Chief Operating Officer

About Achievement First

Achievement First Public Charter Schools (AF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that currently supports 41 public charter schools in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Consistently rated as one of the top charter school networks in the country for 25 years, AF is committed to academic excellence through continuous improvement, evolving our programs to enhance student outcomes, and ensuring sustainable growth. The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from under-resourced communities who will be the first in their families to graduate from college. AF currently employs more than 2,200 staff — 61% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, and Multi-racial — who collectively educate more than 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college and career, deepen their knowledge of self and community, and lead lives of purpose. In partnership with our families and communities, we work to disrupt the legacy of inequity in education. We believe in the unlimited potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society.

We seek a strategic and dynamic Chief Operating Officer to join our executive leadership team.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a strategic leadership role reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). As a critical member of AF's Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the COO collaborates closely with senior leaders and board members to drive our organization's mission. With a forward orientation to emerging trends and opportunities, the COO will drive exceptional operations, facilities, and technological innovation.

The COO oversees four teams that manage operational functions for Achievement First's schools and network office, ensures efficient and effective operations and pivots between a big-picture view of the organization and meticulous attention to detail. They proactively partner with our instructional teams to ensure seamless execution in school operations, facilities management, procurement, student information systems, risk management, safety, data collection and analysis, and new school openings to support and enhance student learning and joy.

The COO role is hybrid, requiring residence in the Northeast and attendance at senior leadership team meetings in the New York office one day per week. In addition, the COO will regularly visit our schools within the three states where we operate, attend in-person leadership team retreats and board meetings (~30%).

Major Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the CEO, your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Executive Leadership

• Establish a clear vision of operational excellence for our schools and network office in collaboration with our academic program leadership. Regularly assess progress towards this vision, facilitating continuous improvement and ensuring a clearly defined standard of excellence for operations and facilities.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the SLT and participate in organizational strategy, planning, and decision-making. Ensure new and time-sensitive work streams are effectively prioritized, resourced, and executed to meet organizational goals and deadlines.
• Partner with programmatic and instructional teams (e.g., Teaching and Learning, Student Experience, Special Services) to ensure alignment and seamless integration of our operational and instructional functions.
• Collaborate with finance, human resources, and strategy partners to enhance the technology, systems, and structures that support our schools and network.
• Support our network growth planning, consolidation, and expansion efforts in collaboration with our Chief Strategy Officer and our school Principals.
• Foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, authorizers, vendors, and politicians.
• Model AF’s values as a leader and ensure that our operational teams exemplify our values, including Leading for Racial Equity.
  
  

Operations Leadership

• Work cross-functionally to ensure exceptional school and network services. This includes managing operational teams responsible for meals, transportation, student information systems, tech support, facilities support, etc.
• Ensure safety protocols and infrastructure, including crisis response, threat response, facilities safety, and cyber safety, are reliable, compliant, and supportive of teaching and learning. Implement and monitor comprehensive safety measures to protect students and staff.
• Lead change management initiatives for designing and implementing new or revised operational processes, structures, and technology; ensure strong coordination, collaboration, and a seamless experience for our schools.
• Continually improve and oversee the long-term technology plan and budget to reimagine and reengineer AF’s business and system processes and enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Continually refine the long-term facilities plan and capital budget. Provide oversight of new facilities, ensuring alignment with the organizational strategy and future growth plans.
• Ensure our schools and network teams have standardized practices, tools, products, and systems, as well as insightful reporting to support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
  
  

Team Leadership

• Lead four key teams—Facilities, School Operations, Information Technology, and Systems and Data—comprised of five direct reports, 53 network office FTEs, and approximately 200 school-based operations teammates across 41 schools.
• In collaboration with team leads and senior management, establish a clear vision of excellence for each team. Set goals and priorities and continually assess progress to ensure continuous improvement.
• Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, goal setting, performance management, coaching, and development of operations staff. Foster a supportive and engaging work environment to ensure high retention rates.
• Maintain and enhance a team culture of high performance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement, firmly rooted in our core values, including Leading for Racial Equity.
  
  

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 12-15 years of experience in school operations or other operational roles, with a proven track record of managing multiple functions in a complex, multi-state network.
• At least five years of experience as a trusted member of an organization’s senior leadership team.
• Proven experience managing and developing teams, with a strong emphasis on coaching, accountability, and investing in team members' growth.
  
  

Skills And Characteristics

• Passionate about the mission and core values of Achievement First.
• A demonstrable commitment to pursuing equity in all aspects of the role.
• A results-driven leader with a solid commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and systemically and ensure current needs are met while anticipating and planning for future requirements.
• A proactive problem-solver who identifies and initiates solutions for organizational needs, effectively acting as the "glue" within the organization.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, capable of interacting effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including school leaders, network support staff, families, vendors, authorizers, board members, and funders.
• Strong ability to convene and engage colleagues, lead processes to solve complex problems, and enhance systems and processes.
• Highly skilled in building relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, grounded in trust, accountability, and community.
• Willingness to travel within New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut to spend time in our schools.
  
  

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries through a lens of equity based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. The salary for this role is $245,000. To uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay. Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

How To Apply

Achievement First has engaged DGW Group to lead the search for our Chief Operating Officer. Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Interested candidates should here apply by July 17, 2024.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/