Director, High School Co-Curriculars

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public charter schools dedicated to providing an exceptional K-12 education in economically disadvantaged communities. Operating in Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester, we are committed to closing the college completion gap and preparing every student for college and beyond. Our students consistently exceed national benchmarks, reflecting our dedication to their success. We invest deeply in our educators, offering weekly coaching, feedback, and professional development to ensure excellence in teaching and leadership. Join us to work hard, do good, and make a lasting difference!

The Director of High School Co-Curricular Learning role is an opportunity to impact over 3,200 high school students each year by creating opportunities for them to engage in their passion and talent development during their school day. This role develops strategic initiatives for co-curricular learning and oversees strong execution of competitive clubs and project-based co-curriculars at our 9 high school campuses. Students benefit not only from the joy of developing their passions but also from building expertise and reflecting on their experiences to pave pathways to college and beyond.

Day to day, the Director uses strong collaborative management skills to supervise and strengthen campus-based opportunities for students.  The position encompasses two distinct areas of responsibility: school-based experiential learning through co-curricular and competitive state or national clubs such as Speech, Debate, and Robotics. The Director manages these programs through 9 school-based staff in consort with their school-based manager.  

The Director of High School Co-Curricular Learning also drives strategic planning and innovation for increasing or improving offerings for co-curriculars and competitive clubs across our regions and schools. This work includes but is not limited to determining strategic initiatives, timeline planning, requests for funding proposals and oversight of implementation.

Oversee the successful implementation of high-quality experiential learning opportunities at all 9 high schools through twice-weekly co-curricular courses:

• Manage 9 Program Managers in collaboration with their school-based manager
• Hold weekly check-ins with Program Managers
• Assess the ongoing quality of co-curriculars through:
  • Lead hiring as liaison to the talent team and creator of screening and interview day materials
  • Weekly data rubric reviews
  • 2-3 walkthroughs per quarter at each campus
  • 1 annual Inspection at each campus
• Write and present monthly Program Manager Personal Development Trainings to support growth and gaps
• Work collaboratively with school-based program managers (9) and school leaders to create policy and procedures for ensuring the quality and integrity of all high school co-curriculars
• Provide additional on-campus support for struggling PMs or PM vacancies 

Strategize the development of new and expansion of current nationally competitive high school clubs to supplement student learning during the year in ways that develop and allow them to explore their interests:

• Research additional national competitive clubs and make recommendations for innovative programming to implement at our schools
• Develop strategic plans for new competitive club pilots, including requests for funding, implementation timelines, and launch processes
• Evaluate and recommend campuses for expansion within current competitive clubs

Amplify the experiential learning stories and outcomes of our students through storytelling and data to the Uncommon community, external stakeholders and wider community through collaboration with the marketing team:

• Manage grant outcomes and budget 
• Implement programming and initiatives to successfully meet annual grant goals
• Monitor the campuses' spending toward goal
• Submit requests for proposals (RFPs) as needed for additional funding streams
• Compile data 2-3x annually for reporting purposes

Perform other essential duties and tasks specific to the position

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree (Master's preferred)

Experience Requirements:

• 5-6 years of experience in the following:
  • Experience in a school environment (high school preferred), ideally as a high school Principal and Director of Operations or an Instructional Coaching role, to understand academic culture and systems 
  • Proficient in Excel 
  • Ability to effectively interact with and build relationships with faculty, staff, students, parents, and administrators 
  • Experience managing teams and budgets
  • Experience in program development and management, change management
  • Familiarity with corporate and nonprofit human resource management
  • Understanding of experiential education and career advising
  • Experience in the presentation of workshops or public speaking

Travel/Schedule:

• Weekly travel to all 5 regions / all 9 High schools for check-ins and school supports
• 3 days of in-person work at a school campus or Uncommon central office 
• Must be able to follow Uncommon Schools high school hours on an as-needed basis (approx 7:15 AM - 5 PM)
• On rare occasions, must be available nights/weekends for student events (performances, etc.) - roughly 3-5 times/year.

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.

Compensation for this position

The full compensation range for this role is $127,800-$159,700 Typically, new hires who fully meet all qualifications listed in the job description will start at $143,700. Starting compensation below this reflects candidates with less experience or qualifications. Offers near the top end of the range are reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the qualifications, bringing extensive experience and specialized expertise beyond what is listed.

Compensation determinations consider relevant professional experience and tenure with Uncommon Schools. Additionally, because we value internal growth and tenure, current staff members are not subject to salary caps within this range.

Benefit Highlights: 

• 19 days of paid time off
• 3 weeks of paid Winter and Summer org-wide holidays
• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement savings program + employer match
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits
• Pre-tax flexible spending, dependent care, and health saving accounts

*A detailed list of all 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].