Director of School Operations

POSITION: Director of School Operations

TYPE: School-based

LOCATION: Des Moines, WA

SALARY: $99,291 - $118,662 annualized based on aligned years of experience up to 9 years

STATUS: Full time school year, benefits eligible, exempt, in-person position

START: December 1, 2026

REPORTS TO: CFO/COO or their designee

Who You Are

• You have a strong belief in and are deeply committed to Impact Public Schools' mission and educational model, focused on closing the opportunity gap and preparing diverse students for college success and community impact.  
• You are an analytical and strategic operations leader with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, acute attention to detail, and a passion for building systems from the ground up.  
• You excel at complex problem-solving, logistics, and project management, especially in a start-up or founding environment.  
• You possess strong communication and management skills, the ability to analyze data and information quickly, and excel at designing, implementing, monitoring, and refining systems that ensure organizational efficiency for a successful school launch.  
• You thrive in a collaborative environment, believing in the power of teamwork, but are also highly effective working independently and flexibly to meet founding year goals.  
• You are excited by the challenge of establishing the operational foundations necessary to support the delivery of rigorous and engaging content to founding 6th and 9th-grade scholars.  
• You align with Impact Public Schools’ core values (Bold Ambitions, Brave Solidarity, Team WA, Everyone Grows, Play Big, Intention) and share an unwavering belief that every child, regardless of identity or needs, can thrive and achieve ambitious goals.
• You possess the ability and desire to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and sometimes unpredictable start-up environment.  
• You bring maturity, humility, a strong work ethic, a sense of humor, and a proactive, "roll-up-your-sleeves" attitude essential for a founding team member.  
• You are enthusiastic about joining and shaping a growing organization from its foundational year.  

Core Job Functions
Management and Leadership

• Serve as a key member of the school's leadership team working directly with the school principal and assistant principals, driving operational excellence and taking full ownership of achieving ambitious school operations goals and metrics through outcomes-based leadership.
• Lead and manage the school site operations and enrollment team, holding direct responsibility for the team's performance and results. Actively invest in the professional growth and development of direct reports, supporting them towards achieving their individual career goals.
• Embrace and confidently fulfill the role of a visible operational leader within the school building and the wider school community, representing Impact Public Schools effectively. Serve as the “acting principal” when the principal is away.
• Actively participate in essential school duties, including student supervision responsibilities, to ensure a safe, joyful, and smoothly operating learning environment.

School Operations

• Oversee the effective implementation of core school operational practices as they relate to student and staff attendance tracking, supply requests and fulfillment, student enrollment/withdrawals, student meal tracking, student transportation, student health and safety, field trip planning and execution, basic IT & technology troubleshooting, etc.
• Lead the strategy, data tracking and execution of school site enrollment initiatives, including the maintenance of enrollment numbers prior to and during the school year and management of your school’s Manager of Outreach and Enrollment to drive toward enrollment goals for the upcoming school year
• Maintain a clean, neat, and highly functional campus by managing custodial personnel and third-party contracts for trash removal, recycling, maintenance, and security, implementing school site testing procedures and complete data analysis as needed. 
• Lead facilities update projects to current campus as space usage needs evolve. 
• Manage the school’s food and transportation services by ensuring delivery of service, coordinating with service providers, verifying and adjusting services as needed to ensure costs are within budget
• Support family and scholar needs related to meals, transportation, attendance, health, and enrollment 
• With the support of IPS’s Home Office, ensure that the school is adhering to all federal, state, and local compliance requirements and policies, and completing required reports on time
• Work with the School Principal and IPS Home Office to manage the school’s budget, and participate in monthly meetings to review/account for budget variances

Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum 2-4 years general management and/or school operations experience
• Proven experience in developing, implementing, and managing systems and processes.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Masters in Business, Public Administration, Education, or related field
• Previous start-up experience and/or experience in a high-performing school
• Ability to speak Amharic, Spanish, Somali, or Tigrinya
• Personal and professional experience in and around the Puget Sound area 
• Experience working in a middle or high school setting.
• Experience managing budgets and procurement.   
• Familiarity with student information systems and other school-based technology.

License / Certification

• Must have or be eligible to obtain a food handler certification

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is active and may require standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, and crouching throughout the day. Frequent light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds) with occasional heavy lifting (up to 50 pounds). The employee must have sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment. Work is primarily inside but has daily responsibilities outside (exposure to sun, heat, cold, and inclement weather).

Non-negotiables 

• Offer is contingent upon passing a fingerprint and background check
• Complete SafeSchools trainings 
• Provide academic transcript

What We Offer 

• Competitive pay and generous paid time off package including paid holidays, vacation and personal time; 
• Eligible employees can access our earned wage program through myFlexPay;
• Medical, dental, vision, long-term disability benefits;
• Retirement account with employer contributions; 
• Free mental health support + more through our employee assistance program;
• Growth pathways for increased levels of leadership.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Impact Public Schools is committed to providing a work environment free of unlawful discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment. Click here to review Impact’s Employee Non-discrimination Policy for Impact Schools.

Non-Discrimination Statements

Impact Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Click here to review Impact’s designated leaders responsible to handle all questions and complaints of alleged discrimination at each of Impact’s schools.