Executive Operations Director, R&D

At Curriculum Associates (CA), we believe a diverse team leads to diversity in thinking, making our products better for teachers and students. If you read this job description, feel energized by what you see here, and believe you could bring passion and commitment to the role, but you aren’t sure you meet every qualification, please apply! Above all, we are looking for the right person!

The Executive Operations Director is responsible for planning and implementing key initiatives, as well as optimizing operations, for a key C-level executive. Acting as a “right-hand” and neutral confidant to the executive, this role focuses on making time, information and decisions processes more effective. The role ensures that initiatives and general operations are run effectively and include clear communication, data, and documented outcomes. The role is typically a rotational role designed to prepare the individual for a senior operational role at CA. The person has proven operational leadership experience, is a culture champion that models CA values, and has the potential to grow into an executive leader through the development that comes as a part of successfully executing in this role. Finally, the person is passionate about education and improving the outcomes of students and teachers. 

The Impact You'll Have

• Implement and optimize proactive, repeatable processes and playbooks to drive strong educator/customer and employee experiences.

• Proactively plan and manage initiatives and change management of tools and processes that drive the use of technology, efficiency of scale, productivity, and business outcomes.

• Inform department strategy with consideration of long-term impact and equity.

• Support the development of roadmaps in line with strategic priorities and meet regularly with leaders to identify ongoing needs in support of or counter to the roadmap.

• Inspire department around common goals and align day-to-day work with CA’s mission and strategy while preparing for foreseen and previously unidentified challenges.

• Represent the view of the executive in key meetings and communicate key messages, ensuring a strong link between the executive and the broader organization. Run some of R&D’s ongoing meeting series like Quarterly All-Hands and Quarterly Planning meetings.

• Proactively identify trends and anticipate problems that can boost or threaten the business and work with cross functional leadership to bolster or address.

• Identify workstreams that are siloed and facilitate getting them connected.

• Set up communication strategies with clear ongoing objectives for cross-functional team meetings and working groups for key initiatives.

• Manage agenda and drive team and project meetings, distribute action items and notes, and manage follow up.

• Participate in budget reviews, research budget spend, and make recommendations to optimize.

• Manage and report out on KPIs.

• Partner and influence cross functionally to drive cross functional initiatives and operational efficiencies.

• Facilitate and broker difficult conversations within and across teams to ensure all say it like it is with grace and get to positive outcomes.

• Understand all sides of an issue to be able to provide a wide-ranging and honest perspective.

• Set targets for management development that allows for continuous improvement and growth.

• Drive a “one team” mindset, offering recommendations centered in what is best for educators and students, as well as our employee well-being.

• Guide and support leaders by gracefully providing equitable, direct, open, and honest feedback, dedicating time to understand their needs, and removing roadblocks with creative solutions to facilitate an environment where business and performance targets are exceeded.

• Enable p