Associate Partner, Innovative Public Schools

OPPORTUNITY

Nationally recognized nonprofit venture philanthropy seeks to hire an Associate Partner on the Innovative Public Schools Team to find, fund, and support the next generation of innovative public schools in PK-12 education.

ORGANIZATION

NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. We bridge the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of K-12 education. We envision an education system that keeps its promise to all students. That’s why we invest in the ideas and energy of education leaders and entrepreneurs who are advancing innovative solutions that expand the definition of what works. There’s a better way to advance education through philanthropy—one that is more equitable, more collaborative, and more courageous–and we’re proving it every day. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Innovative Public Schools (IPS) team at NewSchools Venture Fund seeks an Associate Partner, Management Assistance (AP) to join a passionate, mission-driven team supporting new public schools through their first through third years of operation. In this role, you will serve as both a trusted thought partner to charter and district school leaders navigating the complexity of founding schools and a contributor to the evidence-based investment decisions that determine how NewSchools deploys its resources to accelerate student outcomes. The AP holds a portfolio of Y1-Y3 schools from their first day of operation through Year 3, and that continuity of relationship, information, and judgment is the foundation of everything else this role does. You will work remotely from anywhere in the U.S. This role requires up to 25% travel for in-person team meetings, retreats, and school site visits.

Your legacy at NewSchools will include:

Lead the design and execution of management assistance for portfolio schools in years 1-3:

• Own the design and execution of the management assistance strategy for schools in Year 1-3 of operation. including structures, relationships, and partners. Work in close partnership with other IPS team members to ensure coherence across the full arc of support from Year 0 through Year 3.
• Design and deliver impactful and inspiring adult learning experiences for our ventures, including communities of practice, peer consultancy, and collective problem-solving formats differentiated by stage, model, and need. 
• Curate and engage outside experts and facilitators to lead relevant sessions and provide targeted support, and facilitate sessions yourself where appropriate.
• Manage relationships with management assistance partners and vendors directly, coordinating access to coaching, consulting support, and tools matched to each school’s needs.
• Support Expanded Definition of Student Success research partnerships and high school work in coordination with the Research and Learning team through the impact reporting process. 

Serve as a trusted thought partner and relationship manager for a portfolio of schools in years 1-3: 

• Serve as relationship manager for up to 20 schools, conducting regular check-ins that lead with each school's priorities and push thinking rather than monitoring compliance. 
• Build deep knowledge of each school in your portfolio and draw on patterns across the broader portfolio to provide support that is targeted, timely, and grounded in what high-quality innovative schools looks like at each stage.
• Provide coaching to school leaders on a range of topics, including model implementation, instructional system design, impact measurement, and building a strong culture.
• Have courageous, timely conversations with school leaders and maintain honest, trust-based relationships.

Drive continuous improvement and meaning-making across the portfolio

• Continuously gather and synthesize qualitative and quantitative data from across the portfolio to identify what is working, where schools need support, and what the patterns mean for our selection and support strategies.
• Use portfolio insights to drive ongoing refinement of the launched schools management assistance strategy, ensuring our approach reflects what we are learning in real time.
• Document key learnings and insights about what it takes to build strong, sustainable schools that advance equity and an Expanded Definition of Student Success.
• Partner with team leads and the broader IPS team to elevate data and stories from the portfolio for thought leadership, field building, and external communications.
• Contribute to building NewSchools' influence in the field by surfacing and sharing what we are learning about common conditions and practices in strong and innovative schools.

Participate in annual investment processes 

• Participate in and support selection and diligence of school teams annually, both in the design and launch stages, contributing portfolio knowledge and relationship management insight to support strong investment decisions across the IPS portfolio.
• Contribute to investment process workstreams by supporting potential applicants, reviewing applications, conducting due diligence, and participating in selection meetings.
• Support the team in creating thorough, well-written investment memos for leadership and board approval when needed.
• Review interim and final reports from ventures and capture critical lessons learned to inform ongoing management assistance strategy and investment decisions.

Take on additional relationship management support and emergent strategy work as IPS team design and strategy priorities evolve

• Contribute to additional relationship management support needs across the portfolio as the team design evolves and caseloads are refined.
• Take on emergent strategy work and special projects that reflect new and evolving IPS priorities, working in close partnership with the team lead to determine scope, approach, and timeline.

EXPERIENCE 

• At least 8 years of professional experience in school leadership, education, management consulting, or philanthropy
• At least 5 years of experience serving as a school principal or coaching school principals
• Experience leading and/or founding strong innovative schools and/or experience coaching school leaders or early-stage entrepreneurs to reach greater success and sustainability in their work
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver impactful adult learning experiences, including communities of practice or professional learning communities
• Experience making or contributing to investment, funding, or high-stakes organizational decisions
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities amid ambiguity and complex change

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Passion for innovation, excellence and equity in public education 
• Demonstrated track record of working with high levels of excellence. High comfort with ambiguity and tolerance for risk 
• Strong strategic thinker with a deep understanding of the education landscape and network, especially related to the teaching profession, data, and measurement 
• A high degree of self-awareness and a demonstrated commitment to learning and continuous improvement 
• Strong project management skills and ability to balance coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency 
• Ability to influence without authority and commitment to high quality conversational capacity and communication skills 
• Belief in the power of philanthropy to create momentum for systems level change and a deep network across K-12 education, especially talent organizations 
• Believes in the potential of AI to strengthen K-12 education and organizational practices while demonstrating a commitment to building knowledge and experience as the landscape evolves
• Ability to toggle between operating at the strategic and implementation levels
• Comfort working in a small organization and team 
• Ability to travel up to 25% for in-person team meetings, retreats and conferences 

COMPENSATION 

A competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonus and employer-funded benefits is available. The starting salary range is $120,000 to $150,000 with the potential for an annual bonus of up to 5%. Final salary will be determined based on experience level and qualifications.

Applications submitted by Monday, July 6 will receive priority review. We encourage interested candidates to apply early, as the position may close once a sufficient candidate pool has been established.

NewSchools Venture Fund has a strong commitment to diversity. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Please note, applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.