Director of Strategy

Started by Families, Focused on Students Developing Scholars in East San José We were founded by families in East San José who wanted stronger academics and more support for their children. Alpha is a free, TK-12 public charter school system on a mission to prepare the next generation of leaders in East San José. Alpha Public Schools is a network of four public charter schools committed to providing access to an outstanding education. Join us as we prepare students in TK-12th grade for success in college and career. Who we are: Alpha Public Schools is a public charter school network of four schools educating approximately 1,900 scholars in east San Jose. Guided by the belief that our students belong in college, we ensure safe, inclusive, and student-centered learning environments to help our students thrive. What sets us apart is the very thing that makes us who we are – our community. Alpha was founded by a group of mothers on the eastside of San Jose who sought better educational opportunities for their students. We maintain a strong connection to our community and engage families in a collaborative approach to offer a holistic education to our students. Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, the Director of Strategy is a cross-functional leader responsible for shaping and realizing Alpha Public Schools’ strategy. This individual drives high-impact initiatives that align with our mission and strategic goals while overseeing the organization’s multi-year and annual strategic planning processes. This role requires frequent collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure alignment and success. By providing a strategic lens and effective project management, the Director of Strategy supports the organization in achieving its long-term objectives while fostering innovation and continuous improvement. We are seeking passionate individuals who embody Alpha’s mission, vision and core beliefs: leaders who believe that all students can learn, that our scholars belong in college, and that student growth is a reflection of the teacher’s practice. We are looking for leaders who are reflective in their practice and are willing to engage in conversations around educational equity. We're committed to finding leaders who value and amplify the diverse experiences of our staff and scholars and their families, and who care deeply about addressing the inequities that exist in education. The salary range for this role is $106,496 - $119,988. What you’ll do… Strategic Planning and Alignment - Facilitate the development and implementation of Alpha’s multi-year strategic plan and annual organizational priorities, engaging key stakeholders throughout. - Facilitate the annual planning process, guided by our multi-year strategy and key accountability metrics, and in collaboration with the Schools, Finance, Talent, and Operations teams. - Oversee the development of each school’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), ensuring a high-quality work product that is aligned to Alpha’s strategy and meets the requirements of the state and our authorizers. - Develop and refine systems, processes, and frameworks to support efficient project execution and alignment with the Alpha’s mission, vision, and strategy. - Collaborate with the Director of Data & Analytics to ensure leaders and staff have access to the data they need to execute on our strategy Project Leadership and Execution - Lead the successful planning, development, and completion of major organizational projects, including initiatives aligned to Alpha’s multi-year strategy as well as other special projects. - Drive progress on assigned projects by facilitating planning meetings, drafting implementation plans, monitoring progress, and preparing reports for leadership and stakeholders. - Develop and implement strategic solutions to address challenges or surprises, working closely with the Chief Strategy Officer to execute resolutions effectively. - During renewal years, project manage Alpha’s charter renewal process, including oversight of petition development, facilitation of the renewals core team, and leader preparation. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication - Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to foster collaboration, engagement, and cross-functional alignment. - Act as a liaison between various teams, ensuring alignment and clear communication across departments. - Prepare and present updates on project progress, outcomes, and next steps to leadership and other key stakeholders. Organizational Improvement and Innovation - Identify opportunities for operational and organizational improvements and lead efforts to implement innovative solutions. - Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of projects, applying lessons learned to future initiatives. - Support accountability efforts by staying informed of relevant regulations and working with Alpha’s executive leadership team to ensure adherence. You possess… - Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in leading, planning, and implementing strategic initiatives and/or projects in a complex organization. You have the ability to develop and/or utilize tools and resources, including technology, that provide structure and process for successful project implementation. - Adaptive project management skills. You thrive on navigating change by providing structure while remaining flexible to accommodate the unknown factors that arise during a project. You learn from discovery by assessing the outcomes of the decisions taken in previous stages and adjusting accordingly. - Analytical skills. You have the ability to identify relevant data and analyze it to innovatively problem-solve and make decisions. You can detect patterns, interpret data, and find the relevant narrative based on the multiple factors and options available to you. - Experience working in K-12 education, ideally in a charter management organization, and/or experience working in management consulting or a related field. You stand out by being… - Highly organized and self-directed. You take initiative and organize your work with the information provided, and take responsibility for your learning. You are able to organize yourself and your stakeholders in the way that best meets the needs of the outcome. - A cross-functional utility player. Your skills span multiple functions. You value working collaboratively, and with colleagues of various functional expertise. You can support and/or motivate a team with different skill sets, responsibilities and approaches to work together to perform specific tasks. - Effective in translating plans into action. You embrace change and effectively manage up, down, and laterally to bring about that change. You know that plans and strategy only matter if they are implemented. Effective change management is a way of being for you: you thrive on working with stakeholders to bring new plans and ideas to life, and building the conditions for sustained behavior change. - An emotionally intelligent collaborator. You bring others together in service of a stronger outcome, and you contribute to a healthy team culture. You are an effective verbal and written communicator who is tuned in to the needs and perspectives of your stakeholders, and you are effective in bringing people together across lines of difference. Join our team… To apply for this position, please submit a resume online. Alpha Public Schools is a network of four public charter schools founded by a group of East San José mothers dedicated to helping transform their community. We have a strong growth mindset – as individuals, as an organization, and on behalf of our students and families. We want to be better tomorrow than we are today. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds. Salary is competitive and compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package. Questions? Contact us at [email protected]