Operations and Communications Manager

New School Opening in Columbia: 2027-2028 School Year | Anticipated Hire Date: September 2026

SUMMARY: 

School/Office Location: Columbia

Position: Operations and Communications Manager

Description: Responsible for supporting pre-opening and ongoing school operations, communications, outreach, enrollment coordination, purchasing, office administration, and community engagement for the planned Columbia school. This position combines campus operations, communications, outreach, and secretarial responsibilities to help prepare the school for a successful 2027-2028 opening.

Reports to: Assigned School Administrator

Job type: Full time

Classification: Exempt

Calendar Type: 11-month

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum of 3 years of school experience
• School leadership experience preferred
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with families, staff, applicants, vendors, community partners, and the public
• Experience with purchasing, inventory tracking, event coordination, database management, enrollment support, or hiring/interview coordination is preferred.
• Ability to begin employment in September 2026 and support pre-opening planning for the Columbia school before the 2027-2028 school year.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain confidentiality regarding students, families, staff, applicants, vendors, enrollment information, hiring records, and school-related matters.
• Support the planning and launch of the new Columbia school by coordinating operational, administrative, communications, enrollment, and community outreach tasks before the 2027-2028 opening.
• Coordinate daily office operations and perform secretarial duties, including correspondence, phone calls, visitor assistance, filing, scheduling, document preparation, record maintenance, supply coordination, and general office support.
• Serve as a welcoming and professional first point of contact for families, prospective families, students, staff, applicants, vendors, community members, and visitors.
• Purchase necessary materials, supplies, furniture, equipment, instructional items, office materials, and other start-up resources for the new building in accordance with school policies and approved budgets.
• Prepare purchase orders, collect quotes when needed, coordinate with vendors, submit payment documentation, and maintain accurate purchasing and budget-related records.
• Receive, verify, organize, and track orders and deliveries for the new building; maintain inventory records and communicate order status, shortages, delays, or issues to appropriate leadership.
• Assist with building readiness by coordinating materials, equipment, signage, office setup, classroom supplies, records, forms, and other resources needed for school opening.
• Track student enrollment inquiries, applications, family communications, registration documents, enrollment milestones, and follow-up tasks using designated systems and spreadsheets.
• Communicate with prospective families regarding enrollment steps, deadlines, required documents, information sessions, and school opening updates.
• Plan, organize, and support community information sessions, enrollment events, open houses, school tours, and other outreach activities related to the new Columbia school.
• Develop, organize, and distribute communications for families and community stakeholders, including flyers, newsletters, announcements, web content, social media content, presentations, and event materials as assigned.
• Support consistent school messaging and branding in communications with families, community members, partners, vendors, and staff.
• Represent the school professionally at community events, partner meetings, information sessions, and outreach activities.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with community organizations, prospective partners, neighborhood stakeholders, and families to support school awareness and enrollment.
• Track staff hiring needs, applicant status, interview schedules, hiring documentation, onboarding tasks, and related communications in collaboration with school and district leadership.
• Assist with screening applications, coordinating interviews, communicating with candidates, preparing interview materials, and conducting interviews with staff candidates as assigned.
• Coordinate staff onboarding logistics, including collection of required documents, communication of training schedules, preparation of workspaces, and other opening-year staff support tasks as assigned.
• Prepare and maintain reports, rosters, logs, spreadsheets, meeting notes, event records, communication trackers, inventory records, enrollment reports, hiring trackers, and other documents as required.
• Assist leadership with correspondence, presentations, meetings, agenda preparation, minutes, reports, and follow-up items related to the Columbia school opening.
• Coordinate translation or interpretation support for communications and events when needed to communicate effectively with diverse families and community members.
• Use effective, positive interpersonal communication skills and problem-solving skills when responding to routine questions, concerns, and operational issues.
• Refer complex or sensitive issues to the Chief Operating Officer, Superintendent, Principal, or appropriate administrator.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate effectively in written and oral forms with all levels of management and with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, families, staff, applicants, vendors, community partners, and the public.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple pre-opening workstreams, deadlines, events, and projects simultaneously.
• Ability to coordinate purchasing, receiving, inventory tracking, and documentation with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to organize community events, information sessions, enrollment activities, and special programs for the assigned campus.
• Ability to use computers and district systems, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, calendars, communication platforms, copy machines, telephone systems, and other office technology.
• Ability to track, organize, report, and analyze enrollment, hiring, inventory, purchasing, and communication data.
• Ability to write clear correspondence, announcements, flyers, summaries, reports, and other communications for families, staff, and community stakeholders.
• Ability to use effective interview techniques, public speaking skills, customer service skills, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, maintain confidentiality, exercise good judgment, and collaborate as part of a school and district leadership team.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Light Work: may require occasional light lifting, carrying, moving, or organizing of supplies, materials, files, and equipment.
• Nights and weekend activities will occasionally be required for community events, information sessions, enrollment activities, and school opening events.
• Position is primarily in an office/school setting and may involve prolonged work at a desk in one location.
• Travel is required for community outreach, vendor coordination, district meetings, school opening activities, and other assigned responsibilities.
• During the pre-opening period, the position may require flexibility in work location, schedule, priorities, and duties as the Columbia school prepares to open.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements, physical demands, work conditions and environment listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.