SY 26-27 Operations Associate

About Ascend

Ascend is Brooklyn’s premier K–12 public charter network, committed to graduating high-achieving students who have access to boundless choice in their futures—not only through college acceptance, but through meaningful preparation for career readiness and thriving adult lives.

Across our schools, we pair rigorous academics with strong systems, supportive adult culture, and a deep belief in students’ brilliance and potential. Our work is grounded in the understanding that preparing students for long-term success requires excellence in instruction, intentional culture-building, and disciplined execution at every level of the organization.

At Ascend, adults are held to high standards because our students deserve nothing less. How we teach, lead, collaborate, and make decisions every day directly shapes the opportunities our students will have tomorrow.

Join us in shaping learning environments where curiosity is nurtured, excellence is the norm, and every student is prepared for a lifetime of boundless choice.

About the Role

The Operations Associate serves as the school’s first and primary point of contact for parents, visitors, community members, and other external partners. This role warmly and professionally engages with all guests, ensuring their experience with the school is consistently positive. The Operations Associate also provides centralized administrative support and carries out a wide range of operational and administrative responsibilities.

Responsibilities

The Operations Associate is expected to be present and fully engaged from 7:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on holidays, and may be required to work occasional evenings and weekends for school and parent events. This is a year‑round position with time off provided for school holidays and vacation. Additionally, the Operations Associate will:

Front Office & School Culture

• Greet and check in all visitors while controlling access to the school.
• Serve as a gatekeeper by addressing questions and minimizing interruptions for school administrators and instructional staff.
• Set and maintain a warm, professional, and welcoming tone for the school community.
• Answer and direct phone calls, take messages, make announcements, and support communications (including robocalls).
• Ensure the main office is consistently clean, organized, and presentable.

Student Information, Attendance & Records

• Use the student information system (SIS) to reconcile and update daily attendance.
• Produce accurate and timely attendance reports.
• Maintain up-to-date scholar contact and demographic information across SIS and related platforms (Infinite Campus, SchoolMint, ATS, Illuminate).
• Process late arrivals and follow up with families of absent scholars.
• Ensure scholars are dismissed only to authorized parents or guardians.
• Collect, organize, and maintain forms and records while upholding confidentiality standards.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Distribute and collect memos, notices, and school-specific documents from classrooms.
• Provide occasional support to the school nurse with sick students.
• Assist with planning and preparation for school events and activities.
• Support the Director of Operations (DOO) with special or time‑sensitive projects (e.g., summer inventory, school year startup, enrollment, assemblies, end-of-year closeout).
• Update and distribute daily dismissal sheets.
• Track and document uniform violations.

Procurement & Vendor Management

• Create purchase orders in Excel and ensure proper documentation across accounting platforms.
• Scan and upload purchase orders, invoices, and supporting documents to Bill.com for approval workflows.
• Contact vendors to obtain quotes, reconcile discrepancies, and maintain positive relationships.
• Track and manage supplies inventory to support a productive office environment.

Food Service Support

• Assist with meal service, ensuring proper portions and components are provided to each student.
• Comply with all HACCP and food safety procedures.
• Maintain cleanliness of food service stations before, during, and after shifts.
• Keep temperature logs up to date and ensure all meals meet temperature requirements.
• Assist in cleaning and sanitizing dishes, kitchen tools, and equipment as needed.
• Support daily organization and sanitation of kitchen and storage areas.
• Observe student meal preferences and share feedback on popular and unpopular items.

Facilities Support

• Assist in maintaining a clean, orderly, and well-organized school office and related spaces.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Operations to support the successful functioning of the school.

Staff and reporting relationships

The Operations Associate reports to the Director of Operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or two or more years of experience in an office environment, preferably an education-related organization
• Experience with data management systems, similar to Infinite Campus, Illuminate DNA, Automate The Schools (ATS), preferred

Skills and Traits

• Passion and commitment to urban education and our ultimate goal of closing the achievement gap
• A “can-do” attitude and the enthusiasm to be a hard-working, team player who is relentless in the pursuit of the school’s academic objectives
• An openness to accept and implement feedback and engage in a process of self-improvement
• A winning personality and a professional demeanor that conveys warmth, caring, responsiveness, and a desire to help at all times
• An interest in people and the capacity to connect sincerely and appropriately with children and their parents
• Strong organizational skills and thorough attention to detail
• Effective communication skills in speaking and writing
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks of varying complexity and to stay organized in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Robust computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office

Compensation

Initial salary offers for this position start at $66,500. Salaries are determined using an equitable compensation scale that accounts for years of experience and levels of attained education.

This is a full-time, exempt position that offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching
• Generous paid time off and additional employee benefits