Program Manager, K-12 Schooling Office

About the Role

The mission of Success Academy is to reimagine public education. From the classroom to the halls of government, this means finding profoundly different approaches to how we structure, implement and support learning. We re-conceive every aspect of school design, from writing rigorous new curricula to drawing regularly on the advances in technology and business that are transforming every sector except education.

Over the past decade, Success Academy has grown faster than any charter network in the nation, building a vibrant network of 59 elementary, middle and high schools. Our over 20,000 children – mostly poor and minority – are out-performing students at top city and suburban schools across New York State. Within the next decade, our goals are even more ambitious, bringing transformational change here and across the country.

Within this mission, the Schooling Program & Services organization brings together the shared capabilities required to operate a network of world-class schools within a single, clearly organized structure. Across every pillar, the organization is grounded in disciplined execution, defined KPIs, strong data systems, and AI-enabled processes that reduce repetitive work and allow teams to focus on judgment, analysis, and decision-making.

We are seeking a Program Manager, K–12 Schooling Office (Internal Title: Senior Specialist, K-12 Schooling Office) to join the Schooling Office within Schooling Program & Services. This individual contributor will own several core areas of work, including Field Studies, Network-to-School coordination and events, and the academic calendar. The role carries significant ownership and autonomy, with responsibility for driving these workstreams from planning through execution.

Reporting to the Leader, Schooling Office (K-12), the Specialist ensures schools have clear information, reliable systems, and well-managed processes for the operational work that is foundational to running excellent schools. The role coordinates the academic calendar and operational planning sequence, recurring school-facing communications, field studies (school and class trips), school-based media requests, and major school-facing events including tours, Excellence Awards, and Commencement & Gala. The Specialist uses and continuously improves existing AI-enabled planning, scheduling, and logistics tools and leads the redesign of additional workflows, including tour coordination.

This role is ideal for a highly organized design thinker and strong program manager who excels at execution, operates with significant autonomy, and communicates confidently with School Leaders and executives. The ideal candidate uses data, AI, and process redesign to simplify complex workflows, reduce manual work, and continuously improve how schools are supported.

Key Responsibilities

Network-to-School Coordination

• Act as the bridge between central-office ("Network") teams and schools, ensuring school leaders receive clear, timely, and coordinated information and that Network initiatives are implemented consistently across schools.
• Own the academic calendar and operational planning sequence, coordinating inputs across central-office teams and communicating decisions, deadlines, and updates to schools.
• Own recurring school-facing communications, managing the cadence, content, and distribution channels that keep school leaders and staff informed of key decisions, deadlines, and updates.
• Serve as the primary liaison between schools and central-office teams for school-based media requests, including photo and video shoots.

Field Studies (School & Class Trips)

• Own the year-long Field Studies program end-to-end, from trip scheduling and school planning support through day-of logistics.
• Use and continuously improve existing AI-enabled planning, scheduling, and logistics tools as the Field Studies program scales.
• Manage the Field Studies budget and vendor logistics, including bus booking and toll payment workflows.
• Produce high-quality executive reporting on program performance against success metrics to inform strategic decisions.

School-Facing Events

• Own execution of school-facing and network-wide events, including school tours, Excellence Awards, and Commencement & Gala, coordinating across schools, the Creative/communications team, and central-office partners.
• Lead the AI-enabled redesign of tour coordination, automating manual coordination while maintaining a high-touch experience for VIP visits.
• Manage the end-to-end workflow for gathering and reviewing Excellence Awards nominations in partnership with the Creative/communications team.
• Ensure every event reflects Success Academy standards for quality, preparation, and follow-through.

AI-Enabled Continuous Improvement

• Use AI to streamline repetitive coordination, communications, scheduling, data validation, and reporting.
• Identify manual, duplicative, or error-prone processes across both functions and redesign them, building clear quality checks and escalation points into workflows.
• Use data to diagnose recurring operational challenges, forecast needs, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and student outcomes.
• Document workflows and standard operating procedures so processes are system-dependent rather than person-dependent and can scale reliably across schools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 4-6 years of experience in program management, project management, operations, or a related field, with a track record of owning work end-to-end.
• Exceptional attention to detail and high standards of excellence, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and concisely to school leaders, executives, and central-office teams.
• Experience managing budgets and vendor logistics.
• Experience workflow platforms preferred.
• Skilled in using Google Workspace tools (e.g., Sheets, Docs, Slides) and AI technologies to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adjust to changing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and listening skills, with the ability to build positive relationships across teams and schools.
• High level of autonomy, accountability, discretion, and judgment.
• Mission-driven, with a commitment to educational equity and strong outcomes for students.

Attributes:

• Thrives with high autonomy and takes full ownership of a broad portfolio from start to finish.
• Brings a school-facing service orientation: responsive, reliable, and trusted by school leaders.
• Enjoys building systems, redesigning processes, and bringing clarity to complex work.
• Uses data, evidence, and AI to drive decisions and improve execution.
• Communicates clearly, directly, and professionally with stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrates curiosity about AI, automation, and new ways of working.

Compensation, Benefits & Perks

At Success Academy, we invest boldly in our Network team with a comprehensive package designed to support your health, financial future, and overall well-being:

• Day-One Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision coverage starting your first day (SA covers 82% of our core medical plan), plus a free One Medical membership and confidential mental health support via EAP/Talkspace.
• Financial Security: 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match, up to $2,400/year in employer HSA contributions, employer-paid life/disability insurance, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility.
• Time to Recharge: Generous paid time off, paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Perks & Stipends: A $50/month cellphone stipend ($600/year), pre-tax commuter benefits, backup family care, and performance-based earning incentives.