At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
Organizational Overview
Rocketship schools are top-tier public elementary schools known for academic results and a holistic approach to personalized learning. Rocketship has successfully launched 22 elementary schools across the country since first opening in the Bay Area over eighteen years ago.
Rocketship Public Schools is a non-profit network of public elementary charter schools that propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and intentionally partners with parents to help high-quality public schools thrive in their community. Rocketship Public Schools is a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across the country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
- VISION – Equal opportunity for all.
- MISSION – Catalyze transformative change in low-income communities through a scalable and sustainable public school model that propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community.
- VALUES
- AUTHENTICITY – We deliver transparency in our work – assessing how we are growing and learning with honesty and humility.
- COMMUNITY – We seek a diverse set of perspectives to build understanding as we work toward our greater purpose.
- TENACITY – We pursue our goals relentlessly and take courageous steps to reach ambitious outcomes.
- INNOVATION – We challenge the status quo and take responsible risks in pursuit of meaningful impact.
- PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE – We believe all children can succeed and are committed to unleashing the potential inside every Rocketeer.
Position Description
The Chief Talent Officer (CTO) will play a pivotal role in shaping Rocketship’s next chapter, ensuring the exceptional talent and leadership needed to elevate its school model, accelerate student achievement, and grow its impact across the country. Reporting to the CEO and serving on the Network Executive Team, the CTO will lead Rocketship's network talent strategy across Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Relations and Compliance, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Rewards, and Systems.
Rocketship is at an exciting point in its evolution, expanding into new communities, scaling existing regions, and continuing to innovate. The next phase requires a Talent function that can evolve alongside those ambitions. The CTO will build on Rocketship’s foundation while raising the bar for what is possible. They will foster a culture of high expectations through accountability and support, build a proactive talent engine from pipeline through retention, strengthen the systems needed to scale, and increase the talent and leadership capacity Rocketship needs for the future.
The ideal candidate is a results-driven leader who can help Rocketship navigate its next phase of growth while strengthening performance. They balance a strong enterprise perspective with an understanding of what is needed on the ground, using data to guide decisions. They are highly relational and collaborative, especially with Executive Directors and regional teams, in their ability to earn trust across school, regional, and network teams and bring people along through change.
Year 1 priorities include a stronger focus on Teachers and School Leaders that broadens in subsequent years:
- Lead a major transformation of how Talent operates by refining the operating model and building the systems, processes, tools, data, and accountabilities needed to enable more consistent, data-driven Talent decisions and execution across schools, regions, functions, and the network.
- Build a high-performing Talent Acquisition engine for school-based roles, with an initial focus on teachers and school leaders. Strengthen pipelines, recruitment and selection practices, service levels, and accountability to improve hiring speed, quality, and outcomes.
- Raise the bar on performance and manager effectiveness by strengthening managers’ ability to set clear expectations, coach and develop their teams, give timely and actionable feedback, differentiate performance, retain strong performers, and address underperformance effectively.
- Redesign and standardize the employee lifecycle for teachers and school leaders, creating clear, end-to-end experiences from recruitment and hiring through onboarding, development, performance, retention, and transitions with clear ownership, handoffs, and expectations across teams and regions.
- Elevate teacher and school leader experience and engagement across schools by identifying the most important drivers of teacher eNPS, translating employee feedback into visible action, and improving communication, follow-through, and the day-to-day experience towards Rocketship being a great place to work.
Essential Functions
Team Leadership and Network Partnership:
- Lead and develop a high-performing Talent organization, including three direct reports, by setting a clear theory of action and standards of excellence across Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Relations and Compliance, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, and Rewards & Systems, while building leadership capacity and a culture of collaboration, service, and accountability.
- Partner strategically with Regional Executive Directors and school leadership teams across Rocketship’s four regions - California, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. - to tailor Talent strategies and build scalable systems and practices that drive alignment and effective implementation across the organization.
- Establish strong feedback loops between regions, functions, and the network Talent team, using staff feedback and engagement data, including eNPS, to inform priorities and actions that strengthen team member experience and retention.
