ABOUT GREAT OAKS LEGACY CHARTER SCHOOL

The Great Oaks Legacy Charter School (GOLCS) is a high-performing, innovative public charter school network serving over 2,000 Pre-K through 12th grade scholars across seven campuses in Newark, NJ. Our mission is to prepare Newark’s students for success in college and beyond. With a historical college matriculation rate of 76% – far outpacing the national average of 46% for students from similar communities – we are committed to delivering transformational educational outcomes for every student.

Our model is based on the following guiding principles that guide our work daily:

1. Creating a community that is built upon genuine and meaningful relationships.
2. Being surgical in our approach to differentiation of instruction and support for all students and team members.
3. Setting and exceeding high expectations for academic growth and character development for all students, in preparation for success in college and beyond.

Learn more at https://www.greatoakslegacy.org/.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) will manage six direct reports, leading network and school operations, student recruitment and enrollment, technology and data, compliance, and facilities. The COO will set the operational vision, serve as a thoughtful and collaborative steward of GOLCS’ resources and values, and partner with the CEO and leadership team to guide the organization through ambitious growth.

We are preparing to launch new organizational values, expand our high school footprint, hire key Director-level roles within our Operations structure, and enter our charter renewal process – milestones that demand exceptional operational leadership to execute successfully. The COO will play a pivotal role in ensuring we meet these priorities while significantly increasing the number of students and alumni who benefit from a GOLCS education.

This is a full-time, on-site position based in Newark, NJ. Given the nature of the work and upcoming organizational priorities, the COO must be available for occasional evening and weekend commitments to support school events, board meetings, and other time-sensitive operational needs.

This is a unique opportunity to put your stamp on operations at a pivotal moment in the organization’s journey. We are seeking a leader who can grow and develop talent, reinvigorate operations across data, technology, and campus-level systems, and elevate GOLCS to its highest levels of performance – positioning us as a national model for operational excellence. The right candidate will be passionate about scholar learning and development, eager to roll up their sleeves, and ready to partner with leaders across the organization to drive measurable progress.

The COO will ensure GOLCS’ operational systems, resources, and talent are positioned to sustain excellence, support growth, and deliver the conditions for every student to thrive.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as the senior operations leader and trusted partner to the CEO, senior leadership team, board, and school leaders.
• Translate GOLCS’ strategic vision into actionable short- and long-term operational plans, building systematized processes and procedures that can scale with growth.
• Collaborate with the CFO and leadership team to develop and manage the annual and multi-year operations team budget.
• Represent GOLCS with external stakeholders, including legal counsel, Newark government agencies, the NJDOE (authorizer), and the board of directors.
• With the senior leadership team, cultivate a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence, grounded in a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Operations Management

• Establish a clear vision and definition for operational excellence; develop and implement strategies to drive high performance with measurable results.
• Lead network and school operations, student recruitment and enrollment, technology and data, compliance, and facilities; align team goals and outcomes with organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with school principals and operations teams to deliver services that enable strong academic outcomes and an excellent student experience.
• Build and scale sustainable, cost-efficient systems – including facilities lifecycle planning, campus-level technology infrastructure, compliance tracking, and process management – to support both current campuses and future expansion.
• Ensure timely, high-quality compliance with all federal, state, local, and authorizer requirements.
• Oversee vendor services (transportation, food, custodial) to ensure they meet organizational needs and contractual standards.
• Develop and maintain standardized operating procedures in partnership with school teams, ensuring consistent execution across campuses.
• Direct technology strategy, planning, and support to meet both educational and operational goals.

Culture and Team Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop six direct reports and a total team of 34 staff members.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, goal setting, performance management, and professional development for operations staff at all levels.
• Coach and develop less-experienced operations managers to strengthen their leadership skills and increase their capacity to deliver results.
• Review and refine team structures, roles, and processes to ensure efficiency, strong customer service, and alignment with core values.
• Promote a team culture of high performance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Systems Thinking & Problem Solving

• Partner with the School Leadership Team to make operational decisions that enable scaling, efficiency, and improved outcomes.
• Lead the development and refinement of systems for facilities management, data, compliance, technology infrastructure, and project planning (e.g., Gantt charts, process maps).
• Use data to identify operational gaps, guide decision-making, and measure the impact of improvements.
• Anticipate challenges and proactively adjust systems and processes to meet the needs of a growing multi-campus network.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Passion and commitment to GOLCS’ mission to prepare Newark students for success in college and beyond.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA strongly preferred.
• 7–10 years of progressive operations leadership with a track record of success; K–12 education or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success building scalable systems across multiple operational functions.
• Experience developing and managing budgets at a comparable scale.
• Strong people leadership skills, with a history of developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible, collaborative, and able to work across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Willingness and ability to work on-site with occasional evening and weekend availability to meet organizational needs.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $180,000 – $197,000, commensurate with experience.

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Robust medical, dental, and vision insurance plans with comprehensive network coverage
• Tax-exempt student loan and tuition reimbursement per year
• Reimbursements for external professional development aligned to your role
• Wellness reimbursements, including gym memberships, spa services, and more
• Online counseling services for staff and their dependents via a top-rated therapy app
• Pre-tax state pension plan benefit with additional options available via voluntary retirement plans
• Pre-tax dependent care, health, and transit flexible spending plans

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & ACCESSIBILITY

GOLCS is committed to building a talented team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. Furthermore, we believe that racial justice and equity is critical to our mission of preparing students for success in college and beyond. We strive to be an organization that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and elevates our student voices in preparing them for life and college.

GREAT OAKS LEGACY CHARTER SCHOOL VACCINATION POLICY

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School is committed to ensuring healthy and safe working and learning environments, and maintaining our educational commitment to GOLCS students and families - with minimal disruption to instruction. With this in mind, as of October 2021, Great Oaks Legacy requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Candidates who would like to apply for a reasonable accommodation from this policy based on a qualifying disability or sincerely held religious belief should reach out to HR@greatoakslegacy.org for more information.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

Great Oaks Legacy 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.