Job Title: Chief Schools Officer

Dept: Executive Team

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

FLSA Status: Exempt 

Starting Salary: $115, 000

Position Overview: The Chief Schools Officer (CSO) is responsible for managing and leading the work we do to achieve this goal at the highest level of excellence and with steadfast commitment to practices that cultivate transformative change. The Chief Schools Officer (CSO) is the steward of our primary institutional goal, ensuring all students - regardless of their background or prior educational experiences - graduate college-ready, are steadfast and persistent problem-solvers, active leaders in their communities, and highly engaged and empathetic citizens of the world. The Chief Schools Officer will serve as the driver of academic success and school culture through the management of school principals and the Academic Team. She/he/they develops the capacity of STEM Prep Academy's school principals and Network Academic Team Members to create and implement an equitable and effective school design grounded in an evidence-based academic strategy.

This role is boots-on-the-ground with significant training and support of school and network leaders, organized to build organizational strength and promote educator longevity. This executive leadership position will carry the responsibility of ensuring that every student at STEM Prep Academy attends an equity-driven, community-centric school that achieves academic ambitions. The position reports to the Chief Executive Officer and will directly supervise one middle school principal and one high school principal, the Managing Academics Director, and a growing team of network school support leaders.

Qualifications:

.Demonstrates self-reflection, self-awareness, and has a 360° view of what’s going on

.Minimum of five years of effective principal leadership experience with proven results

.Minimum of five years experience leading and managing people and situations effectively and consistent with a servant leadership mindset

.Vision for adult effectiveness including helping adults have a positive work experience

.Skilled in developing relationships balanced with people accountability

.Demonstrate superior interpersonal communication and presentation skills as well as proven organizational skills 

.Knowledge of human resource management and talent development with an ability to provide a high level of customer service

.Demonstrated experience designing and implementing systems, researching, collecting and analyzing data

.Belief in our country’s English Language Learners, that they can and will achieve

.Proven collaborator with other executive leaders and across teams

.Work requires willingness to work a flexible schedule including events outside of the school day

.Inspires and motivates students, teachers and staff

.BS/BA from an accredited college/university

Preferred Skills:

.Master’s degree in education, leadership, or related field

.Experience working with diverse populations (race, gender, physical capabilities, military personnel, etc.)

.Exercise sound judgment and decision-making skills and inspire decision-making by others

.Experience and comfort delivering crucial conversations to manage conflict and de-escalate students and/or adults

.Budget management and analysis experience

Vision and Leadership:

.As a member of the Executive Team, contributes to vision-setting and strategy for the organization at-large

.Leads the commitment to continually improving the educational experiences of all students, ensuring our schools are the highest performing across all measures

. Communicates our mission and values with great zeal among diverse internal and external stakeholders

.In collaboration with Human Resources and academic leaders, feedback and formal evaluation processes

Educational Leadership:

.Deliver regular, on-site, and rigorous observation, coaching, and feedback for instructional leaders and leadership teams.

.In collaboration with network leadership, design, facilitate, and oversee summer leader training.

.Support the success of summer teacher orientation and training in partnership with the network academic team and school leaders.

.Develop and coach principals to launch and manage effective school leadership teams 

.Monitor and refine as needed strong student and adult culture systems and school wide behavior systems

.Oversees and continually evaluates and improves the school’s instructional model and curriculum. 

Mission, policy and planning: 

.Develops, implements, and ensures adherence to the charter authorizer’s performance accountability framework.

.Assures the filing of all legal and regulatory documents and monitors compliance with relevant laws and regulations including but not limited to student discipline and school improvement.

.Collaborates with the CEO to keep the Board of Directors fully informed on the condition of the schools and key performance indicators. 

Other Duties:

.Uses data in partnership with school leaders, Managing Director of Academics and Director of Data and Analytics to inform practice and drive decision-making and instruction at the schools 

.Works with the broader charter school community to advocate for choice, charter schools, and education reform.

. Works with CFO and school principals to manage short- and long-term financial obligations. 

.Other duties as assigned by the CEO.

Essential Leadership Behaviors:

.Listens to employees, students and the community in order to strengthen school experiences and generate community involvement

.Model characteristics of of mutual respect, high standards, and support for learning

.Ability to communicate and collaborate patiently but effectively

.Willing to give clear, direct, and tough feedback to students, teachers, and families 

.Demonstrates the capacity to make singularly tough decisions without fallout 

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STEM Prep Academy believes it is critical for our staff - teachers and leaders to reflect the communities that they serve. We actively support equal opportunity for all people. As such, we strongly encourage People of Color, Women, LGBTQIA2S individuals, Individuals with Disabilities, First Generation College Graduates, and all other groups that have been historically marginalized to apply to become a member of the STEM Team.

STEM Preparatory Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, color, age, and/or disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, or activities. STEM Prep does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.

In compliance with Metro Nashville Public Schools' policy, all STEM Prep employees must pass a background check prior to employment.