OVERVIEW

The Director of School Operations will be a versatile, detail oriented individual with abilities and experience across operations, logistics, finance, and academic administration, and with delegated responsibility for leading the development, refinement, and implementation of structures, systems and routines that will provide for the efficient day to day operations of the School.

An essential function of the Director of School Operations is to enable the Head of School to focus on instructional and community leadership. The Director of School Operations will report directly to the Head of School. While experience in education is not a requirement, The Knox School is seeking an individual who is passionately committed to providing quality elementary and middle school education, and who possesses a combination of business acumen, operations, logistics, marketing and finance experience, and strong interpersonal skills, but who also works well independently to achieve School goals. The Director of Operations role is a leadership position with minimal oversight requiring the individual to hold themselves to the highest standards and possess the ability to self-manage.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Successful candidates for the long-term and full-time position will display a diverse range of qualities, competencies, and experience as described below. The ideal candidate:

• Possesses the ability to manage multiple tasks with frequent interruptions.

• Possesses the ability to manage multiple priorities and consistently re-prioritize tasks.

• Possesses a high level of maturity to handle a fast-paced, ever-changing landscape of to-dos and a consistently full “inbox”.

• Possesses flexibility in thinking and action, and creative problem-solving skills.

• Shows resilience and grace / clear thinking under pressure.

• Is efficient and effective with strong organizational and time-management skills.

• Understands the limits and resources of a start-up and a non-profit organization.

• Is aware of their role of ambassador for the school to the outside community, even in their private life.

• Is able to communicate, interact, and work effectively and cooperatively with all staff and families.

• Possesses strong customer service and public relations skills.

• Is able to handle ambiguity well.

• Is able to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job.

• Is able to diffuse and manage stressful situations.

• Understands the inner working of a school including the minutia of daily operations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Oversight / Operations

• Provide oversight and responsibility for the school’s day-to-day operations

• Work with the Head of School, Director, and Board of Directors to develop and implement the school’s goals and strategic plan in order to realize the school’s mission

• In collaboration with the Head of School, implement school policies, as well as collaboratively develop new policies for Board approval

• Help drive capital campaigns and annual fundraising efforts

• Support admissions, marketing and community outreach efforts in order to maintain and ensure robust enrollment numbers

• Provide support to the school’s accreditation and evaluation process and ongoing monitoring of compliance in subsequent reviews

• Ensure school-level data on students, families, staff, courses, etc. is entered into RenWeb and other databases/systems accurately and on-time for use for teaching/learning and compliance reporting, delegating to admin assistant or other staff as appropriate. Administrative Assistant will input/manage data entry with direction and oversight from DOO.

• Manage purchasing, procurement, and inventory management responsibilities including vendor management and securing School and office supplies, instructional materials, furniture, and equipment (as delegated to administrative assistant or others)

• Understand and ensure school is aligned with all federal, state, and local legal and compliance requirements and regulations

• Report to internal and external stakeholders

• Lead the organization and logistical details of school and community events, many of which are held after school hours or weekends

Staffing / HR

• Ensure employee records and files are current and compliant with all local, state, and federal regulations

• Oversee payroll and hours for hourly employees, ensuring accurate and timely submission of payroll

• Perform personnel management functions including managing employee time and attendance by tracking absences, entering time and attendance into programs and submitting related reports, maintaining and updating all personnel changes, preparing various payroll documents

• Assist with scheduling paraeducators and substitutes

• Onboarding and offboarding of all staff and independent contractors

• In collaboration with the Head of School, assist in the planning and organization of school-level and external training for staff

Administration (Student and Family)

• Manage major academic-related systems and activities as delegated by the Head of School, including student enrollment and family onboarding, school scheduling, student data management (e.g. RenWeb/FACTS systems).

