Job Openings Director of Operations

About the job Director of Operations

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR

MISSION OF THE SCHOOL

Compass Charter School is a safe and nurturing educational environment that honors the individuality of each learner. By engaging in a process of inquiry, our graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills to lead fulfilling personal and professional lives, including a developed sense of self, the ability to think in innovative and flexible ways, and the inspiration to make a positive impact on their community.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL

Compass Charter School is an inquiry-based, progressive elementary school that opened in the fall of 2014 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. We are committed to providing an experiential and democratic elementary experience to all children, with intentional access for children who typically do not get access to progressive education (children with special needs, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and English language learners).

Our Integrated Curriculum centers sustainability in all forms: environmental, racial, and economic justice. Our staff works interdependently in collaborative teams and engages in professional inquiry (instructional coaching, reflection, restorative and trauma-informed practices). Compass enrolls approximately 350 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Compass Charter School is seeking an effective, systems-thinking, and reflective Director of Operations who is driven to ensure Compass is organized to provide a rigorous, justice-oriented educational experience to all children. Compass staff members are highly reflective, collaborative, curious, and bring joy to their work with students and colleagues. The Director of Operations manages operations staff and works collaboratively with school leaders to ensure schoolwide operational systems are effective, implemented with integrity, and regularly reflected upon. The Director of Operations engages fully in our professional development program, including both leading and participating in training, professional inquiry, and collaborative projects and committees. The Director of Operations reports directly to the Principal and is responsible for ensuring the effective management of the non-instructional functions of the school.

This is a 12 month position.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's Degree, Master’s Degree preferred

  • Four or more years of experience working in operations management in a school setting.

    • Independent charter school experience preferred

  • Evidence of a strong commitment to Compass’ vision, mission, and strategic direction.

  • Interest in and knowledge of the school’s Key Design Elements, including integration, equity, inclusion, and sustainability

  • Ability to demonstrate systems thinking and solve “upstream” problems

  • Interested in working closely with a diverse group of pre-K and elementary-aged children, their families, and staff in a highly dynamic, collaborative, and fast-paced environment

  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective schoolwide systems and procedures, including but not limited to safety, arrival, dismissal, school food, visitors

  • Strong organizational skills, including ability to prioritize and make mission and vision-based decisions

  • Strong collaboration and project management skills, including using The Management Center’s MOCHA Model

  • Detail-oriented, ability to see the big picture and the details

  • Strong interpersonal skills, including creating a welcoming environment in the main office, strong written and verbal communication

  • A deep sense of personal accountability and willingness to foster accountability in others through consistent and above-board actions, feedback, and communication

  • Ability to manage multiple projects of varying levels of complexity and stay calm under pressure

  • Knowledge of or willingness to learn and integrate Educating for Sustainability (Efs) principles and standards into all schoolwide systems

  • Experience working in schools with children with special needs preferred

  • Knowledge of the school neighborhood, including the challenges of racial integration at a school located in a historically Black neighborhood that has gone through gentrification. A commitment to addressing the impact of gentrification on enrollment, operations, and bringing the school’s vision for a racially integrated school to life


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

  • Model a mission-first mindset, ensuring all decisions and actions are rooted in Compass’ mission, vision, and collective commitments

  • Implement pre-existing systems for all key aspects of the school’s operations; and build new systems as needed

  • Manage, supervise, evaluate, and develop operations staff

  • Create and nurture a culture of high operational expectations and performance from students and staff, with a clear focus on goals for high academic achievement, inclusion, equity, and sustainability.

  • Collaborate with school leaders to ensure high levels of consistency and compliance in all areas of school operations including facilities management, health and safety, student enrollment and records, transportation, meal service, technology, procurement, family communication, scheduling, and event logistics

  • Lead and develop a high-performing, school-based operations team

    • Set annual operational goals

    • Monitor progress toward annual operational goals

    • Communicate progress toward goals to school leaders

  • Manage the hiring, onboarding, coaching, and evaluation of operations staff across the organization; strategically managing the operations team's priorities, communicating regularly and effectively with stakeholders, and demonstrating a high level of ownership and accountability

  • Regularly contribute to a school environment that is joyful, engaging, rigorous, and in which students love learning

  • Actively participate in Compass professional learning community (PLC)

