The position will be based on years of experience and education.
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
The Co-op School was founded in 2003 by a group of parents who saw the need for a high-quality and affordable preschool option in the Clinton Hill and Fort Greene neighborhoods. Since then, the Co-op School has matured from a small, parent-run playgroup to a fully staffed and licensed non-profit school.
After residing in two prior homes in Clinton Hill, The Co-op School moved into 87 Irving Place in the fall of 2009. In 2011, The Co-op School launched the first kindergarten class of its elementary program at 40 Brevoort Place. In 2019, we opened our doors at 644 Gates Avenue in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood—in a 3,500-square-foot building with a double-height gym, a rooftop library, and two playgrounds—housing our preschool, lower school, and middle school students under one roof.
OUR MISSION
The mission of The Co-op School is to inspire passion and teach children to become protagonists in their own educational journey by fostering their innate sense of curiosity and creativity. The Co-op School facilitates joyful learning through a unique and rigorous constructivist approach that listens to and honors the individual interests and strengths of each child. The Co-op School doesn’t just belong to the students and educators but extends to the family community as a whole. It belongs to those who participate in it and is a more resilient and creative place because of it.
JOB SUMMARY
The Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) plays a critical role at our school, managing financial and physical resources, overseeing Business Office operations, Human Resources, Facilities/Maintenance, and Safety and Security functions. Cash-flow management, asset investment strategizing, and accurate budget projection are key financial responsibilities of this position. Additionally, physical plant oversight, compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and risk-management analysis are essential operational aspects of the role. The DFO collaborates with the Board of Trustees, Head of School, and Associate Head of School to ensure financial stability, optimize operational effectiveness, and manage complex facilities needs.
Key Responsibilities:
Finance:
Develop annual budgets, forecasts, and long-term financial plans.
Manage P&L, monitor resource use, and identify efficiency opportunities.
Present financial reports to the Board and execute investment strategies.
Oversee tuition billing, accounts payable, accounting, and regulatory compliance.
Partner with the Director of Enrollment for financial aid grants.
Ensure institutional risk management and insurance coverage.
Human Resources:
Ensure compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and legal requirements.
Oversee benefits administration, including medical, dental, insurance policies, and retirement plans.
Facilities and Security:
Establish and enforce environmental, health, and maintenance standards.
Ensure facility readiness for daily and special events.
Oversee building maintenance, vendor contracts, and campus construction needs.
Foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Leadership:
Lead with empathy and professionalism, keeping community experience at the forefront.
Manage and mentor direct reports, providing constructive feedback.
Serve as a strategic business partner, offering proactive solutions to business issues.
QUALIFICATIONS
BA required advanced degree (MBA, MPA, JD) preferred
Demonstrated commitment to equitable practices in financial and operational leadership.
Experience with technical projects and personal interactions.
Supervisory experience is a plus.
Annual Salary: The salary range for this position is $135,000 - $165,000; The position will be based on years of experience and education.
Benefits: Full benefits package including health insurance, vision, dental, and generous vacation allowance.
Level: Full-time Non-Union position
Start Date: ASAP
This Position reports directly to The Head of School. Successful candidates will bring a love of organizational tasks and a sense of humor to the role while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
We appreciate your interest in employment at The Co-op School. We would like to note that the School has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which requires all faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination is required.
The Co-op School is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, citizenship, national origin or ancestry, religion or religious practices, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, prior arrest or conviction record, genetic predisposition or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local laws. Our policy extends to all employment practices including but not limited to, hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, lay-offs, and termination.
We are a progressive constructivist program that teaches to the individualities of every child and every unique classroom. The Co-op School models its curriculum based on these following beliefs:
Joyful learning lays the foundation for lifelong learning and critical thinking.
Creativity cannot exist without passion.
Children learn best when they are invested in finding out the answers to their questions and when learning is embedded in meaningful contexts, which makes learning fun and engaging.
It is important to us to educate the entire child on all levels: emotional, social, physical, and intellectual.
Students work as a group and think as individuals, expressing feelings and contributing ideas peacefully and respectfully.
Students will leave The Co-op School confident in their ability to effect change in the community and comfortable reflecting on ways to challenge and grow themselves. As creative problem solvers, each with unique viewpoints and learning styles, students will embrace the idea of a more equitable world. We strive to inspire passion and teach children to become protagonists in their own educational journey by fostering their innate sense of curiosity and creativity.