Director of School Operations- Elementary School

Company Description

Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently serves over  2,000 students in grades kindergarten through twelfth. The mission of KIPP Columbus is to create a system of schools where students develop the intellectual, academic, and social skills needed to understand and take action on issues they encounter in everyday life. 

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top five schools for the academic growth of any school in Ohio and is a top-performing urban school in the state for academic growth. In Spring 2021, KIPP Columbus graduated its second class of high school seniors. 100% of graduates were accepted to college, with over $20 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with more than 100 community organizations to provide extracurricular activities, programming, health and wellness services, meals, and more to KIPP students, families, and the broader community. KIPP is also an Ohio High School Athletic Association member, offering more than ten varsity sports. 

The KIPP Columbus learning campus will continue to advance student learning, expand partnerships, enable superior programming, and serve as a teaching and leadership lab for schools nationwide, reimagining education through a deeper lens of antiracism and excellence and joy.  

To learn more, visit: https://www.kippcolumbus.org/

Job Description

The Opportunity

The Director of School Operations (DSO) is a school-based leadership position, overseeing all operational functions required to run an efficient, thriving school. This individual will work to create a shared vision and lead the implementation and execution of clear operational systems focused on fulfilling the needs of students, families and school community stakeholders. An effective DSO values data-driven decision-making, collaboration, structure, innovation, and continuous improvement, grounded in students' best interests.

Responsibilities of the Director of School Operations include, but are not limited to, the following:

Day-to-Day Operations: 

• Providing day-to-day tactical support in the areas of transportation, child nutrition, food services, technology and facility maintenance

• Coordinating field trips, student transportation, and team support for all school-based events

• Maintaining a welcoming, beautiful school environment through all visual culture

• Working closely with technology vendor to ensure technology and related infrastructure are functioning properly, and when there are issues, ensure they are addressed promptly, efficiently

• Performing regular audits and adjustments to ensure the effectiveness of key operational systems

• Ensuring the front office runs safely and effectively

• Serving on the school-based leadership team

Stakeholder Management: 

• Maintaining positive and productive relationships with key stakeholders such as Nationwide Children's Hospital staff members, custodial staff, safety and security personnel, food service personnel, and outside vendors

• Meeting with food services and transportation vendors to ensure expectations are met and logistics are adjusted based on the school schedule

• Working to productively navigate challenges and concerns with stakeholders

• Proactively escalate issues to the Regional Director of Operations as necessary

Project Management:

• Establishing and maintaining project plans for all events and operational projects to ensure the operations team is working 4-6 weeks ahead

• Achieving alignment with the School Leader on the vision, scope, and outcomes of projects and events

• Establishing an annual facility plan with the Regional Director of Operations and the School Leader

• Managing recurring annual projects such as intent to return and re-enrollment forms, school tours, and parent teacher conferences 

Student Enrollment and Attendance: 

• Developing and executing school-based re-enrollment and cultivation plans to meet 100% completion

• Partnering with the Regional Operations team to execute student recruitment efforts

• Enhancing bus ridership, ensuring 95% on-time bus arrival, and overseeing the processing of transportation requests weekly by working with families and transportation vendors

• Supporting daily attendance efforts by completing calls to absent student households with the goal of getting students to school the same day, maintaining a 95% average dai