High School Founding Principal

Position Overview

The Founding Ambition Charter High School Principal serves as the instructional cultural and operational leader responsible for the successful planning launch and early execution of the first high school within our established organization. During the planning year the Founding Principal will translate our mission vision and proven school model into a high-quality developmentally appropriate high school program that ensures strong academic outcomes a positive school culture and on-time graduation for all students.

The Founding Principal is accountable for designing and implementing the academic program building and developing a high-performing founding team establishing systems to ensure proper course credit accrual and graduation readiness and ensuring full compliance with authorizer state and network expectations prior to opening. This leader works in close partnership with our existing organizational leadership to ensure fidelity to our model while thoughtfully adapting systems to meet the unique needs of high school students.

This role requires a results-driven systems-oriented leader with a strong instructional foundation the ability to execute within an established framework and the vision to build a high school that prepares students for college career and life.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Lead the planning launch and successful opening of Ambition Preps first charter high school in the Jackson area.
• Recruit hire onboard and develop a high-performing founding staff aligned to Ambition Preps mission values and instructional expectations.
• Establish a strong adult culture grounded in accountability collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Partner with operations teams to ensure facility readiness student safety and full compliance with authorizer state and federal requirements.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Managing Director of Academics to execute strategic plans that support long-term organizational growth and sustainability.
• Finalize graduation requirements and course catalogs that align to the Mississippi Department of Education expectations and postsecondary readiness goals.
• Build strong relationships with families community partners and higher education institutions to support student success and postsecondary pathways.
• Implement the Ambition Prep school culture framework adapting systems and structures to meet the developmental needs of high school students.
• Support the selection and implementation of high-quality standards-aligned instructional materials that ensure college and career readiness.
• Design master schedules including advisory intervention and enrichment that guarantee access to required course credits for all students.
• Continue to develop instructional leadership capacity through ongoing classroom observations learning walks and data-driven coaching aligned to Ambition Preps instructional model.
• Analyze student achievement data to identify trends address gaps and drive instructional priorities for the high school.
• Collaborate with academic leaders across the organization to strengthen teaching and learning schoolwide.
• Engage in ongoing coaching mentorship and leadership development to continuously refine leadership practice and effectiveness.

To be a part of the Ambition Prep team it is required that all candidates possess an unwavering commitment to Ambition Preps mission students families and community through the implementation of policies and procedures. You must share the belief that every student can learn at an advanced level regardless of race culture or socioeconomic status. It is required that you have the ability to efficiently adapt in an ambiguous fast-paced start-up environment. Candidates must be team-oriented and can display a professional level of a growth mindset maturity flexibility promptness commitment and organization. Each candidate must also be receptive to constructive feedback with the ability to remodel positive behavior precisely and effectively keeping the common goal of every student in mind.

Qualifications

• Valid state administrative certification or enrollment in an approved principal preparation program
• Bachelors degree required; Masters degree in Educational Leadership required
• Minimum of 35 years of successful teaching
• Minimum 2 years of school leadership experience required
• Experience at the high school level
• Strong data analysis and instructional coaching skills
• Demonstrated leadership in team facilitation and school improvement efforts
• Demonstrated commitment to equity student achievement and continuous improvement
• Detailed knowledge of federal state and local requirements for K-12 schools

Compensation

Ambition Preparatory Charter School offers competitive salaries and benefits commensurate with experience. Ambition Preparatory Charter School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race color religion gender sexual orientation national or ethnic origin age disability pregnancy or veteran status.

Disclaimer: This job description describes the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals hired into this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required. Ambition Prep reserves the right to change any or all content of this job description based on business needs.