Talent Acquisition and Strategy:
- Set the network-wide Talent Acquisition and employer brand strategy that strengthens Rocketship’s ability to attract and assess top talent and consistently meet hiring needs across schools and the network.
- Build scalable, best-in-class recruiting systems and processes, including clear service levels, standardized workflows, and operating practices that improve speed, consistency, and candidate experience across all regions.
- Partner with Directors of Talent to strengthen regional pipelines and succession planning, using workforce planning and talent data to guide recruitment priorities and build strong talent pools for critical roles.
- Strengthen candidate assessment and selection frameworks through structured interviews, scorecards, simulations, and other rigorous approaches to assess and select top talent equipped to deliver on organizational priorities and drive strong instructional and school outcomes.
- Drive data-informed decision-making and accountability through clear performance metrics, dashboards, and funnel reviews tied to sourcing, pipelines, and hiring outcomes.
Team Member Experience and Culture Systems:
- Foster a high-performance culture where team members have clear expectations, collaborate effectively, receive meaningful feedback, and have access to opportunities to build the skills needed to excel in their roles and grow at Rocketship.
- Partner closely with the Chief Academic Officer and Program team to establish a shared approach and philosophy for talent development across Rocketship, with career pathways for all team members and leaders to advance student outcomes.
- Oversee onboarding for network staff from their first day forward, ensuring new team members have a consistent, high-quality experience that builds connection to Rocketship’s culture, expectations, and ways of working.
- Advise national, regional, and school leaders on promotion, performance improvement, and separation decisions, reinforcing a high-performance, at-will culture through clear guidance and consistent application.
- Support the Program team to build leadership capacity and develop a strong foundation across both instructional and non-instructional roles by defining and establishing strong people management practices and developing managers, particularly first-time managers, to effectively coach, develop, and lead their teams.
Human Resources and Performance Management:
- Lead the Human Resources function across all regions and functions, ensuring strong employee relations, compliance, and risk mitigation while establishing clear, consistent HR policies and practices that account for state and local requirements.
- Oversee HRIS, analytics, and reporting to ensure Workday and Talent data are reliable, trusted, and actionable on engagement, retention, performance, and other key workforce trends.
- Strengthen performance management practices by improving evaluation processes, establishing clear expectations and performance standards, and driving greater consistency and accountability across the network.
- Shape compensation and rewards strategies in partnership with Total Rewards, Finance, and Network Executives to remain competitive for critical roles while aligning with organizational priorities and financial sustainability.
Qualifications
- 12-15 years of progressive Talent and Human Resources experience, including senior-level leadership of a Talent function within a complex, multi-site or multi-regional organization.
- Deep Talent Acquisition and workforce strategy experience, including transforming recruiting, talent pipelines, service levels, selection practices, and accountability for hiring outcomes.
- Experience in charter schools, education, or similarly complex organizations where attracting, developing, and retaining strong talent is critical to advancing organizational priorities and meeting regional and school needs.
- Experience building a high-performance culture and manager capacity through coaching, feedback, goal-setting, performance differentiation, and accountability for results.
- Skilled at building strong partnerships across organizational levels, navigating a matrixed environment, and aligning diverse stakeholders to raise standards and drive meaningful improvement.
- High data fluency, with experience using talent analytics, dashboards, and HR systems such as Workday to identify trends, inform priorities, and drive measurable improvements in workforce outcomes.
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly to Rocketship’s regions and schools to provide strategic guidance and remain connected to teams and the work on the ground.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration, Education, or a related field preferred.
Application
To apply, please submit your resume to resumes@leveledtalent.com. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so it is in the candidates’ best interest to apply as soon as possible.
Please note: Only applicants who submit materials through our search partner Leveled Talent will be considered.
This position is ideally based in one of Rocketship’s regions, with preferred locations including the Bay Area, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Nashville, Tennessee; and Washington, DC. Regular travel to regions nationwide is required, with up to 40-60% travel expected during the first year.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
Compensation:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.
Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy. For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.
