Director of Operations

Director of Operations (DOO) is a vital member of the school leadership team and oversees all non-instructional school functions. The DOO will lead all planning, implementation, and compliance efforts related to facility readiness, classroom setup, school technology, school finances, supplies procurement, meals, transportation, school safety, state and federal compliance, and staff orientation/onboarding. 

The DOO designs, implements, and refines systems that anticipate the needs of our school community. As a service-oriented leader, the DOO will solve problems, share best practices, and respond to urgent needs to ensure that educators at Pinnacles Prep  are able to focus their energies solely on  instruction.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in operational systems, continuous improvement, finance, and team management. They must be a self-directed problem solver, enjoy being part of a collaborative team, and thrive in finding solutions to complex operational and financial issues. This is a unique opportunity for a highly-organized dynamic leader who enjoys planning for and executing operations that will positively impact student outcomes and success.

WHO WE ARE

Pinnacles Prep believes that ALL students, regardless of background, deserve a meaningful education in a culture where every student matters. We are deeply committed to our mission of cultivating curious, confident, and self-directed students that lead and succeed in college, career, and their communities; with the vision of our graduates becoming the leaders who drive our Valley’s future forward–making it a thriving economic, scientific, and artistic hub for the 21st century. Our school is grounded in the following essential characteristics, which shape the Pinnacles Prep experience for our faculty, students, and families. Our school is small by design. We know every student by name, story, strength, and need.

We have high expectations: Our EPIC core values guide us:

• Equity | creates a school culture that celebrates equity and inclusion for all
• Purpose | creates a school culture where scholars design and build the lives that we want.
• Integrity | creates an intentional culture of humility and excellence
• Collaboration | leads to change we want to see in our school, community, and world

We are intentionally diverse:Pinnacles Prep’s students, staff and board is intentionally diverse. We come from different backgrounds and experiences in order to be reflective of the collective diversity of our student body and community. Our staff validates and reflects the multiple identities, intersectionalities and experiences of our students.

We value context over content:Students engage in 9-week, place-based interdisciplinary projects rooted in the Wenatchee Valley, with a community partner. These projects apply the standards and competencies students are learning in their foundational courses.

WHO YOU ARE

• You are self-aware: Aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, work relentlessly to improve upon weaknesses, are open to feedback, willing to take personal responsibility, show balance in confidence vs. humility, and behave professionally. 
• You maintain a positive attitude and style that contributes to the overall public relations of the school
• You are able to be flexible and work with interruptions in a positive manner and in an environment with a number of staff, students, and parents/guardians often present 
• You are able to maintain self-control under stressful situations and workload pressures without exhibiting negative behaviors (e.g., loss of temper, rudeness, use of foul language, etc.)
• You are able to use logical reasoning principles to arrive at solutions to work related problems for which no established procedures exist 
• ​​You thrive when leading teams to achieve ambitious goals
• You are comfortable flexing into different roles, including but not limited to: Operations Manager coach, data analyst, school operations visionary, and beyond
• You love coaching and developing others and have innovative ideas for leveraging professional development to improve operations and leader performance
• You are unwavering in holding others to high expectations and have the coaching skills to support all teammates in achieving their goals
• You are eager to dive in to support operations across Pinnaces Prep
• You bring a sense of optimism and joy to your teams

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership Team Member: ​​

• Works with the CEO, school principal and administrative staff to create and maintain an exceptional organizational culture by building strong relationships, finding solutions to problems, and holding others accountable to established systems
• Attend weekly Leadership Team Meeting and collaborate on organizational decisions
• Assumes all leadership duties in absence of CEO
• In partnership with the CEO develops the school-wide operations vision that supports the academic and cultural vision of the school
• Participates in the leadership team’s strategic and annual planning and budgeting processes
• Defines operational vision and strategy aligned with school mission
• Ensures resolution of operational issues and communicates operational health and issues to leadership team and Board
• Attends and actively participates in all school board meetings
• Works with school leadership team to build a joyful and rigorous school culture
• Supports the Principal in fostering consistency in academic and behavioral expectations
• Communicates regularly with families about their scholars in regards to school policies, school safety, trips, and events
• In partnership with the leadership team, refines and builds a sustainable operational infrastructure
• Supports high priority tours and visits, as needed

Facilities: 

• Oversees big picture facilities issues, including maintenance, managing staff/vendors, aesthetics, shared space agreements, and campus safety
• Oversees the routine maintenance request work order system, ensuring maintenance, IT support, janitorial and landscape services are properly carried out by school staff and contractors
• Directs all school construction projects including renovations and expansions as the school grows to full capacity
• Leads the school opening/start up process each year to ensure that doors are ready to open by coordinating furniture, equipment, and instructional supply orders

