Director of Operations Fellow

Job Description

At Uncommon Schools, we know running exceptional schools takes more than great
instruction—it also takes exemplary operations! Uncommon Schools' operations leaders work
passionately to ensure that our faculty maximizes time and energy on student achievement.
They design, implement, and refine systems that anticipate the needs of the school community.
As service-oriented leaders, they tackle problems, share standard methodologies across
campuses, and respond to urgent needs. They partner to build an academic and cultural
environment that supports our ultimate goal: ensuring that every student will earn a college
degree.

The Director of Operations Fellow is a full-time position that prepares you to become a Director
of Operations (DOO) of an Uncommon school. As DOO, you will lead a school in partnership
with the Principal, working together to ensure your students receive an exemplary education.

The DOO Fellowship is based on a foundation of four core elements that are aligned to the
competencies of Uncommon leaders. Each element is designed to build Fellows’ capacity
towards becoming effective DOOs. These include Professional Development, Experiential
Learning, Practical Application and Reflective Practice.

The DOO Fellowship typically lasts one year; however, the length of time will vary based on
open positions and DOO Fellow readiness. Fellows should expect to work in multiple locations
and gradespans within the region. Fellow placement is based on the region’s needs as well as
Fellows’ growth areas and matching them with host DOOs to best support their development.

Professional Development

All Fellows will attend a series of professional development workshops throughout the
Fellowship. The subject matter of these workshops is grounded in the leadership competencies
that DOOs are evaluated and developed on.

Experiential Learning

Feedback and coaching, especially when individualized, are critical tools that will support the
Fellow’s growth as a leader. Fellows will engage in experiential learning activities, and receive
feedback targeted at their individualized areas of growth. Experiential learning activities include:
submission of weekly deliverables; on-site coaching with real-time feedback; and practice clinics
where fellows will engage in case studies, role plays, and problem solving exercises.

Practical Application

Fellows are placed at an existing Uncommon school and serve as full-time members of the
school's operations team. They engage in operations work at their host school, tackle school or
regional-based operations projects, and conduct observations and analysis of operational
systems. Fellows are responsible for completing a variety of pre-determined deliverables that
expose them to all of the key components of DOO work. Practical application includes an
Immersion in which the Fellow acts as DOO in place of their host DOO for 4-6 weeks. During
this time, their host DOO is offsite and the Fellow is acting DOO and co-leads the school
alongside the Principal.

Reflective Discourse

The Fellowship will create space at in-person sessions for reflective discourse, so that Fellows
can learn from their own experiences and those of others in the cohort. Fellows will also be
supported in developing a reflective practice, where they will codify their learning through written
reflections and create plans to make their growth and development actionable.

Qualifications

• Passionate commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools;
• Passionate commitment to improve the minds, characters, and lives of students both in and out of school;
• Ability to strategically manage and prioritize time and tasks effectively to fully meet the needs of their school, with a lens towards systems thinking;
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed;
• Comfort with managing ambiguous situations and moving to clarity/solution;
• Ability to learn something new and/or “do what it takes” to ensure the school receives high-quality operations despite obstacles;
• Proactive, strategic problem-solver who is able to work successfully in a fast-paced environment, often while balancing competing priorities;
• High-quality communication and relationship-building skills with multiple partners including teachers, students, families, vendors, and colleagues;
• Ability to have difficult conversations in a respectful manner;
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel and Access;
• Dedication to self-reflection and continual professional growth; approaches every experience as a chance to learn and grow and understands that introspection and the outward expression of that learning is essential to leadership;
• School-based or other educational experience preferred;
• Experience managing others preferred;
• Required experience:
  • 4 or more years of work experience;
  • At least 1 year of experience in operations leadership (experience in K-12 school operations is preferred)
  • At least 1 year of experience coaching, leading, and/or managing others (e.g., Special Projects Manager, Associate Director of Operations, Instructional Leader, or other equivalent experience);
  • Project planning experience, with proven ability to see large projects through to completion;
  • A Bachelor’s degree.

Additional Information

Our people are what make us Uncommon. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families. Our compensation philosophy values equity & fairness and attracting & retaining top talent.

Our Approach to AI and Your Application
At Uncommon Schools, we value thoughtful use of technology. Your responses should begin with your own thinking and reflect your authentic voice, experiences, and commitment to our mission. Generative AI can be used to refine or organize writing, but not to generate initial responses or replace your ideas. Every application is reviewed by a member of our Recruitment Team, and we are committed to understanding the person behind the application. 
 

Compensation

Compensation for this role is between $108,000 to $114,500. Most candidates who meet job description requirements will receive an offer of $108,000.

Starting pay is determined using various factors including but not limited to relevant professional development, education certifications, and tenure with Uncommon Schools. 

Benefits:

• Generous paid time off inclusive of sick time, paid holidays, and ~10 weeks of paid breaks (Spring, Winter, and Summer). 
• Extensive, best-in-class training and development  
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans + pre-tax flexible spending (FSA), dependent care (DCFSA), and health saving accounts (HSA)
• Financial Planning
• New Jersey Pension program
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefit

*A detailed list of all SY 26-27 benefits is located HERE.

At Uncommon, we believe that a supportive and welcoming environment helps our students, staff, and community thrive. We are dedicated to building a team that brings a wide range of perspectives and experiences, reflective of the communities we serve---with over 70% of our staff identifying as people of color. Our organization values respect and open dialogue on important topics that shape our school culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email [email protected].