Founding Executive Director, Charter School Network
Founding Executive Director, Charter School Network
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$ 225000 - 275000
1 Vacancy
Job Description
Founding Executive Director Charter School Network (Startup CMO St. Louis MO )
Location: St. Louis MO
Salary Range: $225000$275000 performance bonus and comprehensive benefits
Reports to: Founding Board of Directors
Launch Support Provided by: The Opportunity Trust
About the Opportunity
We are seeking a bold visionary and entrepreneurial leader to found and lead a new and innovative Charter Management Organization (CMO) in St. Louis. With the support of The Opportunity Trust this founding Chief Executive Officer will have one full year of planning and build time along with the opportunity to hire founding staff who will help bring their vision to life launching the network and first school in the 202627 school year.
This is a rare opportunity to build something transformational from the ground updesigning not only the school model but the organizational structure team and culture. Unbound by traditional limitations the founding CEO has the rare chance to design a new model from scratchblending forwardthinking ideas with strategies we know make a lasting impact. Innovation and evidencebased practices are not mutually exclusivethis is a chance to design new solutions informed by both.
The Role: Founding Chief Executive Officer
As the founding CEO you will be the visionary architect chief strategist and culture builder of this new CMO. You will:
- Design and build a bold excellence and innovationdriven backbone organization to support to development and launch of new schools
- Develop effective academic and operational supports grounded in evidencebased practices
- Build a highperforming founding network team to launch and support schools
- Recruit and collaborate with a founding board of directors ensuring strong governance and aligned oversight
- Establish autonomous and accountable governance structures where each school operates with its community advisory board
- Cultivate strong relationships with community members families educators and key stakeholders
- Oversee all aspects of organizational and school developmentfrom academics and talent to operations and finance
- Raise earlystage funding and advocate for supportive policy conditions
- Build infrastructure to scale with quality excellence and sustainability at the core
What Youll Do
Startup Strategy & Innovation
- Lead the creation of the CMOs vision mission values and strategic plan
- Support educatorentrepreneurs to design schools that integrate effective and innovative approaches to instruction student support and school culture
- Translate vision into action with clear goals execution plans and agile learning loops
Team & Culture Building
- Recruit and manage a founding network team responsible for efficient and effective shared services in academics culture and operations
- Work with The Opportunity Trust the Missouri Charter Public School Commission and the Missouri Charter Public School Association to build alignment and shared vision around this new CMO model
Governance & Board Development
- Recruit and engage a founding board of directors aligned to the organizations mission and vision
- Develop systems for board governance accountability and engagement
- Establish systems for performance management professional development and organizational culture
- Support school leaders in developing community advisory boards to ensure local insight and ownership
Community Engagement & Advocacy
- Build deep trustbased relationships with families students educators and community leaders
- Serve as a powerful external voice for the CMOs mission and innovation agenda
- Influence the broader education ecosystem through coalitionbuilding and collaboration alongside others in the education innovation community
Academic & Operational Excellence
- Oversee the design of highquality instructional operational and support systems
- Ensure that the founding school and subsequent schools launch with excellence and establish a strong foundation for future growth
Fundraising & Resource Development
- Create and execute a fundraising strategy to support launch and earlystage growth
- Manage public and private funding streams with transparency and strong financial stewardship
You Are
- A builder who thrives in ambiguity and can turn vision into structure
- A systems thinker who leads with both strategy and execution
- A trailblazer who values both innovation and evidencebased practices
- A people developer who inspires and grows highperforming teams
- A communitycentered leader who values trust partnership and belonging
- A resilient and reflective learner who leads with humility feedback and focus
- A skilled communicator who can mobilize stakeholders through bold storytelling and clear direction
Required Experience
- 710 years of leadership experience in education nonprofit management or startup environments
- Proven success launching or scaling high performing schools systems or organizations in the education space
- Deep knowledge of effective academic talent and operational systems
- Track record of designing and leading innovative equitycentered initiatives
- Experience with governance and semiautonomous and/or networked organizations a plus
- Familiarity with the St. Louis education landscape is a plus
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range: $225000$275000
- Performance Bonus: Based on key milestones and student outcomes
- Benefits: Comprehensive healthcare retirement contributions flexible PTO and professional development as part of founding support (and then you design the benefit system for the organization)
- Support: Strategic coaching funding access and planning assistance from The Opportunity Trust
About The Opportunity Trust
The Opportunity Trust is a nonprofit organization working to ensure every child in St. Louis has access to a quality public school that prepares them to lead a life of choice and dignity. Since 2019 the organization has attracted and invested $100 million to transform public education in Missourilaunching nine new schools strengthening educator and leadership pipelines and expanding access to quality public schools.
In 2023 The Opportunity Trust secured Missouris firstever $35 million U.S. Department of Education Charter School Program awarda landmark investment to expand access to quality public charter schools across the state.
The organization is also accelerating statewide progress by advocating for effective education policies securing more equitable funding for district and charter public schools advancing teacher pay increases and investing in expanding access to early childhood education. By 2027 The Opportunity Trust aims to more than double the number of St. Louis students in quality schoolsfrom 13% to 30%through targeted investments in parent advocacy educator development and policies that deliver strong academics and real accountability to families and communities.
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full-Time