Financial Management and Purchasing: ​​

• Serves as the lead contact for the back-office financial services provider (CFO and Bookkeeper)
• Reviews financial reports from the back-office provider to support the CEO with budget management
• Manages back-office provider to ensure all payables and receivables, cash receipts, deposits, credit card reconciliations, and staff expense reimbursements are handled in a timely manner
• Ensures adherence to financial policies and procedures in coordination with Pinnacles staff and Board 
• Oversees all vendor relationships and oversees procurement for the school including approving orders, publishing RFPs, and coordinating annual purchasing including technology, furniture, and curriculum, as well as maintaining an inventory for asset management. 
• Oversees payroll responsibilities including relationship with payroll service, electronic payroll processing, W-2 and 1099 distribution, timesheet management for staff and tracking all staff time off
• Works with CFO to complete annual financial and SAO audits and 990 IRS filing
• Support fundraising, as assigned

State & Federal Compliance: ​​

• Acts as the point of contact for the school on  compliance-related data requests
• Ensures that processes are in place to monitor compliance with state and federal regulations for school operations and meet all compliance deadlines. (Free and Reduced Lunch, Special Education, monthly enrollment count, immunizations, Titles I-V, teacher certification, safety, fire drill coordination, health, fingerprinting, software compliance, SEBB & DRS eligibility, student lottery, etc.)
• Maintain authorizer relationship and manage communication, reporting, and audits accordingly

Human Resources: 

• Ensures that school staff have complete, current, and accurate employee files and certifications; all personnel interacting with students have background checks on file; and the school complies with all areas of legal compliance (e.g. HR, FERPA)
• Communicates leave needs and critical dates to the Principal and assists in the facilitation of employee leaves

Student Transportation: ​​

• Operates as the school’s Transportation Director
• Oversees all aspects of student transportation including vendor management, arrival and dismissal procedures, and staff duty schedules
• Maintains accurate transportation records including bus stop locations, route times, and student ridership counts
• Manages field trip and after-school transportation logistics

IT Management: ​​

• Oversees all Information Technology systems for the school
• Supervises technology management including hardware inventory, software licenses, phone system, internet network, and classroom technology support 
• Ensures effective use of the student and staff information databases

Student Health and Safety: 

• Sets vision for security and safety across the school
• ​​Manages school safety processes including emergency preparation, safety drills, and staff training, ensuring compliance with state and county mandates
• Asserts leadership in security emergencies
• Oversees school visitor and volunteer procedures to ensure safety of all students
• Supervises school nurse and evaluates health program

QUALIFICATIONS:

• You have a strong belief in Pinnacles Prep’s mission and educational model
• Comfortable in an ambiguous, fast-moving, start-up environment with a drive towards clarity, solutions, and sustainability
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, master’s degree in public administration (MPA), business administration (MBA), or related field is preferred
• Successful non-profit or for-profit management and leadership experience in a similar environment.
• A demonstrated passion for improving K-12 public education; prior experience working with underserved communities, families and/or students preferred
• Positive attitude and strong work ethic with an entrepreneurial spirit; willingness to do whatever it takes to meet goals and get the job done
• Strong analytical and project management skills, with a deep attention to detail coupled with the ability to think critically, problem-solve complex questions, and identify solutions
• Demonstrated success in improving the effectiveness of an operation
• Ability to create and implement internal systems across multiple functional areas and manage various stakeholder relationships
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and G-Suite; proven aptitude in learning new computer programs
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Desire to learn and develop new skills
• Spanish Speaking skills are highly desirable 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works indoors. The job will also require some manual labor and hands-on work including  cleaning, painting, light construction,  landscaping, HVAC, etc. The employee must be able to meet deadlines with severe time constraints. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

COMPENSATION

Starting salary for this position is $80,000 -$90,000. We offer a comprehensive benefits plan that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as inclusion in the state retirement system with an employer contribution.

SUPERVISOR & TEAM:

The Director of Operations  reports directly to the CEO and is a part of the Leadership Team at Pinnacles Prep. The Director of Operations supervises and evaluates the Food Service Director, Kitchen Manager, Office Manager, Office Assistant,  Operations Manager, School Nurse, Bus Drivers, Janitor, as well as contracted staff. 

SCHEDULE:

The Director of Operations is a non-exempt, full-time, and year-round position. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: 

Equal employment opportunity and respect in the workplace are fundamental principles at Pinnacles Prep. Pinnacles Prep prohibits and does not tolerate harassment, intimidation, bullying, discriminatory, or retaliatory behavior. All aspects of your employment are based upon your personal capabilities and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion/creed, sex/gender (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, disability, age, military status, marital status, partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other protected class as established by federal, state, or local law.  The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Please contact Jill Fineis, Principal, jill@pinnaclesprep.org.