Special Assistant, Cross-Regional Operations

Company Description

Uncommon Schools  is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 52 schools serving more than 19,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Job Description

The Special Assistant supports the Chief of Operations for Schools through various tasks including the administrative responsibilities of the CO’s office, planning and drafting communications, and project managing a few of the CO’s Regional and network-wide initiatives. The Special Assistant reports directly to the Chief of Operations for Schools  and works regularly with the Cross-Regional Operations Teams, regional School Support Teams,  Regional Superintendents of Operations, and Uncommon Schools’ Home Office teams and staff. We are looking for a go-getter with a can-do attitude. The role will provide a unique opportunity to see and learn about school management and public charter school operations at the network-wide level. Location is flexible between Brooklyn and NYC; travel between regions or to retreat locations may be required approximately 1-2 times monthly.

Administrative Tasks and Executive Support:

• Ensure the CO’s time is maximized and aligned with the organization’s priorities by seamlessly managing the CO’s calendar, arranging meetings, and coordinating all details of travel and creating a comprehensive travel itinerary
• Track and deliver daily CO briefs and weekly calendar to support the CO’s schedule, action items, and meeting preparation
• Provide administrative support for the CO, including credit card reconciliation, reimbursement processing, and other duties as needed
• Own and manage both large and smaller meetings by creating presentations, taking minutes, and managing logistics
• Improve current operations and processes within the CO's office to efficiently allocate resources and time 

Program and Systems Management:

• Manage stakeholders on projects laterally and above including partnering across multiple leaders, teams, and regions for project execution
• Create and maintain strategic trackers and metrics to ensure progress on high level work towards goals and deadlines
• Project manage and operationalize a few of the CO's organization-wide initiatives per year; activities include building out the project plan, owning implementation, and monitoring budget and execution

Communications and culture:

• Manage and Implement the CO's communication plan 
• Manage CO's external speaking events including logistics, drafting speeches and presentations, and preparing the CO for the events
• Support in shaping a joyful staff culture within the CO's teams and/or school and Home Office leaders

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree required

Experience Requirements:

• 3+ years of full time experience

  • 2-3 years of professional experience, preferably in K-12 education or an executive-level support role
  • Proficiency in Outlook and basic familiarity with Microsoft products (PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Word, etc.)

Travel/Schedule:

• 3 days a week in our central office located in downtown Manhattan 
•  1-2 times a month require travel to Camden, Boston, and Rochester
• Occasional work required after hours for support with events or meetings.

Physical Requirements:

• Setting up for events and PDs may require lifting
• May need to move heavy packages
• Occasional travel to schools with no elevator

Additional Information

Our people are what make us uncommon. It’s important to us that our compensation practices align with our values and enhance our ability to attract and retain talent.  Our compensation philosophy is focused on equity and fairness, retaining our talented staff and valuing their expertise, and transparency and clarity.

Compensation for this position:  Candidates who meet all job description requirements will likely receive an offer of $67,800. The starting compensation for this role is between $64,000 to $75,300.  The starting pay will depend on various factors including but not limited to relevant professional experience, education, certifications, an