  • Regularly communicate with families, students, and community partners

  • Build and maintain positive relationships with students, families, and colleagues

  • Maintain confidentiality with student information and records

  • Oversee the school’s facility management, including custodial, shared space, and construction

  • Oversee school wide technology needs, including liaising with external tech support, ensuring network connectivity is strong, tech is maintained and repaired as needed

  • Recruit, hire, train, and supervise operations staff

  • Develop and maintain effective data systems related to attendance, enrollment, student records

  • Liaise with DOE and manage the following: school food, colocation/shared space, safety protocols, student transportation, school nurse, field visit needs

  • In collaboration with school leaders, create, implement, and monitor schoolwide systems for arrival, recess, hallway/stairwell expectations, dismissal, etc.).

  • Manage staff training around schoolwide systems, feedback to staff regarding school wide systems

  • Manages all classroom spaces, including set-up and break-down at beginning and end of year

  • Oversee school environment to ensure that it is ready and safe for students daily

  • Oversees all standardized testing at school

  • Maintain an active presence in the school community, including duties (arrival, dismissal, lunch, recess, hallway, etc)

Day to Day Oversight of:

  • Main Office: Ensures the Operations team maintains a warm “customer service” atmosphere,
    welcoming to teachers, families, and visitors.

  • Manages all student records and ensures all files are up to date, FERPA policy is followed, and records are secured

  • Tracks information and announcements from Charter Schools Weekly email and ensures prompt follow-through on those.

  • “Owns” relationship with PowerSchool, ParentSquare, and all other learning management platform vendors

  • Facilities: managing building repairs & maintenance, cleaning, waste management, larger construction, and facilities-related educational projects (if/as needed), furniture, and equipment.

  • Works with Custodial Engineer to make sure that all spaces are clean and meet the needs of the school through a weekly meeting; conducts bi-annual assessment of the CE

  • Vendor contracts: manages negotiations, execution, and management, in the areas of custodial and food services, technology, and various educational services (professional development for teachers, online resources for students, etc.)

  • Security and Safety: ensuring coordination with building security and the two other schools co-located in the building, including the implementation of fire, lockdown, and code blue drills and procedures

    • Attend Building Response Team meetings and manage all school safety needs

  • Technology: ensuring all software, hardware, and information technology systems are working smoothly, staff are equipped and supported and academic needs are met (through close collaboration with the Principal).

  • Create a yearly technology budget in coordination with the principal and finance team; ensure that capital technology is asset tagged and properly disposed of at the end of life both physically and on the asset tagging spreadsheet; students having working technology; work with CTS to ensure that technology is upgraded (WAPs, servers, infrastructure); complete ERATE application process;

  • Transportation Services: overseeing the distribution of OMNY cards, yellow bus service, special education busing and field trip transportation.

    • which includes making sure that the bus dismissal is covered; reports about behavior is followed up with P/AP/SST

  • Pupil Accounting: supervise the accuracy and completion of all student records (digital and paper files).

    • ATS admittance and withdrawal data is up to date at all times

    • All registration and withdrawal documentation is up to date and communicated to relevant stakeholders

  • Enrollment: Support student recruitment efforts and events and manage the overall enrollment process and required paperwork.

    • Ensure all documents are received before the first day of school; act as project manager for new family event

  • Compliance: Consistently meet the requirements of various regulatory bodies (including but not limited to independent financial auditors and the New York State Education Department.)

  • Health: Oversee daily nurse services, as well as immunizations, vision screening, and other health-related processes.

    • All vaccinations are received or documented and all families not in compliance with the vaccination law receive a warning letter and a final letter

    • Schedule and manage vision screening from DOMH K-1; vision screening all other grades; dental screenings; provide the nurse with updated contact information and class lists

COMPENSATION

  • Compass offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, short & long-term disability, life insurance, and 401K program with a match

  • Salary range of 85K-100K commensurate with experience and education

  • Compass is a unionized charter school. This is a supervisory position and not part of the bargaining unit.

TO APPLY

  • Send your resume and cover letter to apply@brooklyncompass.org. Please include DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS in the subject line of the email.

  • Your cover letter should include a statement of your school operations vision and also state why you are interested in becoming the Director of Operations at Compass Charter School.

  • If you have questions about this position, please email Brooke Peters, School Leader, at brooke@brooklyncompass.org.


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