Director of Operations Fellow - job 1 of 4

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!

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. We design, implement, and refine systems that anticipate the needs of our school community. As service-oriented leaders, we tackle problems, share standard methodologies across campuses, and respond to urgent needs. We 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 Fellowship Deliverables and School Immersion; Evaluation and Feedback; Operations Leadership Meetings, and Professional Development.

The DOO Fellowship typically lasts one year; however, flexibility is key as the fellowship can range from a couple of weeks (due to a mid-year transition) to more than a year (if an opening is unavailable [more common in smaller regions] or if the Fellow would benefit from additional time to develop). 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. 

Fellowship Deliverables and School Immersion

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 Uncommon-wide operations projects, and conduct observations and analysis of operational systems. Fellows are responsible for completing a variety of pre-determined deliverables designed to provide active learning that supports the development of their leadership. This includes an Immersion in which they act 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.

Evaluation and Feedback

Fellows receive coaching and feedback from their Regional Superintendent of Operations and host DOO. This support is rooted in their Individualized Development Plans, which are customized around their strengths and areas of growth.

Operations Leadership Meetings

Fellows meet periodically with current DOOs, other Fellows in their region, and Fellows across all of Uncommon to share and problem solve around current cross-organization operational challenges and to build their network of current leaders. 

Professional Development

Starting in the summer, Fellows engage in professional development focusing on Cultural Leadership, Management, and Operational Leadership. Each session will be led by our experienced group of Regional Superintendents of Operations, Home Office teams, and a select group of external partners. Some examples of professional development sessions provided to our Fellows are Leadership, Time & Task Management, Team Management & Progress Monitoring, Systems Building, Communication, Building Trust & Rapport with Staff & Families.

• 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 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;
  • Experience in K-12 school operations is preferred;
  • A Bachelor’s degree.

Our people are what make us Uncommon. 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

Compensation for this role is between $101,000 to $107,100. Most candidates who meet job description requirements will receive an offer of $101,000.

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

* The range above represents our compensation scales for the 2025-2026 school year. If starting prior to June 30th, 2025, compensation will be based on a slightly lower range, reflective of current compensation scales. New hires who fall into this category will see an increase in their compensation starting on July 1st, 2025 for next school year which aligns to the scale above.

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 benefits

*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].