Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff Role 

The Urban Assembly, a family of schools and provider of school support solutions, is seeking a Chief of Staff to support the local and national growth of the organization. The successful candidate will build the role as part of a close-knit team helping schools to become more rigorous and more equitable. As Chief of Staff, you will support and work with the CEO to develop organization strategy and advance initiatives, take on special projects, and improve people development structures. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys taking an organization-wide perspective and is an effective contributor to senior leadership strategy and decision-making. 

The Urban Assembly 

The Urban Assembly (UA) is a non-profit model provider of school support solutions that boost school and student performance. Under the mission of advancing students’ social and economic mobility by improving public education, the UA provides schools and districts with innovative data-driven, student-centered approaches to career and technical education, academics, social-emotional learning, and postsecondary access and success. The (UA) founded a network of unique, small public secondary schools throughout NYC. UA schools are open to all students, and our goal is to prepare 100% of UA graduates for success in the 21st century economy. 

The UA’s Commitment to Equity 

The UA values the uniqueness that each student brings into our schools, and our work honors the various social and cultural contexts from which they come. We acknowledge the historical barriers created by education systems to perpetuate the social inequities that keep students of color from accessing postsecondary and career opportunities - and commit to dismantling these barriers. 

Job Description 

This role has a hand in all aspects of leadership for a growing staff of professionals who support public schools. Currently the Urban Assembly employs 30 people. The Chief of Staff will assist the CEO and senior leadership team to develop and implement the strategic priorities of the organization. The role includes acting as problem solver, strategic partner, and project coordinator. It also involves maintaining a birds’ eye view of the organization and leading change where needed in processes and procedures. This role reports to the CEO and involves collaborating closely to accomplish the work of the organization. 

Responsibilities 

• Act as a strategic thought partner for the CEO; support development of organizational strategy by collecting data, developing options, and presenting recommendations.
• Lead collaboration across different teams in the organization to accomplish cross-functional priorities. Review, design, and execute on improvements to organization structure. Support and ensure successful execution of organization-wide projects.
• Maintain communications with both internal and external stakeholders, including the UA board. Manage internal organizational communications among the staff.
• Develop and maintain systems for hiring, performance management, and people development
• Coordinate staff and board meetings. Develop agendas and supporting materials; coordinate notes and minutes; ensure action items are resolved.
• Support the CEO by prioritizing and delegating projects and ensuring preparation for meetings and other events. 

We expect the work to be broad ranging, requiring someone who can jump into a variety of different roles. As a growing organization, we expect that the specific needs will shift over time. A proactive and flexible mindset will be essential for success. 

Qualifications 

To be most effective in this role, you must be a highly effective communicator (verbal and written), both a strategic and tactical thinker with a bias towards action, and a proactive “people motivator” who inspires others to do excellent work. Additional qualifications include: 

• At least 6 years of experience in organizational or program administration, with a preference for leadership roles.
• Experience with people development and HR systems
• Superior planning capabilities
• Strong project management skills
• A proactive approach to managing complex cross-team initiatives
• Ability to quickly switch contexts and manage multiple projects, both high-level and detail-oriented, simultaneously.
• Strong empathy for others, and tact in difficult situations or when working with colleagues. Able to build a collaborative environment, diffuse difficult situations, and develop a thriving, engaged staff.
• Adaptable to work on almost any task; able to learn quickly and implement ideas, and able to refer back to detailed information to ensure matching work output.
• Experience demonstrating discretion and good judgment in identifying and responding to sensitive topics.

As a fast-moving and growing organization, we value both relevant experience and an entrepreneurial spirit very highly. 

Salary and Benefits 

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent benefits package; including employer-funded healthcare, monthly MetroCard, financial support for professional development, and generous vacation time. 

The UA is committed to building a diverse team. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. 

Interested and qualified applicants, please email a resume and cover letter to Kristin Kearns-Jordan at jobs-hr@urbanassembly.org. Please include your name and the words “Chief of Staff” in the subject line. 

What to Expect After Applying: 

The UA team will review applications on a rolling basis. Candidates moving forward in the interview process will be contacted by email regarding a phone screening, followed by an in-person interview and performance task.