School Overview

Founded by seven community members in 2014, Jefferson RISE Charter School has 740 students in grades 6-12. Located in Harvey, Louisiana, we serve a diverse group of students from the Westbank of Jefferson Parish, with a student body that is 52% Black/African American, 30% White, 16% Hispanic, and 2% Asian and where 92% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged. 

We believe in educating the whole child, supporting both an academic foundation as well as building students’ social-emotional skills and readiness for long-term college and career success. Our model includes:

• High-Quality Academic Program: With a longer school day and school, one-on-one tutoring, intervention, one-to-one devices, and a rigorous curriculum, our academics prepare our students for college.

• Social-Emotional Learning: Everything we do supports students to develop and live our values of Character, Respect, Integrity, Self-Discipline, and Excellence. 

• Student Life and Career Readiness: Beyond our core academic program, we provide enrichment opportunities and electives, skill blocks, and community circles to support students in developing their passions and life-long happiness. 

Since our founding, we have achieved remarkable results with our students. In the 2018-2019 school year (the latest year with available data), our 8th graders outperformed both district and state achievement levels in all subject areas, and our high school earned an “A” growth grade from the Louisiana Department of Education. We have also found that students who spend more time at our school are significantly more likely to score proficient or advanced on end-of-year exams. 

Position Overview

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will lead Jefferson RISE’s operations team, ensuring the school achieves financial, operational, and human capital targets. As a champion of Jefferson RISE’s operational excellence, as well as the school’s mission, culture, and values, this individual will partner with the organization’s leaders to support the school’s overall academic vision and student achievement. 

The COO is a key member of the Executive Team, consisting of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Academic Officer, and the Chief of Staff. The COO will also sit on the school’s Administrative Team, which consists of all Chief- and Director-level roles, and is responsible for the strategic leadership of the school. 

As a charter school, Jefferson RISE sets its own academic calendar and daily/weekly schedule based on the needs of its students. Leadership staff work on a 12-month schedule and prospective candidates should expect to start on or around July 1st, 2021. The workday for leaders in the organization is variable; while most staff members are required to be in the building from 6:45am to 3:15pm or later (depending on after school activities), Executive Team members will have duties outside of these times and alternative schedules as agreed upon by the CEO. 

In addition to role-specific duties, all Jefferson RISE staff members are also expected to:

• Support school operations, including lunch duty and/or homeroom duty, as needed 
• Working with individual or small groups of teachers or students as needed during and/or after the formal school day
• Communicate with families on a regular basis
• Attend a weekly one-on-one meeting with their supervisor to discuss performance, student needs, school needs, and other items that may arise
• Complete all compliance paperwork as required by the school, state or local officials, or the school’s board

1. Human Resources Functions

• Supervise the Director of Human Resources 
• Set the strategic vision for and build out the human resources function in conjunction with the Director of Human Resources, including human resources policies, employee relations, employee engagement, performance management, compensation, benefits, HR information systems, onboarding, and offboarding
• Work with the Executive Team on creating and reinforcing a culture that supports our mission, values, and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts
• Maintain knowledge of industry trends and employment legislation, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local law and regulation, including working with legal counsel to develop and manage workplace protocols, complaint procedures, and policies

1. Finance Functions 

• Supervise a contract accounting firm 
• Set the strategic vision for the organization’s long-term financial success, including development one-year and five-year budgets in conjunction with the Executive Team and staff
• Lead day-to-day financial operations, including bill payment, end-of-month closes, budget-to-actuals, payroll, etc. 
• Work with the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, and legal counsel and other key stakeholders to ensure that fiscal policies and procedures are in place to ensure compliance and to maximize organizational effectiveness. 

1. Operations, Technology, and Facilities Functions 

• Supervise the Director of Facilities and Technology and the Director of Operations and Culture 
• Set the strategic vision for facilities and technology, including long-term facility maintenance and operations and potential sports field acquisitions and gym construction 
• Set the strategic vision for school operations and culture, including supporting the Director of Operations and Culture to manage a diverse team of operations staff 

1. Leadership and School/Community Culture

• Act as a trusted advisor, coach, and consultant to senior leaders to improve their leadership capability, team effectiveness, and performance
• Embody and lead the mission, vision, and strategic direction of the school, taking an active role in mobilizing staff members to achieve the collective goals of the school
• Design and implement programs that promote positive adult behavior and academic mindsets, and that motivate staff to exhibit the leadership values of the school

Candidate Profile

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree required 
• Master’s degree in relevant field, such as an MBA (preferred)

Experience and Skills:

• At least ten years experience as an operational leader in a school or nonprofit setting, with at least three years of direct budget development and responsibility experience and three years in a managerial capacity (required)
• Experience with coaching and supporting other adults in a school- or non-profit-based setting (required)
• Experience hiring and training other staff members or direct reports (required) 
• Experience building systems and policies within a school-based setting (required) 
• Experience developing and managing complex budget processes, including knowledge of general accounting practices (required) 
• Strong proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint as well as other web-based applications
• Excellent communication skills
• High level of personal organization and planning

Culture and Fit:

• Commitment to the mission and organizational success of Jefferson RISE 
• Ambition and desire to grow as a leader 
• Openness to feedback and a willingness to take personal responsibility for the affairs of the school 
• Entrepreneurial spirit 
• Personal and professional integrity 
• Team player (flexible, willing to jump in)

Benefits

Jefferson RISE pays the following employee only costs for all full-time employees: 85% medical and 100% dental, vision, short and long term disability. The Employee covers the remaining costs, including 15% employee medical and all spouse/dependent costs. RISE provides retirement benefits to all W-2 employees. RISE will match contributions to employee 401(k)s up to 100% of contributions on the first 3% deferred, then 50% of contributions from 3% to 5%. There is no vesting period. Jefferson RISE reserves the right to offer different or additional benefits to the Employee at any time.

At this time, Jefferson RISE is not able to provide work visa sponsorship. Being authorized to work in the United States is a precondition for employment. 

Additional Questions

The following questions will be part of this job application. Those marked with an asterisk will be required to submit your application.

1. What do you do to improve? Give an example of a time when you received difficult feedback from a peer, student, teacher, or supervisor. How did you respond in the moment? How did it affect your thinking? Your actions? *
2. Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it. *
3. Do you have a bachelor's degree? *
4. Are you certified to teach in the state of Louisiana? *
5. Are there specific courses or grade levels within your subject area you are interested in teaching? *
6. How did you learn about this position? *
   1. Indeed.com
   2. ZipRecruiter
   3. Google Jobs
   4. BetterTeacher 
   5. WorkNOLA
   6. A Jefferson RISE team member (please specify)
   7. A Jefferson RISE parent or community member
   8. An email from Jefferson RISE Careers
   9. Somewhere else (please specify)
7. If you learned about this role from a Jefferson RISE staff member or somewhere that wasn't listed in the previous question, please tell us who or where.
8. Is there anything else you'd like us to know in considering your application?
9. Are you authorized to work in the United States?