▶  The Daily Operator

A leader who runs the building - arrival, dismissal, attendance, transportation, food service, custodial, technology, facilities. They know the schedule cold, they know which doors are locked and which are not, and they sweat the details that make a school feel safe and orderly. The trains run on time because they planned them to.

▶  The Family Front-Door Host

A leader who treats every family interaction as the family’s most important moment of the day. They greet by name, they pick up the phone, they reply same-day, and they make sure non-English speaking families have equal access to every piece of information. The front of the building feels warm and competent because they make it feel that way.

▶  The KPI Owner

A leader who owns the school’s operational numbers - enrollment, retention, attendance, family satisfaction - and tracks them the way an academic leader tracks reading scores. They notice when attendance softens on a Tuesday in October, and they have a plan for it on a Wednesday in October. Numbers are not a report; they are a daily tool.

▶  The Team Builder

A leader who builds a small operations team that can run the school even on their hardest days. They coach the Office Manager, the Front Desk Lead, and the Attendance Clerk with clear expectations, real feedback, and personal care. The team gets stronger every quarter because of them.

▶  The Whatever-It-Takes Doer

A leader with a “whatever it takes” disposition. When the bus is late, they find a solution. When the air conditioning fails in August, they have a plan by the end of the day. When the unexpected happens - and in a school, it always does - they meet it head on and find a way to the finish line.

• May 31: Application Due Date

• June 5: Phone Screens End

• June 8 - 12: Project Phase

• June 17 & 18: Virtual Semi-Finalist Round

• June 25: Final Interview Days (in-person in Denver, CO)

UNIVERSITY PREP

Position: Dean of Operations

Our Mission:

Building a foundation of skills, knowledge and character, University Prep educates every K-5 scholar for a four-year college degree and life of opportunity.

Why you’ll love us:

"We have been a part of the University Prep family from the beginning. Over the past school years, I've been so proud to see my child grow, learn, and get the support that I feel every child should receive.” – U Prep Parent 

At U Prep, we’re doing things differently. Three major focus areas drive our work each day, ensuring we stay true to the promises we make to every one of our families – a genuine life of opportunity for their child.

Vision - You can only dream as far as you can see - we make sure all of our students see what’s truly possible. All children deserve the opportunity to view the world that lives outside of their classrooms. Within our K - 5 experience our scholars are exposed to a range of colleges and careers that will become their future reality.

Academics - Academic excellence for every child sits at the center of our work. U Prep offers all scholars challenging, college prep content, along with the support and encouragement necessary to master it. We believe every child will achieve greatness when they are equally challenged, supported and loved.

Character - A focus on growing good students and good people is at the heart of our mission. U Prep knows that to succeed in life, scholars must have a strong and confident character.  Our schools go beyond a foundation of academic skills and knowledge with the development of our PREP values - Pride, Responsibility, Enthusiasm, and Perseverance.

Achieving big dreams takes hard work and a team effort. Our approach to education and the genuine partnership we build with our families means the possibilities for U Prep scholars are unlimited.

As passionate as we are about our children and families we are equally committed to our leaders and educators. Our package for leaders includes, but is not limited to the following:

Compensation & Benefits: 

-        Highly competitive starting salaries within the market:

o   Salary Range for Position: 90 – 100K (*New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and midpoint depending on experience, historic performance in similar roles, and in alignment with internal equity) (

-        100% of personal medical benefits covered & options to elect dental, vision, critical illness and accident benefits.

o   U Prep contributes up to $600 to a personal wellness account for each employee

-        Direct mentorship and ongoing coaching (weekly coaching cycles)

-        Engagement in U Prep Leader Academy

o   Weeklong training over the summer focused on all aspects of leadership (technical & adaptive)

o   Ongoing professional development sessions during the school year to continue building skill and expertise

-        Participation in Quarterly Leadership Retreats

o   Opportunity to strengthen relationships and connections with colleagues across the network

o   Time to step away from day-to-day work and dig in on key areas of focus for the long-term health of our schools

-        Engagement in weekly leadership team meetings with campus-based leadership teams.

Why we’ll love you:

Do the following ‘must haves’ resonate with how you’re wired? If so, we invite you to apply and can’t wait to learn more about you!

You're mission and values-driven. You are committed to educational equity for all children and are deeply aligned with the core values that drive our team and our organization at University Prep.

You love kids and families: You believe love for a child is best shown through delivering on the promise of a consistent, high-quality education in which all students achieve. You are committed to building and maintaining meaningful relationships with our families because you know the genuine partnership between school and home is essential.

You love working with people: You proactively build meaningful and authentic relationships, which positions you to effectively support and motivate those around. You push people to achieve more than they could or would on their own because you care about them.

You carry deep humility while remaining results-oriented: While you have experience in this work and possess many of the hard skills necessary to get the job done, you approach each scholar, adult, project and/or challenge with a fresh perspective and a learner’s disposition. You are open to new ideas and approaches while always keeping the end goal in sight.

