Senior Director of School Leadership

About Rocketship Public Schools

At Rocketship Public Schools, we champion the limitless potential of every student, empowering them to dream, explore, and cultivate their unique talents. We operate a nonprofit network of public elementary charter schools dedicated to elevating student achievement, nurturing outstanding educators, and collaborating with families to foster thriving schools within underserved communities nationwide.

Position Overview

The Senior Director of School Leadership is a senior-level leader accountable for crafting, driving, and refining the organization's strategies around school leadership development, coaching, and fundamental school-centered practices. This role functions as a strategic partner to principal supervisors, regional leaders, and senior management, equipping leaders at all levels with the necessary tools, systems, and frameworks to achieve excellence across academics, operations, and organizational domains. This role combines strategic vision with direct engagement, including the capacity to temporarily embed within schools or regions to ensure leadership stability during transitions or improvement efforts.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and oversee a unified organizational vision for leadership coaching and development systems covering principal manager support, one-on-one meetings, real-time coaching, leadership team sessions, and professional learning.
• Create scalable frameworks, resources, and tools enabling Directors of Schools and Principals to conduct impactful, data-informed leadership activities.
• Set uniform expectations and quality standards for leadership development and coaching practices across all regions.
• Collaborate with Academic and Learning & Development teams to design and deliver development programs for new and current principals.
• Act as a strategic partner and coach for Directors of Schools, enhancing their capacity to support, develop, and hold school leaders accountable for outstanding outcomes.
• Design and implement thorough onboarding and ongoing training plans tailored for Directors of Schools, addressing varying levels of familiarity with their roles, network, or regions.
• Develop systems and templates that assist Directors of Schools and school leaders in performance data analysis, root cause diagnosis, strategic staffing planning, and execution of insights.
• Facilitate joint learning and community-building activities among principal managers, including communities of practice and site visits.
• Collaborate with executive sponsors and task forces to establish support mechanisms for Transformation Schools and regions needing intensive interventions.
• Formulate targeted strategies for turnaround operations, ensuring affected schools receive focused, high-impact assistance.
• Embed temporarily in schools or regions as required to stabilize leadership, implement core systems, and create sustainable practices.
• Serve as the primary program partner for designated schools or regions receiving intensive support.
• Work closely with program, regional, talent, and operations teams to align leadership initiatives with organizational goals.
• Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the efficacy of leadership development frameworks and refine strategies accordingly.
• Contribute to organization-wide planning and decision-making as a member of the senior program leadership team.

Qualifications and Experience

• Over 8 years of advancing leadership experience within education, nonprofits, or system-level school support, including direct engagement with school and regional leadership.
• At least 3 years serving as principal of a high-performing school, preferably at the elementary level.
• A minimum of 2 years supervising school principals.
• Proven achievements in designing and managing leadership development programs at scale.
• Strong expertise in coaching senior leaders, such as principals, Directors of Schools, or regional managers.
• Experience within startup or expanding organizations.
• Adaptability and proficiency in problem-solving amidst ambiguity.
• Aptitude for leading effectively in multi-regional organizational settings.
• Exceptional analytical capabilities to convert data insights into strategic initiatives.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with aptitude for influencing diverse organizational layers.
• Firm dedication to educational equity and success for the students and communities served.
• Preferred experience in school turnaround, transformation, or targeted intervention efforts.

Location and Travel

The preferred bases for this role are Nashville, Milwaukee, or Washington, DC, with travel expected up to 50% to support various schools and regions. Candidates located outside these areas should anticipate travel commitments up to 70%.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary ranges from $115,500 to $168,600 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include comprehensive health and wellness coverage, 403b retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and generous paid time off.

Physical Demands

This role requires the ability to regularly communicate and collaborate with adults and children, use hands-on tasks, and engage in standing, walking, sitting, and occasional lifting up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity and the capability to work in moderate to high noise environments are required. Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Rocketship Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer, prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on various protected characteristics. All employment practices adhere to applicable federal, state, and local laws to ensure fair treatment and inclusive workplace culture.