ORGANIZATION 

ACE Charter Schools (ACE) is a network of four schools (one high school and three middle schools) located in East San Jose, CA. ACE works with families and communities in the community’s highest-need neighborhoods to create and sustain middle and high schools where students who have been left behind by the traditional school system grow to be ready, by the time they leave high school, to choose to attend and graduate from a four-year college or university. The organization’s vision is that its students excel in an equitable educational system that equips them to make transformative choices for their families and our communities.

Since the first ACE school opened in 2008 with 95 middle school students, the organization has grown to serve more than 1,200 students in grades 5-12. Of ACE’s student population, 92% are low-income, an average of 50% are English Language Learners and 93% will be the first in their families to graduate college. ACE also serves a student population where 20% of the students are identified as having special needs, as compared with 10-12% at comparable neighborhood schools. 90% of ACE graduates qualify for four-year colleges (four times higher than neighborhood schools), and 77% of ACE graduates have been accepted to a four-year college.

To learn more about ACE Charter Schools, please visit www.acecharter.org. 

OPPORTUNITY 

ACE Charter Schools’ founding CEO is stepping down from his role in the summer of 2022. The board, staff and community of ACE are seeking a seasoned executive who has a belief and passion for the ACE mission, possesses strong organizational leadership skills, is an excellent and inspirational communicator, is steeped in cultural competency, and has an exceptional level of team management skills and experience coaching managers. ACE’s CEO will ensure that ACE’s academic program, operations, financial management, community engagement, fundraising, and relationships with key partners (district authorizers, donors, other entities) are strong and tightly aligned with the organization’s strategic plan and core priorities. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer include:

• Leading the vision for ACE’s success, including ensuring that its academic programs, operations, finance, school culture, community engagement, and external partnerships are highly effective and tightly aligned to the organization’s mission and goals;
• Managing senior leaders, acting not only as a supervisor but also as a coach and consensus builder, remaining deeply committed to developing and bringing out the strengths of all of ACE’ people while holding them accountable for their goals and desired student outcomes;
• Leading and supporting change management initiatives, including developing responses to changing student demographics, political realities, and post-COVID reflections on needed shifts to educational practices. 
• Partnering with the Board of Directors and funders to secure and allocate the resources and supports necessary to maintain the health of ACE’s schools, remaining solutions-oriented while pushing the boundaries of what is possible to realize the highest levels of success for all students and their communities;
• Inspiring students, faculty, families, and other partners to be their best selves every day, always keeping the community’s moral, ethical and artistic compass pointing in the right direction and ensuring an unyielding focus at all times on what is best for ACE’s current students and alumni, their families and community, and their futures, upholding the organizational values listed here:
  • We believe every student has the boundless capacity to thrive. All students, regardless of circumstances, have the potential to excel in school and life. To help students reach their potential, we collectively maintain rigorous standards for students and staff inside and outside the classroom.
  • We take responsibility for student success. Every staff member at ACE focuses on empowering our students to navigate their internal and external challenges by providing effective, sustainable academic and personal development and learning opportunities.
  • We celebrate growth. We Grow Everyone Every Day by fostering a culture of optimism where our whole community takes pride in student and staff progress. We look for growth and transformation and students’ development into young people who demonstrate self-efficacy and college-ready confidence.
  • We believe strong relationships lead to student success. We believe relationships are the fundamental lever of generational change; staff, families, and our communities are the agents of that change. ACE is committed to an interconnected school community based on genuine respect and compassion where relationships are integral to the success of all.

QUALIFICATIONS 

To fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Chief Executive Officer candidate will have/be:

• An accomplished leader with 15+ years of success in the education sector.
• Knowledge of characteristics of successful urban schools in high-need communities and how to implement them in the ACE context. 
• Exceptional talent development and people management skills, including experience managing other managers.
• Demonstrated success managing strategic planning and vision setting, operations, and financial systems.
• Skilled in using data to inform their leadership and practice; able to train and coach other leaders to do the same. 
• Culturally competent and a self-reflective leader who understands the effects of race, class, ethnicity, income, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and other issues of difference in society and can lead direct conversations about them.
• A builder of authentic relationships with community members, partners, funders, and other supporters who engages with a variety of individuals and speaks clearly and compellingly about the organization’s goals and priorities.
• Fundraising experience and acumen, with a preference for work with Bay Area-based individual donors and foundations. 
• Understanding of California charter school law, finance, and regulations.
• Experience as a teacher and school administrator in communities like the ones ACE serves (strongly preferred). 
• Spanish communication skills (strongly preferred). 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position offers a salary range of $200,000-270,000 and full benefits including health, dental, vision, and the option to enroll in a 401k match. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/AED211D609. For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Serena Moy at smoy@edgilityconsulting.com or 510.575.9635.
 

ACE Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.