Chief Academic Officer

Job Title: Chief Academic Officer
Location: 910 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, IL 60607
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: Starting at $190,000, commensurate with experience
Employee Type: Regular Full Time
Start Date: August 2025

Distinctive Schools creates diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning. We support all learners to be engaged, curious, and to achieve their full potential. Our students become confident advocates, creative problem-solvers, and collaborative leaders.

Overview

The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) is a key member of the Chief Leadership team, responsible for leading the network’s academic vision, strategy, and outcomes. The CAO will ensure instructional excellence across all campuses by overseeing curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, academic interventions, and continuous improvement efforts. The CAO will work closely with school leaders, instructional teams, and the President to ensure that every student thrives.

Reporting directly to the President, the CAO plays a critical role in advancing Distinctive Schools’ instructional vision and academic strategy. As the organization’s lead expert on curriculum, instruction, and pedagogy, the CAO drives the development and implementation of a cohesive academic framework aligned to the network’s goals. This role sets both the short- and long-term instructional direction, fostering a culture of high expectations, equity, and shared responsibility for delivering culturally responsive, high-quality instruction. The CAO cultivates strong, collaborative partnerships between the network and campuses, ensuring resources are aligned with school needs. Through this alignment, the CAO leads the design and execution of an instructional strategy that promotes excellence in every classroom and supports ongoing, systemwide improvement of teaching and learning.

This position provides an unparalleled opportunity for an individual with superior instructional experience, critical thinking, organization, and communication to maximize Distinctive Schools’ impact and future growth while gaining an in-depth understanding of the organization’s academic and operational goals. The ideal candidate for this position has a proven ability to manage the following:

(1) strategic academic leadership

(2) school support & oversight

(3) effective change management

(4) talent development and professional learning

Responsibilities

Strategic Academic Leadership

• Champion a deep belief in the potential of all students and ensures accountability for achieving rigorous academic outcomes across the organization.

• Shape and drive the academic vision and priorities of the network, ensuring alignment with broader organizational goals.

• Lead and support the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of curriculum, instructional models, and assessment systems across schools.

• Use academic data strategically to uncover trends, inform planning, and drive evidence-based decision-making.

• Maintain a strong focus on outcomes by setting clear goals, defining success metrics, and consistently measuring progress.

• Demonstrate strong emotional intelligence by actively listening, interpreting diverse perspectives, and integrating feedback to strengthen team and organizational results.

School Support & Oversight

• Collaborate closely with principals and instructional leaders to ensure strong and consistent implementation of instructional programs at the school level.

• Conduct regular school walkthroughs and provide targeted coaching to campus leaders to drive instructional excellence.

• Monitor academic performance across the network, ensuring accountability for high standards, continuous improvement, and equitable student outcomes.

• Identify, adapt, and scale innovative and research-based instructional practices and models to enhance teaching and learning.

• Track progress toward goals with discipline and urgency, demonstrating persistence in overcoming challenges to ensure success.

• Work in partnership with principals, school-based teams, and network departments to build effective support systems and ensure schools have the resources needed to thrive.

Effective Change Management

• Design and lead strategies to equip individuals and teams in driving meaningful, systemwide improvements across the network.

• Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement by fostering environments where reflect