Founding Chief Executive Officer

Lead the Next Chapter of the Charter School Movement in New York

The Context

New York’s charter schools serve more than 180,000 students, with 150,000 in New York City alone—representing 15% of the total number of students enrolled in the City. The charter sector consistently delivers strong academic outcomes and life-changing opportunities to historically underserved communities. CREDO cites New York State as having one of the highest-performing charter sectors in the country, and no other education reform initiative has moved the needle more consistently for Black and Latino students in New York City. Since COVID, charter schools have continued to outpace district schools in academic outcomes, proof that the charter model is resilient, effective, and meeting students' needs. Charter school enrollment is increasing faster than traditional district enrollment, signaling that parents have confidence that charter schools better serve their children.

While there have been significant legislative wins for charter schools over the last two decades (including protecting mayoral control in NYC, releasing previously stalled charter authorizations, and strengthening protections for charter funding and autonomy), New York is at a pivotal moment for charter advocacy as the political and regulatory landscape continues to evolve.

This moment calls for leadership.

A new coalition of New York-based charter school operators is launching to build the next generation of advocacy in New York. We are seeking a founding Chief Executive Officer to drive political strategy, unite charter leaders, and mobilize families to ensure their voices are heard where decisions are made.

This is not a maintenance role. It is a rare opportunity to build something that matters.

Why This Role Matters Now

Charter schools in New York have reached a pivotal point: academic performance alone is no longer enough to secure the future of high-quality schools. Policies governing funding, facilities, and regulation increasingly shape whether great schools can open, grow, and thrive.

At the same time:

• The political environment is shifting, with new leadership and evolving priorities across city and state government.
• Families continue to demand access to excellent public-school options.
• Charter operators are eager to align around a clear, disciplined strategy that translates shared values into real policy wins.

The sector has scale, results, and momentum. What it needs now is coordinated, confident leadership.

The Opportunity

The founding CEO will build and lead a premier statewide advocacy organization designed to make an impact in New York’s unique environment.

As CEO, you will:

• Unite a diverse set of charter school leaders behind a focused, winnable advocacy agenda
• Mobilize families and communities as powerful advocates for their children’s futures
• Navigate New York’s political landscape to secure meaningful policy wins around funding, facilities, and charter school autonomy
• Build durable infrastructure across advocacy, organizing, communications, and coalition-building–leaving space to work with other organizations that address issues meaningful to the families the charter movement serves
• Shape how policymakers and the public understand the role charter schools play in advancing opportunity for underserved communities
• Oversee an aligned C4 scope of work (including a PAC) that educates, informs, and backs pro-charter candidates running for statewide office

You will be poised for success with a thoughtfully built, operator-led board that reflects the sector's diversity. The founding board, which includes many of the state’s largest and most successful charter networks, has secured significant philanthropic support to provide stability during the organization's launch and early growth phase. What’s needed now is a leader who can turn that foundation into lasting influence.

Who This Role Is For

This role is built for someone energized by politics, building organizations, and winning hard fights on behalf of kids and families.

The ideal leader brings:

• Deep political judgment and experience navigating New York policy and power structures
• A track record of successful advocacy campaigns or coalition leadership
• The ability to earn trust across a coalition of independent, mission-driven organizations
• Startup energy—the drive to build something ambitious from the ground up
• A clear sense of how to translate values into strategy and strategy into results

Equally important is a commitment to the families that charter schools serve, who rely on great schools as a pathway to opportunity, stability, and a better life.

A Chance to Shape the Future

Few states combine the scale, performance, and political complexity of New York’s charter sector. That is precisely why this moment matters. The CEO who steps into this role will help define the future of charter schools in New York—strengthening access for families today while building the advocacy infrastructure to protect and expand opportunity over the next decade.

If you are a builder, a strategist, and a champion for students and families, this is a chance to head one of the most important education efforts in the country. Come lead the charge to build the most powerful political force in Albany and City Hall by harnessing the power of more than 180,000 families and their philanthropic partners into a cohesive, focused, and unstoppable alliance.