You never give up: When things feel impossible, you roll up your sleeves, ready to do anything necessary to make them a reality because you know failure is not an option. You are calm and level-headed with an unyielding sense of optimism. You do what it takes to get the job done and motivate others to do the same.

You communicate effectively with others: Your communication skills are exceptional and you pride yourself on always sharing the “why” along with the “what.” You translate unfamiliar information to your colleagues in an easily understandable fashion. You work to listen and understand those around you and connect with them in meaningful ways. 

What you’ll do:

Leadership & Strategic Operations

●      Serve as a key member of the campus leadership team and operate as a leader of leaders.

●      Build strong operational systems that support academic success and an excellent school culture.

●      Lead with a solutions-oriented mindset by proactively identifying challenges, problem-solving, and ensuring operational excellence across the campus.

●      Partner closely with school leadership to implement strategic priorities, improve systems, and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

●      Model professionalism, adaptability, urgency, and accountability in all aspects of the role.

●      Lead and facilitate operational professional development for staff as needed.

●      Continuously improve campus systems, procedures, and operational efficiencies through feedback and data analysis.

●      Carry yourself as a servant leader, recognizing that the role of School Operations is to ensure that scholars, families and staff have the resources they need to successfully achieve our mission. 

Front Office & Office Management

●      Oversee all front office operations to ensure a welcoming, organized, and professional environment for scholars, families, staff, and visitors.

●      Manage day-to-day office operations and provide direct support to campus needs as they arise.

●      Ensure strong customer service systems are in place and that all stakeholders receive timely and solution-oriented support.

●      Supervise office systems including attendance, records management, communication systems, and operational workflows.

●      Maintain accurate scholar files, operational records, and compliance documentation while ensuring confidentiality.

●      Support staff with operational needs, scheduling, materials, and office coordination.

●      Manage campus-wide calendars, scheduling systems, and major operational timelines.

Family Engagement & Community Partnerships

●      Build strong relationships with families through proactive communication and responsive support.

●      Lead and coordinate family engagement initiatives and school-wide events, including family nights, orientations, celebrations, and community partnerships.

●      Ensure families receive clear, timely, and professional communication regarding school operations and events.

●      Support enrollment, registration, and onboarding processes for new scholars and families.

Staff Operations & Team Management

●      Manage operational staff performance, coaching, scheduling, and accountability systems.

●      Oversee staff PTO systems, tracking, approvals, and communication to ensure operational coverage and continuity.

●      Support hiring, onboarding, and training of operations team members.

●      Ensure staff are trained on operational procedures, emergency protocols, and compliance expectations.

●      Foster a collaborative and positive team culture focused on service, efficiency, and student-centered operations.

Vendor & District Partnership Management

●      Manage relationships with external vendors and contracted service providers, including transportation, custodial, facilities, nursing, and nutrition services.

●      Serve as the primary operational liaison with DPS departments including Facilities, Nutrition Services, Transportation, and other district partners.

●      Ensure vendor services meet school expectations, operational standards, and compliance requirements.

●      Monitor vendor performance, resolve operational concerns, and escalate issues when necessary.

Facilities, Safety & Compliance

●      Ensure the campus environment is safe, clean, organized, and aligned with University Prep standards.

●      Lead campus safety systems including emergency preparedness plans, drills, crisis response procedures, and operational compliance.

●      Partner with DPS Facilities to address maintenance requests, campus improvements, and facility-related needs.

●      Oversee operational compliance with district, organizational, and state requirements.

●      Ensure timely completion of operational reports, deadlines, audits, and administrative responsibilities.

Logistics & School Operations

●      Oversee logistics and operational planning for field trips, testing, after-school programming, special events, and school-wide initiatives.

●      Manage purchasing systems, inventory, vendor orders, and supply coordination.

●      Support technology coordination and operational systems management across the campus.

●      Jump in to support operational and campus needs wherever necessary to ensure smooth daily operations and a positive school experience for all stakeholders.

Position Requirements:

●      Full commitment to, belief in, and alignment with mission and vision of University Prep.

●      Full commitment to organization’s core values, core identity statement and intentional efforts in establishing a diverse,

     inclusive work/learning environment for all     .

●      Unyielding optimism that children can perform at or above grade level regardless of where they may be starting their educational journey.

●      Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree.

●           Minimum of three years working in public education.

●      Strong track record of success in building positive staff, student and parent relationships.

●      Excellent verbal and written skills.

●      Demonstration of cultural competence and a humility/commitment to continue growing in this area.

●      Strong organizational skills as evidenced by exceptional time and task management.

●      Openness to feedback and a strong desire for continual growth and development as a professional.

●      Willingness to take responsibility for the role that school operations takes in accomplishing scholar outcomes and achievement without excuse.

●      Ability to work full-time, including some evenings and weekends along with a “whatever it takes” disposition given the responsibilities of a leader to drive game changing outcomes.

●      Ability to work in person/in the school building. This is not remote/telecommuting role.

●      Bilingual required (English/Spanish).

As an equal opportunity employer, University Prep hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.