Senior Director of Operations

ABOUT GANN

Gann Academy is a pluralistic Jewish high school that challenges students to cultivate their talents and interests in all areas of human potential: intellectual, artistic, spiritual, and physical. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace culture where individuals of diverse backgrounds thrive and work together to achieve the school’s mission.

SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Campus Operations is a vital leadership position reporting to the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, responsible for ensuring that Gann’s operational departments—including security, transportation, facilities, IT, food services, rentals, events, and athletics—function seamlessly to support a safe, efficient, and enriching environment for the school community. This role involves strategic oversight, accountability, and contract management, emphasizing clear and effective communication across all levels. The Senior Director ensures that department heads are well-supported and that all messaging reflects Gann’s mission and standards. Working closely with department leads, the Senior Director drives strategic planning, optimizes resource allocation, and ensures that Gann’s offerings evolve to meet changing needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Facilities Management: Oversee the Director of Facilities and provide strategic oversight of campus facilities, ensuring that the Gann maintains proper staffing, cost-effective procurement, and ongoing campus maintenance. This includes long-term campus planning, capital projects, and vendor negotiations to support high facility standards and budget efficiency.
• Information Technology (IT): Oversee the IT team, maintaining relationships with outsourced IT providers and ensuring technology resources meet school needs. Manage high-level IT budget planning and long-term projects.
• Food Services: Manage the Food Services Director to support cost-effective procurement and align menu planning with student needs, ensuring high food quality and service standards.
• School Transportation: Collaborate with the Director of Business Operations to ensure all transportation needs are met, including route planning, pricing, and parent communication, with the Senior Director responsible for negotiating transportation contracts.
• School Security: Oversee the security function, working with the Director of Business Operations and Facilities Director to ensure appropriate staffing, training, and comprehensive safety protocols. The Senior Director manages all security contracts and ensures that campus safety standards are upheld.
• Rentals: Serve as the main point of contact for campus rentals, oversee contract management, and support external facility use.
• Events Management: Oversee the Events Manager to ensure successful planning and budgeting for internal and external events, communicate with stakeholders, and prioritize community engagement and Gann’s standards.
• Athletics: Supervise the Athletics Director to ensure timely hiring, onboarding, and budget adherence for coaches. Support the evolution of Gann’s athletics and wellness programs to align with school goals.
• Additional Administrative Responsibilities: Perform other duties as assigned to advance Gann’s mission and operational excellence.
• Communication Excellence – Outstanding written and verbal communication skills are essential for this role. The Senior Director must be capable of clear, effective writing to produce reports, presentations, and documentation, as well as strong interpersonal skills to foster positive, productive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including staff, vendors, and community members.
• Technology Proficiency—A high comfort level with technology is essential. The candidate must be proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel (exporting and analyzing data, creating budgets, and managing lists or large datasets) and PowerPoint (preparing reports and presentations).
• Leadership and People Management – Demonstrated skill in managing teams, building relationships, and fostering a positive, collaborative work environment. A commitment to empathy and active listening is vital to supporting staff and ensuring their success.
• Project Management – Proven ability to lead complex projects, ensuring quality, timeliness, and adherence to budget constraints.
• Collaboration – A true team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment, willing to support the team’s success wherever needed
• Adaptability – Responsive and flexible, able to manage shifting priorities with ease.
• Systematic Thinker – A strategic, systems-oriented thinker who can streamline processes, create efficiencies, and improve operational performance.
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Proactively seek new solutions and improvements, contributing ideas to advance school goals.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Progressively responsible experience in senior operations roles, ideally, but not required, within an educational setting
• Experience in facilities and physical plant management
• Familiarity with managing multiple departments and a complex set of responsibilities

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct oversight of the Director of Facilities, Events Manager, Athletics Director, IT team, and Director of Food Services

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Proficiency in English is required to carry out work as assigned effectively.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical demands include dexterity for office machine/supply operation, including but not limited to computers, telephones, copy machines, and printers. Stooping, bending, and reaching for files or supplies, occasionally lifting up to 20 pounds, and sitting or standing for extended periods are common. May work in varied extreme outside weather conditions during workday and/or special activities

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Gann Academy is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the school to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression), and pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veteran status.

ACCOMMODATION

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis.

E-VERIFY

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot prove that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.