Dir., High School Initiative Operations

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of High School Operations is responsible for leading the day-to-day operational aspects of AOPA’s high school aviation initiative. Working closely with the Director of High School Outreach, the VP of You Can Fly, and the Senior VP of AOPA Foundation, Programs, and Events, the Director will play a critical role in ensuring that the High School Initiative team delivers high quality curriculum, training, events, presentations, and service to internal and external stakeholders and constituents.

Director is responsible for process and project management, executing strategy, coordinating internal resources both within the department and across the organization, and managing contractors when needed. The Director will ensure that key projects, such as curriculum updates and data collection, are planned and executed in a disciplined, timely manner.

The AOPA Foundation’s High School Aviation Initiative consists of aviation pathways for students in grades 9-12 with full developed year-long courses (a Career and Technical Education pathway) and provides associated teaching materials delivered through a digital platform to classroom teachers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The Director of High School Operations will perform a wide range of tasks designed to support the continued growth and smooth operation of the High School Aviation Initiative.

Key functions include, but are not limited to the following:

Lead effective execution of the initiative’s daily operations, projects, and programs (75%):

Develop plans, timelines, milestones, and goals to ensure that critical projects—both one-time and recurring—are managed, scheduled, and executed effectively. Such projects include but are not limited to curriculum updates, technology updates, data collection, and events such as teacher professional development.

Collaborate closely with supervisors, direct reports, and peers to ensure that that plans are realistic, goals are appropriate, and resources are allocated effectively.

Develop, document, and maintain process management systems, procedures, and checklists to enable effective operation of the High School Aviation Initiative’s programs.

Manage and track the execution of grant- and donor-funded projects.

Travel as necessary to attend and deliver presentations at meetings, seminars, workshops, and conferences in support of and to represent the High School Aviation Initiative.

Support the annual High School Aviation STEM Symposium by collaborating with supervisors, peers, and stakeholders to develop the agenda, secure speakers, and grow attendance.

Collect data and ensure effective communications about the initiative’s performance (15%)

Coordinate with marketing, creative, media, web, and public relations departments to ensure the initiative and related events are appropriately publicized, marketed, and promoted and that content and collateral materials are maintained and updated.

Work with the business intelligence team to collect and analyze data used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program for the students, schools, industry, and the association. Manage and distribute the data to support effective communications about the program with donors, the media, schools, teachers, and other stakeholders.

Work closely with the AOPA Foundation Development team, accounting, and other departments to provide updates, data, grant tracking, and grant compliance information as needed.

Managerial Responsibilities (10%):

Leadership and Performance Management: 

Partner with supervisor to align team objectives with organizational goals. 

Lead annual goal setting process, ensuring goals are documented in HRIS by deadlines. 

Guide direct reports through regular one-on-ones and performance reviews; develop plans aligned with organizational needs. 

Provide clear communication about role expectations and deliverables. 

Address performance issues promptly with proper documentation; escalate to management/HR when necessary. 

Identify skills gaps and implement training to close them. 

Workforce Planning and Team Management: 

Participate in recruiting by reviewing position descriptions, selecting candidates, and conducting interviews. 

Develop 12-month onboarding plans for new hires or promotions. 

Optimize productivity by managing workloads, schedules, and resources; ensure equitable distribution of work. 

Compliance and Policy Enforcement: 

Maintain knowledge of organizational policies and employment regulations, ensuring team compliance 

Uphold confidentiality and accuracy in all personnel records and actions. 

**Although this job description aims to capture the majority of the position duties, other duties may be assigned based on business and departmental needs.

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree

Five years’ experience managing programs and people

Demonstrated project management skills

Strong time management skills

Proven track record of effectively executing on strategic objectives

Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills

Experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

PREFERRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

FAA pilot certificate and current medical certificate

Project management certification

High school-level teaching experience

Degree in Education, Communications, Aviation, related field

Public speaking experience

WORKING CONDITIONS:

This position works in an office setting.

Typical working hours are 8:30 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday, with a one-hour lunch break.

Generally, a climate-controlled environment with occasional exposure to outdoor weather conditions when attending aviation related events, including exposure to higher altitudes and confined spaces if in a general aviation aircraft.

This position requires some travel, up to 20% of the time, to various general aviation, education, or industry-related events. Travel is by aircraft (general aviation and commercial) and by road or public transit and may include weekends.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands of this position are typical of a standard office environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to:

Sit for extended periods while working at a computer or attending meetings.

Use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment.

Communicate effectively via email, phone, and in-person, which requires clear speech, hearing, and vision.

Occasionally lift or move items weighing up to 15 pounds, such as boxes of materials or equipment.

Occasionally stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms during the course of normal office activities.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.