurial environment
• Effective at establishing and cultivating strong relationships to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals and objectives
• Demonstrates ability to inspire trust and teamwork and motivate staff to work diligently and collaboratively
• Passion for working with youth, families and the community and the ability to work effectively in a student-centered environment
• Ability to ensure integrity of information and workflow processes
• Demonstrated commitment to the school vision and mission
• Excellent computer skills including proficiency with Google Docs, Microsoft Office Suite, PowerSchool, and other school information systems

Salary $67,500K-$100,000K

Physical Requirements:

• Non-standard hours as needed

  Compensation and Benefits:

  Competitive salary based on experience
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• FSA/HSA
• 8% Employer 403(b) contribution
• Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organization
  

   

• EEO/ADA 

  (Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with existing ADA requirements  for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability) 

  This job description is not a complete statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements but represents the minimum level of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed. Management retains the discretion to add or change typical duties at any time and as  required. All changes must be reasonable and within the functions of the role. 

  Salary Information 

  While the majority of new hires’ starting salaries shall be expected to be placed in the first half of  the range(s) to allow space to grow in the job, for those who already have significant relevant  experience at that level of the job, placement at the higher end of the range(s) is possible. 

   

  Who We Are 

  United Charter High Schools (UCHS) is the largest and most successful public charter high  schools’ network in NYC. Originally founded as New Visions Charter High Schools by the  nonprofit New Visions for Public Schools, it was established to provide quality educational  opportunities for students in underserved communities. Renamed as UCHS as of July, 2024 the  network consists of 7 charter high schools that held a collective graduation rate of 96% in both  2022 & 2023 whilst serving more than 3,000 students from the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. 

  UCHS high schools are some of New York’s states highest performing charter high schools,  consistently meeting and in many cases exceeding NYSED’s Performance Benchmarks for  Student Performance. They are outperforming NYS on the 4-year Cohort regents’ exams and the  4-year graduation rate for all students and special populations. They also include the only NYC  high school to receive the prestigious National Blue-Ribbon Award in 2022. 

  Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 

  We are an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy that all employees and applicants for  employment will be treated in all respects on the basis of their merit and qualifications and  without regards to their race, color, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion,  gender, military status, marital status, ancestry, or any other reason prohibited by law. We  believe that our teams should reflect the diverse communities we serve and that our culture and  internal structures should be inclusive and equitable for all employees. We also recognize that 

  perspectives from communities that have been historically marginalized are critical to the work  we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from individuals living in the communities  that we serve or who are members of historically marginalized communities. We provide a  comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package in addition to the  opportunity to make a significant impact on education reform and in the lives of urban youth.

   

  Disclaimer:

  
  

   

  The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position.  These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

   
  

A career at United Charter High Schools is a commitment to academic excellence.