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Operations Manager

ORGANIZATION

Stanford New Schools is a small nonprofit corporation dedicated to supporting the work of East Palo Alto Academy, a small public charter high school in the Bay Area. The school serves nearly 300 students from East Palo Alto and nearby communities, offering a unique blend of personalized learning, college preparation, early college access, and wellness programming.
The organization is committed to raising between $500,000 and $1.2 million annually in support of the school, with a particular emphasis on its special programs. As such, the organization subsidizes key personnel within the high school, including a Director of Wellness and Student Support and an Early College Program Director. Finally, Stanford New Schools works to link the work of the high school to the work and interests of people within Stanford University, cultivating opportunities for research, coaching, and volunteerism in support of EPAA students.

POSITION

Reporting directly to the SNS President, the Operations Manager serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to Stanford New Schools. The OM is responsible for closely monitoring and tracking budgets and producing timely and useful financial reports. The OM also serves as a liaison to the board of directors; organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts; and oversees special projects.
The right person for this job will be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The OM will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion. This position will work closely with the school's Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and Principal to meet the needs of EPAA high school.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Collaboration Support
• Acts as a bridge between the high school and the corporation, and facilitates the setting of meetings that include the CAO or SNS president, ensuring that time is optimally managed.
• Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Seeks guidance from the president and/or CAO for appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Works closely and effectively with the CAO and the president to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the team updated.
• Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, correspondence, annual corporate filings, year-end reporting, and other tasks that facilitate the health and stability of the organization.
• Provides management of day-to-day office operations, including ordering, technology management, reception, organizing, and filing.
Human Resources and Budget Management:
• Processes all accounts receivable, accounts payable, expense and spending reports, and data entry in support of the preceding.
• Processes semi-monthly payroll and monthly contract payments.
• Acts as custodian of records and maintains corporate files.
Communications, Partnerships, and Outreach
• Maintains organization's web presence and corporate information materials.
• Updates and responds to requests for materials regarding the organization and its personnel.
• Drafts written communications to external stakeholders.
Event Management
• Coordinates SNS Board meetings, Charter Advisory Board meetings, and other special events on behalf of Stanford New Schools.
Board of Directors Support and Liaison
• Serves as the administrative liaison to the SNS Board of Directors.
• Assists board members with travel arrangements, lodging, and meal planning as needed.
• Maintains discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members.
• Adheres to compliance with applicable rules and regulations set in bylaws regarding the Board and Board committee matters, including advance distribution of materials before meetings in electronic/paper format.
• Supports the SNS Board of Directors' Treasurer by preparing reports for Board consideration, including Budgets to Actuals, Unaudited Actuals, Audit reports, and Tax reports.
• Supports the SNS Board of Directors' Secretary, attending all meetings, keeping and filing minutes, and maintaining additional records on behalf of the Board.
Charter Advisory Board Liaison
• Participates as an adjunct member of the Charter Advisory Board including assisting in scheduling meetings and attending all meetings.
• Assists in coordinating the agenda of Charter Advisory Board meetings.
Special Projects
On behalf of East Palo Alto Academy high school, Stanford New Schools supports key special initiatives, which require hands-on facilitation from the OM. Current initiatives include:
• Stanford University partnership cultivation, acting as a liaison between the CAO and university students and staff to encourage research, coaching, and volunteerism within EPAA.
• Coordination of the SNS Scholarship, providing one-year scholarships to EPAA seniors and alumni by way of a rigorous application and committee process.
• Support of Exhibition Judge acquisition, selection, and stewardship for EPAA annual student exhibitions. (Done in close collaboration with Graduate School of Education's External Relations team)
• Support in scheduling EPAA donor tours, donor visits, and updating the organization's Friend Management database. (Done in close collaboration with Graduate School of Education's External Relations team)

QUALIFICATIONS

This is a position that requires a commitment to excellence in every domain, including:
• Organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with exceptional attention to detail,
• Accounting skills and the ability to manage strict adherence to a tight budget,
• Interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors,
• Marketing, public relations, and fundraising skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures,
• Professional business writing and verbal communication skills,
• Persuasive and passionate communications skills with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills,
• Resourcefulness, and an innate knowledge of when to ask for support and guidance,
• Diplomacy, discretion, and integrity,
• Ability to work independently,
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response,
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment,
• Ability to be a forward-looking and "big picture" thinker, who is action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative in seeking opportunities and proposing solutions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree and five years relevant experience and expertise required.
• Training and experience in business administration.
• Knowledge of both the public charter school and small non-profit domains a plus.
• Strong work tenure: five or more years of experience supporting senior management or executive personnel, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising.
• Expertise with Microsoft Office suite (especially Excel), Adobe products, Google Docs, Cloud storage platforms, and Social Media web platforms.
• Experience with ADP or comparable payroll management system.

How to apply

No phone calls please. Interested Candidates should forward a cover letter, resume, and no fewer than three references to Human Resources Manager John Lum atjlum@stanfordschools.org. Please write "SNS Operations Manager" in the subject line.
For more information, please visit www.epaahs.org