[School Year 2025-2026] Director of Operations

Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven PreK-12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports-based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom. We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five-year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools—growing our organization’s impact and leveling the playing field for all children. To learn more, visit wearedream.org.

Reporting to the Principal, the Director of Operations will serve as a building leader, supporting the Principal with all non-instructional school needs. They will lead all aspects of school operations, including safety, talent management and development, administration, building readiness, events and trip management, compliance, procurement, food and transportation services, student recruitment, school schedules, and the student information database.

This is an exciting opportunity for a team player who enjoys thinking strategically and systematically to lead and continuously improve school operations in a fast-paced environment dedicated to driving excellent student outcomes. 

• Management and Leadership:
• Manage a team of school operations professional in overseeing all logistics areas of operations;
• Serve as core member of DREAM School Leadership Team and is responsible for ensuring high levels of operational excellence every day;
• Responsible for identifying, communicating, and planning operational priorities for the school;
• Responsible for creating and executing on training, onboarding, and development plans;
• Provide coaching and feedback to operations coordinators and managers.

• Office Management:
• Manage the cleanliness and organization of the operations office;
• Ensure that there is a welcoming and customer service environment;
• Provide support, resources, and answer to question to families as needed.

• Student Recruitment:
• Collaborate with the Network Director of Student Recruitment to oversee student recruitment, enrollment and lottery processes to meet annual student recruitment and enrollment goals;  
• Oversee the outreach and communication to prospective and accepted families;
• Plan and execute logistics for student recruitment events including but not limited weekend and after-hours events.

• Inventory Management:
• Manage procurement, including developing inventory systems, setting expectations with staff for orders, and ensuring that staff has necessary materials at all times;
• Manage inventory to ensure that supplies at the schools are inventoried on a regular basis.

• Facilities Management:
• Collaborate with the Network Facilities Team to raise and address facilities issues in a timely fashion;
• Conduct regularly scheduled walkthroughs to ensure facilities and operational systems are in good working order;
• Develops and manages systems to uphold aesthetics standards with staff.

• Systems & Processes:
• Support with developing and implementing school-wide systems and procedures that ensure operational excellence within the school. Systems include but are not limited to Transportation, Safety, School Lunch Program, procurement, compliance tracking, arrival, late pickup, lunch and recess, and processes supporting instruction; 
• Support with the management of school-wide systems to ensure successful execution of arrival, dismissal, attendance, and potentially others;
• Supports with Identifying areas for improvement and helps to continually improve school operations systems and procedures and lead or support with special projects in this area.

• Fiscal Management:
• Support Principal with managing school budget, including overseeing procurement and tracking expenses;
• Create and implement systems to track expenses and manage budget to ensure the school meets budgetary goals.

• Administration:
• Liaise with network office staff to effectively oversee assessment, attendance, and school compliance;
• Manage/liaise with food services, IT, facilities, maintenance, nursing & emergency procedures, and security. 

• Event & Trip Management:
• Oversee the logistics, planning, and implementation of team-wide events, including but not limited professional development sessions, team-building events, and org-wide occasions. 

• Assessment Administration:
• Oversee Operations manager in receiving, inventorying, securing, distributing all paper assessments;
• Oversee Operations Manager in preparing assessment materials for distribution (i.e. testing bins, teacher packets, etc);
• Manage Operations Manager in coordinating pickup and drop off of state exams, Regents, and/or AP exams and electronic set-up verification for any electronic assessments such as MAP;
• Support with monitoring the testing environment and students.  Ensure testing procedures and regulations are followed;
• Oversee Operations Manager in accounting for all testing materials, test scoring, and data roll up for school instructional team team;
• Create alternative schedules for the school during testing, including room changes, proctor rotation changes, lunch schedules;
• Oversee Operations Manager in managing the set-up request for facilities, student meal request, and outsourced staff meals orders;
• Liaison between NEST and schools. Attend training led by the Data team to ensure proper implementation of assessment guidelines and criteria;
• Additional duties related to the running of the school as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum three years of school operations experience, preferred;  
• Demonstrated project management experience;  
• Demonstrated ability to operate with a do-what-it-takes, flexible attitude;  
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences (including colleagues, students, and families);
• Ability to lead  with a learning and solutions-oriented mindset, and demonstrated ability to persevere through challenges;  
• A strong belief in the mission and values of DREAM, including the desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, families, and community.

• We offer comprehensive benefits including:
• Flexible Medical Health Plans, subsidizing the majority of costs for the employee, their spouse/domestic partner and children;
• The ability to select between a variety of medical plans according to what best suits the employee’s needs;
• Dental and vision plans;
• Disability benefits;
• Life insurance;
• Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave;
• Flexible spending account options;
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (parking and transit);
• Fitness and entertainment discounts;
• A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP);
• A 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching up to 4% after one year of employment;
• Tuition reimbursement support;
• Referral bonuses;
• School-based 12-month employees have approximately 48 days off throughout the school year including holidays, school breaks, personal days, and wellness days;
• Benefits are subject to change.

• DREAM offers a competitive salary commensurate with relevant experience with the potential for an annual performance-based increase. The incoming salary range for this position is $110,000 to $126,000 per year. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary closer to the start of the range depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. All staff are eligible for annual performance-based increases. Because we value staff tenure in each role, we do not currently cap salary ranges.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At DREAM, diversity, equity, and inclusion are a matter of mission. 

From our schools to our playing fields, DREAM is committed to building a team where each individual can bring their full identity and experience to work because representation matters—it enriches our team culture, enhances our ability to innovate, and strengthens our impact in and out of the classroom. DREAM engages staff that represent and appreciate the diversity of our majority Black and Hispanic student body, while working to ensure that our practices are equitable, welcoming, and productive. We are dedicated to creating a world where youth, especially youth of color, have permission to dream—along with the tools and opportunities to make their dreams reality.

Come dream with us.

DREAM Maxims 

All Kids Can. This Kid Can.

DREAM is Family.

Fun is a Serious Value.

Teamwork Makes the DREAM Work.

Fail. Persist. Exceed.

DREAM Big.

Applying to DREAM

We know applying for a new job can be a daunting process. In addition, studies have shown that historically underrepresented individuals often only apply to roles if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We encourage all applications! You may be just the person we need. If you have any questions about your application or interview process, do not hesitate to ask your recruiter; we are here to help!

DREAM provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact your recruiter.