Managing Director K-12

Company: Prospect Schools
Location: New York
Posted on: June 1, 2025

Job Description:

Prospect Schools is a high-performing, intentionally diverse ("diverse by design") K-12 college preparatory charter network serving more than 2,700 students in seven (soon to be 9!) schools in Brooklyn. Prospect Schools models its curriculum on the renowned International Baccalaureate Program, a rigorous program that raises the level of academic responsibility for students while also preparing them to be global citizens.Our experienced team is dedicated to our mission to prepare a diverse student body to have a positive impact on society and develop a lifelong passion for learning, and guided by our Core Values:--- Curiosity: Develop sound judgment and intellect by asking questions confidently and thinking critically--- Care: Support others by grounding every action in empathy while championing equity and inclusion--- Persistence: Grow and learn by solving problems with determination, creativity and tenacity--- Passion: Succeed by approaching challenges with excitement, enthusiasm and self-assuranceWe have a vision to become, by 2030, the leading network of intentionally diverse schools where all students and educators can learn, work and thrive. Find out more about who we are and what we believe by spending a few minutes reading our 2024 Annual Report .The Managing Director of Schools (MDS) will be a senior leader at Prospect Schools who will coach, support, and hold accountable our principals to produce the outcomes our students deserve.Reporting to the Chief Academic and Schools Officer (CASO), the Managing Director will be responsible for school management of a portfolio of schools and principals, principal coaching, management and accountability, and supporting the continuity of our program implementation across divisions, the Managing Director will be responsible for ensuring their portfolio of schools achieves our strategic goals and meets the vision for a Prospect school in terms of academic and socioemotional outcomes, student and adult culture, engagement of stakeholders, and financial and operational function.The ideal candidate was a high-performing principal or experienced principal manager with K-12 content knowledge, pedagogy, and school systems, a history of cultivating other leaders, strong organizational skills, and track record of success in prior roles. Experience with the International Baccalaureate program is a plus.Year One Outcomes:

• Design and launch tailored coaching and development plans for each leader in their portfolio.
• Establish a consistent and strategic cadence for data stepbacks across schools
• Co-create and monitor targeted school improvement plans
• Lead the successful opening of the Windsor Terrace Campus (our new K-8, opening Fall 2026)
• Oversee the development of a high school special strategic plan and ensure a strong plan for implementation starting in SY 26-27.The PositionAs the Managing Director, you will take ownership over the success of schools in your portfolio and their leaders. Your responsibilities will include the following:Ensure school principals establish, foster, and sustain a culture of academic success and social-emotional development at each school, in alignment with Prospect's mission, vision and priorities through partnerships with students, staff, families, and the community.Articulate and manage the college preparatory vision with specific attention to K-12 International Baccalaureate alignment.Serve as a key senior leader in network wide decisions ranging from program to talent development.Serve as a key senior leader in the development, implementation and championing of network wide strategy aligned to providing a world class educational program in a diverse community.Foster and facilitate positive relationships and collaboration with network and school-based leaders to advance efforts that support achievement for all students and to advance Prospect School's mission and goals.Translates for the broader network leadership the needs of the schools along with network operations and curriculum leaders. Communicates upward feedback from schools to support network improvement.Participate in key decisions with the senior Prospect Schools leadership team, providing input and recommendations.Model values, professionalism and expectations of a senior leader.Culture, Leadership, and People DevelopmentDevelop, coach, manage, and evaluate school principals as the instructional and executive leader of their schools.In partnership with the CASO, CEO and other stakeholders, establish key metrics to measure school and school principal impact across domains including program, talent retention, family retention and engagement, student and staff culture. Facilitate regular data stepbacks with leaders to understand current progress, develop and implement plans to strengthen progress.Work alongside school principals to identify, develop, and coach internal candidates for school leadership roles developing Prospect's talent pipeline.Build principal skill and capacity in instructional leadership, school culture leadership,talent development (hiring, coaching, and evaluation) of staff and leaders, operational leadership, stakeholder engagement, equity leadership and influential leadership.Collaborate with the Chief Academic & Schools Officer, Managing Director of Teaching and Learning, and other leaders to plan and execute professional development for school leaders, teachers, and staff.Coach and strengthen principal skill through crisis management and rapid response occurrences.Strengthen network-wide programs and practices, and support from the network team through feedback collected and received from stakeholders.School and Program ManagementRegularly employ both formal and informal means to evaluate the performance of each school and its leadership leveraging quantitative and qualitative data.Ensure high quality implementation of the Prospect school's educational model at each school including curriculum implementation, student and adult culture, assessments, and parent relationships.Collaborate with peers and the senior leadership team to refine, articulate, and continuously improve Prospect Schools educational model to achieve targeted academic results,Drive school improvement strategy across school portfolio and principals.Create and strengthen a data-driven culture that relentlessly seeks continuous improvement.Collaborate with the Chief Academic & Schools Officer, Managing Director of Teaching and Learning, and other leaders to plan and execute professional development for school leaders, teachers, and staff.Translates for the broader network leadership the needs of the schools along with network operations and curriculum leaders.Participate in key decisions with the senior Prospect Schools leadership team, providing input and recommendations.Serve as the next point of contact, following school principals, for family questions and concerns.QualificationsThe Managing Director will possess the following professional experience, skills, and personal characteristics that validate their stated readiness to assume this role:A track record of excellence in school leadership (principal and principal manager experience preferred).Ability and expertise in curriculum, assessment, special services, and socioemotional development (IB experience is a plus).Ability to develop, clearly communicate, and motivate leaders towards implementing a compelling multi-year academic strategy.Demonstrated success in change management, ideally including building a culture of ownership, feedback and accountability.A reputation for having the interpersonal and leadership skills required to reach across functional teams, break down silos, and accomplish organization-wide goals, particularly across lines of difference.Further, the successful candidate will possess the following skills:High cultural competency and great comfort working in a diverse community and in an organization striving to become racially equitable.Ability and inclination to take a strategic approach to solving complex problems and creating meaning in ambiguity.Exceptional organizational, project management, meeting facilitation, communication (both verbal and written), and interpersonal skills.The ability to identify, cultivate, and coach leadership potential in individuals, and experience designing systems to support the development of employees at all levels of the organization.The successful candidate must possess these personal characteristics:Alignment with our mission, of serving an intentionally diverse student body and a deeply held belief that all children have the right to a high quality education, and dedication to the educational success of students from underserved communities.A continuous learning mindset and ability to use feedback to improve one's own work and that of others.An inclination toward creative and highly collaborative work with colleagues and across functions in support of our program.A commitment to providing outstanding customer service to our team, students, families, and community.Reporting RelationshipsThe Managing Director will report to the Chief Academic and Schools Officers and work closely with senior leaders across our central office. In our current structure, the Managing Director will directly manage our secondary school principals.Location Brooklyn, NY.Compensation and BenefitsMedical, dental, and vision insurancePaid Time Off (PTO) or Paid Sick Time (PST) based on date of hire and hours worked per week401(K) and Roth IRA with a 4% employer match with a 3-year vesting scheduleFlexible spending accounts, including Transit Commuter Options, Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA optionsAncillary insurance, including Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance, and Short-Term & Long-Term Disability InsuranceEmployee Assistance Program with free expert support services to assist with a variety of life issues, from family care to mental health servicesEmployees at Prospect Schools are provided with a competitive salary. Our salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual's skills, education, and years of experience relevant to the role. The salary range for this role in the first year is $175,000-195,000.
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Keywords: Prospect Schools, Elizabeth , Managing Director K-12, Executive , New York, New Jersey