• Onboarding and offboarding of students/families

• Revise and maintain the Policy & Procedure Manual, IIPP Manual, Academic Year Binders and other records

• Keep all student files current and compliant with all local, state, and federal regulations

Finance & Strategic and Budgetary Planning

• Collaborate in the development of a strategic plan for the School, including the preparation of a staffing and resource plan

• Review the performance of the School in terms of its objectives as stated in its strategic plan and in its staffing and resource plan

• Collaborative responsibility for financial matters with the Director, including financial planning and sustainability, resource allocation, the identification of new sources of income, the monitoring of expenditure to ensure that it is within appropriate levels, ensuring the linking of resource allocation to strategic and operational planning

• Managing and monitoring of implementation of the resource allocation process within the School

• Develop, and ensure adherence to, the annual school budget

• Support annual development, management, and reporting of School's annual budget in collaboration with Director or Head of School to ensure on-budget results

• Review and approve spending (check requests, purchase orders, reimbursements, etc.) up to agreed-upon thresholds; prepare larger expense requests for review by Director or Head of School

• Billing for enrollment tuition and incidentals in the FACTS system (e.g., fieldtrips, hot lunch, after-school care)

• Track contributions

• Work closely with bookkeeper and accountants to develop and maintain budgets and to supply the Board or the Head of School with accurate information/reports

Facilities & Maintenance

• Help drive the site selection process

• Directly provide on-site facilities and maintenance management or coordinate with facilities staff to: Proactively ensure school building is clean, well-maintained, safe, secure, and meeting educational needs

• Develop and communicate safety protocols in collaboration with the Head of School

• Oversee care of school campus and facilities. Ensure clean and orderly offices, classrooms, hallways, bathrooms. Oversee maintenance of gardens. Ensure campus is prepared for student visits and parent tours.

• Respond to facilities, maintenance, and equipment requests from staff, assign to custodial staff and vendors, to resolve issues in a timely manner.

Impact and Influence

• Be present and visible during school hours to maintain safe, positive, pro-learning school environment and promote open communication

• Model the school’s values and standards for professional conduct; consistently demonstrate best practices for communicating with students, staff, and families

• Stay visibly focused, committed, and self-assured in the face of personal and professional resistance

• Consistently identify potential issues and obstacles and proactively take action to create and implement solutions

• Willingness to take on non-specific duties, however mundane, in furtherance of the school’s mission, philosophy, and vision

• Work with Director, Head of School, Faculty, and Staff to create an atmosphere of respect among all members of the campus community; communicate with parents, faculty, and instructional leaders to ensure a shared vision of a positive and respectful school community

• Work with school leadership to support staff’s implementation of best practices and procedures in actively promoting a safe, supportive, pro-learning environment

• Identify and engage stakeholders to anticipate concerns, drive consensus, build trust and facilitate positive change

• Help maintain the culture and ethos of the school regarding student growth, learning, development and excellence

• Build and enhance relationships with the professionals within gifted education as well as the school’s stakeholders, including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, local and national independent schools and gifted programs, and the local community

• Be instrumental in promoting trusting and mutually respectful relationships among students, staff, and families by maintaining strong lines of communication and transparency of expectations across stakeholders

EDUCATION AND RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE:

• College degree required. Undergraduate degree in business or accounting preferred. Relevant combination of experience and alternative education will also be considered.

• Minimum of two years of experience in a director position.

• Experience in a school setting strongly preferred.

• Experience working with children preferred.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS or CERTIFICATIONS:

• Criminal background check and negative TB test required for hire.

• CPR and First Aid certifications required, and are available through the School.

TECHNICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES:

• Expert knowledge of and experience with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required

• Working knowledge of Quickbooks

• Preferred knowledge of: ADP, FACTS, and other school systems

• Online banking: Checking accounts

• Constant Contact

• Google Drive/Docs

• Website editing (e.g., HTML)

• Creation and analysis of surveys

• Operating knowledge of and experience with typical office equipment, such as computers and peripherals, telephones, copier, fax machine, Email, 10-key, etc.

• Operating knowledge of financial, human resource, purchasing and e-mail software, intranet and Internet

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $80,000.00 per year

Ability to Commute:

• Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Santa Barbara, CA 93101: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (Preferred)

Work Location: In person