Chief of Staff at Bloom Academy

Bloom Academy Charter School exists to provide a high quality, rigorous, and joyful educational experience to students in grades kindergarten to fifth grade. We are a new and independent school seeking to add deeply mission aligned, smart, hardworking, and emotionally intelligent people to our founding staff. We opened August 2019 with a cohort of kindergarten and first graders, and have added a grade level each year culminating with kindergarten through fifth grade for the 2023-2024 school year.

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE BELIEVE

At Bloom Academy we provide a safe, joyful, inclusive, and challenging learning environment for all students. This includes children with special needs. This includes children from low-income households. This includes children who have been historically marginalized. We believe that all children can learn at high levels. We believe that all children are extraordinary. We believe that children can only be as great as the adults in front of them. We believe that excellent teaching requires planning, coaching, constructive feedback and reflection. We believe that teaching is one of the greatest and hardest responsibilities in the world. We treat each other with respect and value the talent each person adds to our organization no matter their position on our organizational chart. The Founding Chief of Staff will play an integral role in ensuring our scholars are seen, loved, heard, and successful.

We exist to change the narrative about what children from low-income neighborhoods are capable of achieving both academic and personally. We exist to change the narrative about what Black and Brown children are capable of achieving both academically and personally. We are unapologetic about our philosophy. All applicants must share this mindset – no exceptions.

The Bloom Academy Founding Chief of Staff and Strategy

Driven by our mission to ensure every child succeeds, the Founding Chief of Staff will be responsible for establishing and maintaining a safe, joyful, and reflective learning environment for each of our scholars.

As Chief of Staff you will provide strategy, project management, and operations support to the Chief Executive Officer, Superintendent, and the Senior Leadership Team. The Chief of Staff will frequently manage projects that cut across divisions or teams and fall across or between leadership’s defined management responsibilities. You will play a crucial role in ensuring the CEO and Superintendent are maximizing opportunities to further our mission, whether through leadership of internal and external initiatives, supporting strong internal communications and maximizing the work of our senior leadership team.

The Founding Chief of Staff will have the following key responsibilities:

Senior Leadership Team & Board Management

Serve as a critical thought-partner to the Superintendent and CEO while exhibiting strong judgment and maintaining complete confidentiality;

Support the Superintendent and CEO in fostering a high functioning Senior Leadership Team (SLT), through strong use of meeting time, discussion facilitation, feedback loops with team members, and relationship building;

Facilitate SLT meeting and ensure high quality SLT meetings by managing the year-round calendar, overseeing and developing agendas and content, ensuring materials are sent in advance, objectives are achieved, and next steps are clear and taken;

Ensure high-quality board meetings by collaborating with the board; developing agendas, content, and managing logistics;

Manage Board meeting processes, including scheduling, gathering/creating and distributing materials, confirming quorum, and following up with SLT and Board as needed;
Partner with the Superintendent and CEO to ensure high engagement and value from board members throughout the year;

Managing the information flow to and from the Superintendent, CEO, and SLT ensuring the time and talents are maximized;

Strategically manage Superintendent and CEO’s time through oversight of Assistant.

External Affairs & Organizational Leadership support for the CEO

Support the Superintendent and CEO with preparation for and stewardship of external relationships, including current and prospective funders, board members, and strategic partners;

Work with the Operations Team to identify opportunities for the Superintendent and CEO to engage with external stakeholders to advance Bloom’s thought leadership and brand;

Lead internal follow through from external engagements by managing next steps, mobilizing internal staff, and communicating relevant updates back to Superintendent and CEO;

Serve as project manager for emerging opportunities;

Develop and manage a system to produce briefing materials that efficiently support the Superintendent and CEO’s preparation for external and organizational engagements.

Strategic Planning

Lead the upcoming strategy development process for Bloom Academy, which will include developing a multi-year strategic plan that includes future growth;

Lead search process for, and partnerships with, external strategy advisors and consultants;

In subsequent years, lead annual strategic planning and priority setting with schools and network team to ensure alignment with organizational priorities;

Lead stakeholder engagement, including gathering diverse perspectives from across the organization, engaging teams in strategy setting, defining strategic priorities for the year and supporting the ongoing progress monitoring of those strategies;

Communications & Organizational Culture

Set vision and direction, with Superintendent and CEO, for how internal communication drives organizational strategic priorities and culture;

Support senior leadership team with internal communications and staff engagement that model and align to our core values;
Manage Bloom’s communications staff to craft and streamline internal and external content that is informative, inspirational, and amplifies work aligned to our priorities, goals and progress;

Ensure internal and external communication drafts produced for the Superintendent and CEO reflect the their voice, organizational values, and convey ideas in a compelling way;

Engage, motivate and build alignment with stakeholders in favor of strategic and organizational priorities;

Partner with the Superintendent and CEO to cultivate culture of network team through smooth communication flow, stakeholder engagement, facilitating feedback loop opportunities and managing the network office manager;

Provide management and project support for consultants and related projects, as needed.

Disclaimer: This job description provides the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals hired for this position. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required. Bloom Academy Charter School reserves the right to change any or all content of this job description based on the school’s needs. If applicable, the incumbent will be notified of any changes before they take effect.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
Deep alignment with the school's mission and core values.
Experience in an urban school setting, preferred.
A staunch belief that all students regardless of race or socio-economic status can achieve at high levels and be positive contributors to their communities.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail required.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with all school stakeholders.
Strong emotional intelligence.
Can-do, team first, “glass half full” attitude. Innovative, thoughtful, question-asking intellect. Always looking for ways to do things better, faster, in a more user-friendly fashion. Eager to contribute to an intellectual environment in which the best idea always wins.
Ability to evaluate situations and assess needs quickly; prior experience using your strategic abilities and leadership skills to drive others towards an ambitious mission.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment juggling multiple priorities at once.
Ability to recognize when to move with urgency and when to slow down in order to bring in others and work forward more effectively.
Must be available some nights.
Ability to produce quality content in short timelines.
An understanding of effective communication and the importance of strong leadership and coaching.
Knowledge of office equipment and services including computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, phones, and software.
Open and receptive to feedback about performance and self-reflective about ways to improve.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs

Bloom as you are.

Bloom Academy is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and strive to create an inclusive environment for all adults and children who enter our doors.