Executive Director K-8

Job Purpose

The Executive Director of K–8 Schools is a senior leadership role within Oakmont Education, an Education Management Organization (EMO) that partners with public charter schools to deliver high-quality educational outcomes. This position provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Oakmont’s network of three Cleveland-area K–8 public charter schools, serving approximately 600 students.

The Executive Director ensures strong academic performance, operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and a positive school culture aligned with Oakmont’s mission to provide equitable, high-quality education for all students.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic and Organizational Leadership

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for K–8 schools aligned with Oakmont Education’s mission, goals, and management contracts.
• Lead and support school directors to ensure alignment across academics, operations, and culture.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Oakmont Education and each school’s governing board, ensuring transparency and effective communication.
• Establish systems of accountability and continuous improvement for academic, operational, and cultural outcomes.
  

Academic Excellence and Student Success

• Oversee curriculum, instruction, and assessment systems to ensure alignment with Ohio standards and ODEW accountability measures.
• Use data-driven decision-making to drive academic improvement across all grade levels.
• Ensure all schools meet or exceed sponsor performance metrics and charter contract expectations.
• Implement and monitor a K–8 Academic Improvement Plan focused on literacy, mathematics, and student engagement.
• Collaborate with school leaders to improve instructional practices and reduce achievement gaps.
  

Enrollment Growth and Attendance Improvement

• Lead efforts to increase network enrollment through community engagement, marketing, and school-based recruitment strategies.
• Achieve at least a 5% increase in overall K–8 enrollment during Year 1 and an additional 5–7% growth in Year 2.
• Improve student retention by 5 percentage points in Year 1 and maintain 90% retention network-wide in Year 2.
• Implement systems to reduce chronic absenteeism by at least 10% in Year 1 and an additional 10% in Year 2, reaching an average daily attendance of 94% or higher.
• Coordinate with community organizations and families to address attendance barriers and promote a culture of consistent attendance.
  

Leadership Development and Talent Management

• Supervise, coach, and evaluate school directors to strengthen instructional leadership and school culture.
• Provide professional development and succession planning to build a sustainable leadership pipeline.
• Launch a Leadership Development Program for emerging leaders by Year 2.
• Maintain 90% retention of effective-rated school leaders.

Governance, Compliance, and Accountability

• Ensure all Oakmont-managed schools remain compliant with state and federal regulations, sponsor requirements, and charter contracts.
• Oversee reporting processes to sponsors, boards, and ODEW, ensuring all documentation is accurate and submitted on time.
• Collaborate with Oakmont’s compliance and finance teams to ensure transparency and audit readiness.
• Achieve “Meets or Exceeds Standards” ratings on all sponsor performance frameworks.

Financial and Operational Oversight

• Oversee school budgets, ensuring fiscal integrity, compliance, and resource alignment with organizational priorities.
• Maintain budgets within 2% variance of approved projections.
• Support effective use of funds to maximize academic outcomes and operational efficiency.
• Identify and secure at least one external funding source or partnership grant annually.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and sustain partnerships with families, community organizations, and local education leaders to support student success.
• Represent Oakmont Education and the K–8 network in community forums and public events.
• Strengthen Oakmont’s visibility and reputation as a leading EMO serving Akron and Cleveland students.

Year 1 and Year 2 Objectives

Focus Area

Year 1 Objectives (Foundation & Stabilization)

Year 2 Objectives (Growth & Sustainability)

Academic Achievement

• Launch K–8 Academic Improvement Plan
• Increase proficiency in ELA and math by 5 points network-wide
• Achieve ODEW Progress measure of “B” or higher
• Increase proficiency by 10 points over baseline

Enrollment & Retention

• Grow overall enrollment by 5%
• Improve student retention by 5 points
• Grow enrollment by 5–7% year over year
• Maintain = 90% student retention

Attendance

• Reduce chronic absenteeism by 10% network-wide
• Establish attendance monitoring systems
• Reduce chronic absenteeism by an additional 10% (20% overall reduction)
• Achieve 94%+ average daily attendance

Leadership & Talent

• Implement principal coaching and evaluation framework
• Identify leadership pipeline candidates
• Launch Leadership Development Program
• Retain 90% of effective leaders

Operational & Financial

• Develop network-wide budget oversight processes
• Maintain budgets within 2% variance
• Secure one grant/partnership for innovation
• Standardize operational systems across schools

Compliance & Governance

• Meet all sponsor and ODEW compliance deadlines (100%)
• Achieve “Meets or Exceeds” status on all sponsor performance categories

Culture & Community

• Conduct stakeholder listening sessions at each school
• Increase family event participation by 15%
• Launch network-wide family and community engagement initiative
• Strengthen Oakmont’s visibility in Cleveland and Akron

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Short/Long term disability
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Gym membership reimbursement

Qualifications, Education & Experience

Required

• Demonstrated commitment to improving educational opportunities for urban students.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Deep understanding of charter-school operations, sponsor relations, and Ohio education accountability.
• Experience leading multiple schools or large educational programs.
• Proven ability to drive measurable improvement in student outcomes, enrollment, and attendance.

Preferred

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in K–8 or charter education.
• Master’s degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or related field (required); Doctorate preferred.
• Experience with talent development, budgeting, and compliance in an EMO or district environment.
• Familiarity with ODEW school report cards, sponsor frameworks, and renewal processes.

Working Conditions

• Frequent travel among Cleveland and Akron-area schools.
• Occasional evening or weekend hours for board meetings or community events.
• Standard office and school environments; moderate physical activity may be required for on-site visits.