Director of Network Operations

Organization Overview
Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.

At Excel, we believe that every student—regardless of race, zip code, or economic status—deserves access to a free, high quality holistic education. During their middle school journey with us, students grow at a pace faster than most peers in their state. This is possible through a combination of high expectations, rigorous instruction, and individualized support. At our nationally ranked high school, students achieve at the highest level and are poised for success in their chosen college or career path.

About our Team

Everyday, our team members choose to be positive, drive their own growth, uplift one another, and hold the highest possible beliefs for what students can achieve.

The Director of Network Operations (DNO) will drive operational excellence and efficiency across the Excel Academy Massachusetts (XLMA) region, building the capacity of the school operations and network teams. This individual is responsible for ensuring a mission-aligned operational vision that is aligned across all XLMA schools. This role supports the school and network operations teams in implementing high-quality operational systems that reflect our values and support achieving our outcomes.

This role is an in-person role with travel between our school locations in Boston, MA and Chelsea, MA. The expected hours for this role are 45 hours per week, and typical days follow the school hours of 7:30 AM-4:30 PM. The position reports to the Managing Director Operations and is a member of the Network Operations Team.

Lead Excel’s Nutrition Program

• Serve as the Nutrition Program Director for Excel Academy Massachusetts, oversee all compliance and school performance, and serve as the liaison between our schools and vendors.
• Oversee training of Excel’s nutrition staff and codify best practices to ensure quality.
• Participate in regular audits with the Managing Director of Operations and school Deans of Operations to ensure daily operations at schools are in full compliance with all NSLP and state operating requirements.
• Complete cyclical submissions to the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education (DESE) with accuracy, including the annual Renewal Application, the Verification Report, the annual Community Eligibility Provision process, and all monthly claims for reimbursement.

Lead Student Transportation

• Lead and manage systems, processes, and tool design to support our school-based Deans of Operations with annual transportation needs.
• Oversee partnerships with private transportation vendors to meet the needs of schools.
• Ensure our transportation program is in full compliance with all DESE, state, and federal requirements.

Manage Compliance Processes

• Own a subset of annual compliance requirements and submissions as needed.
• Serve as the lead organizer for all site visits for Charter Renewals and Mid-Cycle Visits.
• Improve existing processes.

Build Systems and Track Performance for Standardized Testing

• Develop and document roles and responsibilities for state testing for the Massachusetts region.
• Manage score distribution.
• Serve as the district test coordinator for our schools.

Lead Excel’s Technology

• Manage the relationship with our contracted vendor to ensure schools receive high-quality service delivery.
• Negotiate the annual contract with the vendor to ensure our contract meets the organization’s service and budget needs.
• Codify work flows and processes to delineate expectations of Excel’s contracted vendor and the expectations of Excel’s school-based team members.

Serve as a member of the Operations Team to support the team to achieve its goals.

• Contribute to the continual improvement of operations planning, procedures, and documentation
• Meaningfully contribute to Operations Department meetings; lead Professional Development as requested.
• Manage logistical details of the annual New Staff Orientation and Summit that occur in the Massachusetts region.
• Work with network and school colleagues on a variety of critical short- and medium-term projects, including providing high priority coverage for Deans of Operations during leaves.
• Resolve urgent operational issues to allow staff to fulfill our core educational mission.

Qualifications

• A minimum of three years of experience as a Director, Dean or Manager of Operations at the school or network level in an urban public school or charter school setting required;
• The ability to speak Spanish preferred, but not required;
• Excellent prioritization and time management skills, and a systematic approach to project management;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Experience in spreadsheet or database management;
• Demonstrated success in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment;
• The ability to work effectively in a team environment and the willingness and desire to support others in doing their best work;
• A commitment to working with underserved, urban youth; and
• An unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model