Managing Director of School Operations, High Schools

The Managing Director of School Operations for High Schools (HS MDSO) owns operational excellence at our two Newark high schools. Our high schools, including their operations, are not yet where our students need them to be. This role exists to change that. The HS MDSO sets an uncompromising bar for what excellent high school operations look like, models it personally, and demands it from every Director of Campus Operations (DCO) and ops team they lead.

The role starts with improving and supporting the schools we have: attendance, enrollment and 8th-to-9th persistence, safe and beautiful buildings, and systems that protect every instructional minute. It grows into building the operational standard that defines a KIPP Newark high school.

The HS MDSO reports to the Managing Director of Operations (MDO) and works in close partnership with the Managing Director of High Schools, who leads academic outcomes for the same schools. Academics and operations work toward one shared set of goals for the same students.

Scope of Responsibility

• Newark high schools: Direct management of the DCOs at our two Newark high schools; be accountable, jointly with each School Leader, for their success and the performance of their ops teams.

• High school leadership: Operations partner to the Managing Director of High Schools and the high school School Leaders.

• Regional and network: Works with Newark regional and network operations teams to set, standardize, and improve high school operational systems.

Priorities

Priority 1: Raise the bar on high school operations now

This is the first job and the one that matters most in year one. Every system in both buildings should be joyful, safe, and efficient, and should protect instructional time.

• Name the non-negotiables for high school operations, set clear expectations and owners for every system and project, and hold the line.

• Inspect what we expect. Walk systems (such as arrival, dismissal, meals, attendance, and transitions) with each DCO before the year begins and throughout it, confirming that execution matches design, and coach in real time.

• Run monthly audits of materials and systems and quarterly reviews to find what broke down, what can be streamlined, and where instructional minutes are being lost.

• Set and hold the expectation of a beautiful school: clean, orderly, bright spaces that tell students and staff they are valued here.

• Close every loop. Follow problems through to real resolution, name whether they are school, regional, or network problems, and bring in the right people.

Priority 2: Coach and develop DCOs to an excellent bar

Our DCOs and ops teams get better because this person coaches them directly, gives frank feedback, and models what excellent looks like.

• Hold weekly one-on-ones with each DCO and weekly/bi-weekly observations of each school's operational systems, processes, and meetings.

• Coach the coach: observe how DCOs lead their teams, give feedback on the questions they ask, and push them to see around corners.

• Address underperformance directly and constructively, as soon as it appears.

• Review DCO project plans (state testing, events, safety) against a clear bar before execution, and lead debriefs and after-action reviews that lead to fast iteration.

• Lead tabletop exercises on emergencies and high-stakes days so every ops leader has answered "what happens if ___" before it happens.

• Design professional development pathways for every school ops role so that high-performing ops teams exist in both schools, and step in to serve in a school operations capacity when coverage is needed.

Priority 3: Drive the operational outcomes that matter for high school students

Ops success is measured by student and family outcomes, not task completion or effort.

• Attendance: Own a high school attendance plan with regional partners. Give feedback on, hold a high bar for, and internalize each school's plan; hold DCOs accountable to it and coach pivots when it isn't working. Sit side by side with DCOs to remove barriers when a school is off track.

• Data: Lead weekly DKI spaces so DCOs internalize the data, share topline goals and progress to goal, and leave with a plan. Progress monitor every action item to completion.

• Enrollment and persistence: Coach DCOs to 100% completion on all enrollment metrics. Analyze persistence trends across both schools, bring a K-12 pipeline perspective, and hold DCOs accountable to executing 8th-to-9th transition plans.

• Safety: Make sure drill tracking is in place and drills happen on cadence, safety plans are current, and every adult knows their role before an emergency.

• Families: Ensure every family interaction and onboarding experience is warm, clear, and easy to navigate, especially for families with the least bandwidth.

• Academic Operations: Ensure highest possible academic outcomes for our students through maximized academic operations aligned to our priorities, including workstreams such as testing, transcripts, report cards, and office hours. 

Priority 4: Steward resources toward student needs

• Internalize and communicate how the organization and region prioritizes resource allocation, and keep a regional perspective at all times.

• Review each school's monthly budget analysis and raise flags when a DCO does not see the consequences of their budget choices.

• Confirm that schools have the non-negotiable materials and resources, and the budget, to execute their vision.

Priority 5: Build one high school standard and align partners around it

• Standardize the processes that should be consistent across both high schools, document them, and build playbooks so any teammate can execute them.

• Observe across schools to find common gaps and misalignment (student sign-out, visitor management, state testing, and more), and close them.

• Partner with the Managing Director of High Schools and School Leaders so academic and operational priorities stay aligned.

• Collaborate with high school partners across Student Experience, KIPP Forward, Teaching & Learning, Special Education, Athletics, and academic operations.

• Lead initiatives aligned to regional priorities such as 8th-to-9th persistence, safety and security, and resource allocation.

• Work with regional and network departments on technology, facilities, nutrition, compliance, and enrollment, and support the COO and MDO in identifying network-wide system improvements.

Key Outcomes

School operations performance

• Student attendance and chronic absenteeism

• Enrollment targets met and maintained, and 8th-to-9th persistence

• Operations walkthrough and audit results against the regional standard

• Safety drill and compliance completion

• Healthy fiscal management (0–3% of budget remaining at year-end)

Talent development

• Growth and retention of strong DCOs and school operations teammates

• A bench of ops leaders ready for the next role