UNIVERSITY PREP

Position: Director of Operations (Network Central Office Role)

Our Mission:

Building a foundation of skills, knowledge and character, University Prep educates every scholar for a four-year college degree and life of opportunity.

The Opportunity:

University Prep is expanding its network of public elementary charter schools, and thus is looking for a Director of Operations to lead its school-based operations teams in maintaining a high level of operational excellence as the organization scales. Ultimately responsible for all non-academic facets of the schools’ day-to-day operations, you will be a human-centric, servant leader, with a strong bias for action and over-communication. The team you lead will be the first point of contact for all families and visitors to a U Prep school, and you will be driven to deliver a best-in-class experience for everyone who walks into our buildings.

Why you’ll love us:

"We have been a part of the University Prep family from the beginning. Over the past school years, I've been so proud to see my child grow, learn, and get the support that I feel every child should receive.” – U Prep Parent

In 2011, University Prep opened the doors to its first elementary campus. Fast forward 12 years and our founding scholars are now enrolled in their first year of post-secondary programming. With 81% of U Prep alumni on track for post-secondary degree and credential attainment, U Prep is living its mission. Our scholars represent a 2.5X improvement when compared with their peer group statewide. They are beating the odds and pursuing their dreams and ambitions as they enter young adulthood and make choices about their futures. We couldn’t be prouder of our now college-going alumni, but more importantly, they couldn’t be prouder of themselves. Watch this video to hear from them directly and learn more about who we are as an organization and why we exist.

While you may love us because of the depth of our commitment to our mission and the integrity we carry each day to bring it to life, we believe your initial love will come from the investment we make in our people. Everything starts with our care and commitment to the adults who lead our work. They are the game changes who make everything possible.

Our investment in you:

Our compensation and benefits package includes, but is not limited to the following: 

• Up to $ 8,000 in moving stipends and signing bonuses
•   Highly competitive salary within the local market
• $85,000 – $100,000 (*New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and midpoint depending on experience, historic performance in leadership roles, and in alignment with internal equity).
• 100% of medical benefit covered for all employees, and options to elect dental, vision, critical illness and accident benefits.
•  Up to $600 in contributions to a personal wellness account
• 10 days of PTO and access to annual PTO payout ranging from $500-$300/day for unused days
• Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including PERA 401K option
•   Extensive access to professional development, coaching and support
•  Bilingual stipend available in recognition of the additional asset ($1,000)

Why we’ll love you: 

You’re performance orientated: When given a target you go after it with an insatiable appetite. You can look at systems and the people in them, identify what’s working, where the gaps are, and then work to close those gaps with highly intentional, proactive solutions.

You love and leverage data: You have an eye for numbers that allows you to analyze data to identify successes and critical trends. You can communicate figures simply and clearly, and leverage them to action. 

You hold a customer service disposition: The way our families experience our school consumes you. You believe that every person that walks through our doors deserves a first-class experience, and you are happy to lead by example. You strive to ensure those responsible for working at the front of our buildings bring that first-class experience to life. 

You love working with people: Recognizing the outcomes of your work largely boil down to the abilities of those you manage and the folks they lead, you are someone who loves to work directly with your team. You coach, communicate, and lead with high expectations and a personal care that drives all to be their absolute best. 

You think big and act small: As the Director of Operations, you bridge a gap between senior leadership and those on the front line. This requires you to keep a big-picture lens on decisions, while still sweating the details. 

You’re entrepreneurial and never give up: You enjoy being part of something fresh, embracing the unknown variables that come with launching new endeavors. You meet challenges head on and always find ways to get to the finish line.

What you’ll do: 

Leadership:

•           Embody University Prep’s mission and vision along with the organization’s core values, and lean into our organizational definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.
•         Serve as a member of the network leadership team, and as such, attend those step-back moments designed to elevate learning and growth, such as quarterly retreats, leadership academy, and summer institute.
•         Manages Deans of Operations, providing coaching to develop technical and adaptive skills to ensure they are effectively leading and  managing their teams.
•         Act as a model of positive adult culture, recognizing your words and actions are seen by all and the choices you make set the tone for everyone around you.

Refine, Codify & Implement a Vision for School-Based Operations:

• Finalize the vision for University Prep’s school-based operations, including approach to customer service, family engagement events, and school-wide systems and procedures.
• Develop and codify the standards to which we will hold school-based operations accountable, in line with the vision for all school-based operations.
• Coach and support Deans of Operations in bringing the vision to life through their campus-based work with their operational teams and the larger staff.
• Own the full implementation of our refined vision over multiple years.

Operational Performance:

Direct responsibility for a suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including:

o   Enrollment, Student Retention, Attendance, Financials, Family Satisfaction

•       Ensure all operational systems and procedures are in place and executed to fidelity.
•        Oversee and support school based external communication plans ensuring that enrolled families have the right information in a timely and accurate manner, while ensuring accessibility for all non-English speaking communities.
•        Support all family engagement strategies and activities such as Families for Achievement and School Accountability Committees.
•        Work closely with the school’s Deans of Operations to create and maintain, a warm, focused, engaging, and achievement-orientated environment that meets the needs of all scholars, families and staff
•        Oversee Deans of Operations in their efforts to ensure the smooth integration of all third-party services such as transportation, facilities, custodial, and food service

•        Support Deans of Operations with implementation of school operations calendars including all events and celebrations, ensuring consistency and execution to the highest standard.

•         Champion schools with afterschool and summer programming to ensure a comprehensive suite of enrichment activities are available to all scholars.

•         Responsible for the accuracy of student information systems including scholar record keeping and attendance tracking, ensuring strict compliance with all necessary statutes.

•         Oversee all emergency policies and procedures, ensuring upkeep of documentation and training across the network. 

•          Support all IT and technology infrastructure across the network alongside the Director of IT. 

Position Preferences & Requirements:

• Full commitment to, belief in, and alignment with mission and vision of University Prep.
• Full commitment to organization’s core values, core identity statement and intentional efforts in establishing a diverse, equitable and inclusive work/learning environment for all.
• Unyielding optimism that children can perform at or above grade level regardless of where they may be starting their educational journey.
• Hands-on Leader
• Strong track record of success in building positive staff, student and parent relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written skills.
• Excellent numeracy skills and the ability to understand and interpret data.
• Demonstration of cultural competence and a humility/commitment to continue growing in this area.
• Strong organizational skills as evidenced by exceptional time and task management.
• Openness to feedback and a strong desire for continual growth and development as a professional.
• Willingness to take responsibility for the role that school operations plays in driving scholar outcomes.
• Ability to work full-time, including some evenings and weekends along with a “whatever it takes” disposition given the responsibilities of a leader to drive game changing results.
• Ability to work in person/in the school building. This is not remote/telecommuting role.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (required).
• Preferred
•  A minimum of three years working in public education.
• Direct experience in school-based, operational leadership
• Bilingual (English/Spanish speaking)

Apply Today: Visit: http://uprepschool.org/careers/

As an equal opportunity employer, University Prep hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.