Overview

Ascend is seeking to hire a strategic, analytical, and highly organized individual as its first chief of staff. This individual will report to the chief executive officer (CEO) and partner with the CEO and executive team to influence and scale the organization as it embarks on Ascend's next chapter. The chief of staff's primary responsibility will be to support the executive team to ensure that Ascend sets and achieves its strategic objectives in support of Ascend's mission. The chief of staff will ensure efficiency and alignment among the executive team, lead strategic planning and progress monitoring, manage cross functional projects, and engage in strategic stakeholder communication. The role will lead the exploration and launch of executive team initiatives, including cutting edge initiatives within the charter education sector. The chief of staff will facilitate collaboration across the Ascend network and school teams as they work together efficiently, and urgently in their drive to end educational inequities.

Ascend Public Charter Schools

Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 5,700 students in 15 schools across Brooklyn-New York's most populous borough. Our undertaking is to lead our students on a great intellectual adventure, provide them with an exceptional college preparatory education, and place them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond.

We guide our students to think critically and independently and to enjoy education as an end in itself. We teach a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures students' natural curiosity about the world. We foster a positive, non-punitive school culture where students feel connected, empowered, and safe to take academic risks. Even our school buildings are designed to reflect our high aspirations for teaching and learning and the notable accomplishments that occur within our walls.

To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we invest heavily in our faculty by providing ongoing professional training and support, and encourage our educators to collaborate closely and push each other to achieve great outcomes. Leading at Ascend means growing deeply in your career, expressing your voice, and playing a defining role in the future of your students, your school, and the Ascend network.

For more information on Ascend, its model, and core values, please visit www.ascendlearning.org.

Responsibilities

Executive team planning

• Serve as a thought partner and strategic advisor to the CEO
• Attend all executive team meetings and establish strategic plans and establish clear ownership of work streams following meetings
• Support the CEO in holding executive members accountable for team commitments and ensuring communication between team members is timely, collaborative, and results oriented
• Support executive team leaders in managing priorities and responsibilities by monitoring progress towards goals, proactively anticipating challenges, and providing tactical support
• Serve as the knowledge keeper of all executive team initiatives and identify opportunities for cross functional collaboration and increased efficiencies within teams
• Working with the special assistant to the CEO, own all logistical components of leadership team meetings including agenda creation and notetaking to ensure executive and extended leadership team meetings are conducted efficiently and effectively

Strategic planning

• Develop a multi-year strategic plan in collaboration with the chief executive officer, executive team, and boards
• Drive the implementation of the multi-year strategic plan and communicate regular status updates to the executive team, boards, and organization at large
• Develop and maintain the organizational tools required to monitor progress towards goals including dashboards to monitor key performance indicators
• Conduct research and synthesize information on complex topics resulting in clear and concise recommendations to CEO and executive team

Special projects

• Monitor education reform, charter, and peer organizations for shifts in strategic direction and effective practices for review and consideration by the executive team
• Identify and coordinate applications for grants, lead planning for fundraising events involving the executive team, and communicate with donors on behalf of the office of the CEO; support CEO in this work until such time that a development team is hired in collaboration development team members
• Draft communications on behalf of the CEO for internal and external stakeholders including staff, volunteers, board members, and donors in collaboration with marketing and communication team members"
• Develop strategic content for AL and ACS board meetings including annual board priorities and meeting content while driving strategic board initiatives in collaboration with legal counsel

Reporting relationships and teams

The chief of staff will report to the CEO and will directly supervise the manager of strategic initiatives. There will be a dotted line reporting relationship with the special assistant to the CEO.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree preferred (MPA, MBA, or other relevant degree)
• Minimum of five years' experience structuring and managing complex cross-functional projects and demonstrating analytical and strategic thinking skills
• Strong project management as well as time and task management skills, enabling multiple and large-scale projects to be completed on time; proven track record of setting and achieving ambitious goals
• Proven ability to lead and drive change, including influencing and motivating others through building and maintaining strong relationships
• Facility to move comfortably between high level strategic thinking and intricate details
• Ability to learn quickly, to pivot when needed, and to be effective in a fast-paced, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environment
• Effective written and verbal communication, strong active listening skills, and the ability to tell stories through written and oral presentations
• Ability to inspire and influence and manage a team to produce highest-quality work

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities-opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Compensation

Ascend offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Please visit www.ascendcharterschools.org/careers to learn more about the benefits of working at Ascend.