Executive Operations Director, R&D

At Curriculum Associates (CA), we believe a diverse team leads to diversity in thinking, making our products better for teachers and students. If you read this job description, feel energized by what you see here, and believe you could bring passion and commitment to the role, but you aren’t sure you meet every qualification, please apply! Above all, we are looking for the right person!

The Executive Operations Director is responsible for planning and implementing key initiatives, as well as optimizing operations, for a key C-level executive. Acting as a “right-hand” and neutral confidant to the executive, this role focuses on making time, information and decisions processes more effective. The role ensures that initiatives and general operations are run effectively and include clear communication, data, and documented outcomes. The role is typically a rotational role designed to prepare the individual for a senior operational role at CA. The person has proven operational leadership experience, is a culture champion that models CA values, and has the potential to grow into an executive leader through the development that comes as a part of successfully executing in this role. Finally, the person is passionate about education and improving the outcomes of students and teachers. 

The Impact You'll Have

• Implement and optimize proactive, repeatable processes and playbooks to drive strong educator/customer and employee experiences.

• Proactively plan and manage initiatives and change management of tools and processes that drive the use of technology, efficiency of scale, productivity, and business outcomes.

• Inform department strategy with consideration of long-term impact and equity.

• Support the development of roadmaps in line with strategic priorities and meet regularly with leaders to identify ongoing needs in support of or counter to the roadmap.

• Inspire department around common goals and align day-to-day work with CA’s mission and strategy while preparing for foreseen and previously unidentified challenges.

• Represent the view of the executive in key meetings and communicate key messages, ensuring a strong link between the executive and the broader organization. Run some of R&D’s ongoing meeting series like Quarterly All-Hands and Quarterly Planning meetings.

• Proactively identify trends and anticipate problems that can boost or threaten the business and work with cross functional leadership to bolster or address.

• Identify workstreams that are siloed and facilitate getting them connected.

• Set up communication strategies with clear ongoing objectives for cross-functional team meetings and working groups for key initiatives.

• Manage agenda and drive team and project meetings, distribute action items and notes, and manage follow up.

• Participate in budget reviews, research budget spend, and make recommendations to optimize.

• Manage and report out on KPIs.

• Partner and influence cross functionally to drive cross functional initiatives and operational efficiencies.

• Facilitate and broker difficult conversations within and across teams to ensure all say it like it is with grace and get to positive outcomes.

• Understand all sides of an issue to be able to provide a wide-ranging and honest perspective.

• Set targets for management development that allows for continuous improvement and growth.

• Drive a “one team” mindset, offering recommendations centered in what is best for educators and students, as well as our employee well-being.

• Guide and support leaders by gracefully providing equitable, direct, open, and honest feedback, dedicating time to understand their needs, and removing roadblocks with creative solutions to facilitate an environment where business and performance targets are exceeded.

• Enable professional learning across R&D teams through more organized awareness of opportunities, identifying learning needs, and building/leading sessions.

• Support specific one-off org initiatives.

Who We're Looking For:

• Proven track record of success with driving critical projects, process optimization and overall operations for a scaling organization that delivers high quality service. 

• Proven ability to communicate effectively, collaborate, persuade, and engage multiple team members, stakeholders, and key partners/customers at various levels of an organization, as well as inspire and drive innovation and change in teams.

• Demonstrated operational excellence with an affinity for a metrics-driven, results-driven approach with clearly defined business outcomes.

• Ability to work independently to drive initiatives and operations with superior problem-solving skills.

• Experience in identifying how equity may influence or impact each decision or situation. 

• Openness and responsiveness to feedback, with a commitment to self-awareness and consideration of impact, strengths and missed opportunities.  

• Able to handle ambiguity, handle multiple priorities and navigate professionally through stressful situations, pressing deadlines, and a fast-paced environment.

• Curious and ongoing learner with a relentless drive for improvement that exhibits the ability to learn and incorporate new and complex concepts quickly and bring outside best practices into the company, with continuous evaluation of business and technology opportunities, to ensure the team consistently questions decisions, identifies best practices, and drives improvement.

• Lead by modeling CA’s Values and Leadership Competencies in all interactions and communication. 

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree is required.

• 10+ years experience, with some of those years as the leader of an operation and a team.

• A strong leadership track record of hiring and retaining exceptionally high-performing, diverse teams, and motivating others to create an inclusive culture.

• Experienced in cross-functional process optimization work with customer and/or employee experience as a key component.

• Proven excellence in written and verbal communications.

• Demonstrated values-based team leadership, growth, collaboration, and decision-making experience.

• Inclusive interpersonal and business partnership skills: ability to build trust and dependability demonstrated by a long track record of influencing others, and building productive, collaborative, and supportive relationships with functional leaders across an organization. 

Benefits and Pay Range:

Pay Range – This role’s range is $110,500. - $196,500. The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that Curriculum Associates considers in making compensation decisions based on our Compensation Philosophy. Actual base pay within that range will vary based upon several factors including, but not limited to, prior experience and relevant skill sets. At Curriculum Associates, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances for each case. This role is also eligible to participate in the company bonus plan. The Company recognizes that minimum wage varies by location and will ensure all compensation decisions comply with applicable state and local laws.

Benefits – Benefit eligible employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401k plan and receive an employer match. Employees have access to a flexible vacation and sick policy in addition to twelve paid holidays and a winter office closure between Christmas and New Year's, as well as a number of additional perks and benefits.