Assistant Principal of Operations

Description

As a leader in providing high quality education for students who need us most, KIPP Memphis is a network of open enrollment, tuition-free, college preparatory public charter schools. KIPP Memphis is part of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) network of high performing schools. KIPP’s network spans more than 200 schools across the US and is known for having high expectations, focusing on results, and ensuring students go to and through college. 

Founded in 2002, KIPP Memphis serves elementary, middle, and high school students in North Memphis.  The KIPP Memphis team and family serves as a model of excellence and collaborates with other community organizations to raise the overall quality of education in Memphis. The mission of KIPP Memphis is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose - college, career, and beyond - so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Role Overview:

As part of the KIPP Memphis Public Schools (KMPS) leadership team, the Assistant Principal of Operations (APO) is the operational leader of the school and is critical to the successful and efficient operation of the campus. This position is central to the realization of our mission as it provides the School Leader the opportunity to focus almost exclusively on teaching and learning within the school.  The APO supports the School Leader by overseeing all non-instructional functions of the school including facilities, budget, compliance, student data, nutrition, transportation, and student safety so that academic leaders and teachers can focus on teaching and learning. This role is ideal for a results-oriented professional who thrives in fast-paced environments and is deeply committed to educational equity and student success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead school-wide operational systems that support academic excellence and student achievement.
• Serve as a core member of the school leadership team and collaborate on annual planning, scheduling, and goal-setting.
• Manage, coach, and evaluate front office and operations team members.
• Partner with the School Leader to manage the school’s budget, ensuring financial decisions align with academic priorities.
• Oversee purchasing, invoice processing, activity fees, and financial compliance.
• Lead maintenance, facility improvement projects, and space utilization planning.
• Ensure that school emergency management plans are completed, executed and followed.
• Manage all operations related contracted services (including food service, nursing services, security services, transportation services, etc.) to ensure efficient daily operations.
• Support all compliance activities including Emergency Management, Facilities, Operations, Safety, Security, and all Authorities Having Jurisdiction.

Core Responsibilities:

School Operations Leadership & Operations Team Management

• In partnership with the School Leader and the regional leadership, develops the school-wide operations vision that supports and operationalizes the academic and cultural vision of the school
• Plays a leadership role in the school’s strategic and annual planning and budgeting processes
• Hires, manages, coaches, and develops school operations team members (including front office staff and vendors) and holds them accountable to goals and outcomes
• Serves as the primary point of contact for the regional School Support Team, responding to requests and collaborating with teammates across the region to build scalable, region-wide systems, policies, and procedures

Finance & Purchasing

• Works closely with the principal to develop the school’s annual budget
• Actively manages the school budget throughout the year by participating in monthly budget meetings to review budget variances, actively monitoring school spending, and proactively seeking opportunities to ensure spending is always aligned to the school’s academic priorities
• Manages the school purchasing process by establishing clear systems for staff to request items, placing orders with vendors, tracking delivery, and coding and submitting purchases orders, invoices, and reimbursement requests
• Actively manages the Internal School Funds in accordance with the State of Tennessee’s Internal School Funds Manual
• Manages the school payment process for Internal School Fund fees 
• Manages all grants (Federal and State) in accordance with State and Federal guidelines
• Approves school purchases under a specific financial threshold
• Serves as the first school-based point of contact regarding finance and work