KIPP New Jersey
25-26 Director of School Operations Fellow
🇺🇸 Newark, NJ
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $97K
💻 Operations
🗓️ November 20th, 2025
K-12
Edtech.com's Summary
KIPP is hiring a Director of School Operations Fellow. This role leads all non-instructional systems and staff within a school, managing operations including finance, facilities, technology, and compliance. The fellow works closely with a current Director of School Operations and regional teams to develop leadership skills through hands-on management and professional development.
Highlights
- Manage school operations staff and oversee performance management and professional development.
- Support school budget management and purchasing processes.
- Coordinate academic operational logistics such as student test administration.
- Lead student recruitment and enrollment efforts including event planning and community partnerships.
- Oversee technology access and plan technology enhancements for the school year.
- Manage day-to-day facility operations ensuring a well-maintained school environment.
- Procure and manage vendors including contractors and service providers.
- Collaborate on a nutrition program partnership to meet school meal standards.
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, and education regulations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite with strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills required; bilingual English/Spanish and experience in education or customer service are preferred.
- Starting salary at $97,000 with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, retirement plan, parental leave, and paid time off.
25-26 Director of School Operations Fellow Full Description
Company Description
KIPP New Jersey is part of the nationally recognized “Knowledge Is Power Program” network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life. In 2002, KIPP New Jersey first opened its doors in Newark’s South Ward as a single class of 80 fifth graders and has since grown to educate over 7,738 students in grades K-12 across 15 schools in Newark and Camden. More than 90% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals.
By 2025, KIPP New Jersey will have fifteen schools in Newark and seven in Camden providing a world-class education to over 11,600 students. To learn more, visit www.kippnj.org.
Job Description
Role Overview:
We are hiring a Director of School Operations Fellow (DSO Fellow).
The Director of School Operations (DSO) is the leader of operations. The DSO manages and is responsible for all non-instructional systems and staff in the building. The DSO Fellowship prepares operations leaders to step into the Director of School Operations role. In addition to working with a current Director of School Operations, Fellows get support through weekly professional development and support from regional operations leads.
The core components of the role(s) are:
- People Management
- Manage the school operations staff and all other school support workers on the operations team
- Implement and execute a performance management system for direct reports
- Conduct weekly individual meetings and team meetings
- Provide professional development
- Finance and Purchasing
- Support management of the school’s budget
- Oversee purchasing for the school
- Academic Support Operations
- Manage the operational logistics of all student test administration and other academic operational systems, in coordination with school leadership and/or teaching staff
- Student Recruitment / Enrollment
- Ensure the school meets annual enrollment targets by backwards planning from target enrollment numbers and dates
- Plan events and outreach to families
- Establish partnerships with local businesses and organizations
- Technology
- Oversee day-to-day operations of school-based technology projects by ensuring that school leaders, students, and staff have access to the technology they need
- Plan any technology-related enhancements or additional purchases for the subsequent school year
- Facilities
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of facilities and maintain a beautiful school
- Vendor Management
- Procure and manage all vendors needed for the smooth and successful operation of the facility, including contractors, service providers, and maintenance workers
- Nutrition Program
- Manage partnership with Food Service Management Company to ensure the meal program meets the school’s expectations
- Compliance
- Ensure school-wide compliance with health and safety laws
- Ensure onboarding requirements for new staff members are completed
- Comply with any city and state education mandates
- Comply with all federal and state workplace regulations
- School Operations
- Ensure the day-to-day school operating systems run smoothly and efficiently, including front office systems, transportation, routines, transitions, arrival, dismissal, and attendance
Qualifications
Must Haves:
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite, specifically Excel / Google Spreadsheets
- Database management and reporting
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Strong organization skills and meticulous attention to detail
- Superb customer service skills and love and support for families and children
- Demonstrated ability to work with a team on collaborative projects
- Ability to remain calm and solutions-oriented in high-stress situations
- Commitment to do whatever it takes to ensure our teachers and students have what they need to be successful
- Ability to proactively problem solve; anticipate challenges before they occur
- Ability to identify inefficiencies and generate creative solutions
- Ability to develop and manage multiple projects simultaneously and comfortably with ambiguity
- Ability to troubleshoot and manage high-stress situations with a calm and positive demeanor
- Ability to work evenings and weekends
Nice-to-Haves:
- Bilingual in English and Spanish is a plus
- Previous experience in a customer service-oriented role
- Previous experience in an educational or non-profit setting
Additional Information
Compensation & Benefits
KIPP Team & Family offers a market-competitive salary ranging starting at $97,000 for a DSO Fellow and may increase based on experience. Salary ranges at KIPP are set based upon the role level and function using benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector and allow for growth within the role. Individual compensation within this range will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to: relevant professional experience and qualifications; education, skills and training; and market conditions.
In addition to a competitive salary, we a generous benefits package including, but not limited to, the following:
- Robust benefits that include medical, dental, and vision
- Optional participation in the KIPP NJ 403b retirement plan, including matching contributions
- A school-issued laptop
- Transportation benefits for TEAMmates commuting into Newark from the New York City area
- Generous Time-Off including 3.5-4 school vacation weeks (depending on the year), allocated sick and personal days, and an extended summer break
- Up to 12 weeks 100% parental leave for primary caregivers
- Employer paid life insurance
- Extensive optional ancillary benefits including, short term and long term disability and accident and hospital indemnity
Our organization is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender, age, religion, national origin, citizen status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organization will make a reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the organization. No questions on this application are asked for any unlawful purpose.
#LI-NJ
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