Position: Chief Administrative Officer
Functional Area: Business Operations
Organization: Acelero Learning
Location: New York, NY
Metro Region: New York
Overview:
Unique in the early childhood education field, Acelero Learning’s mission is to bring a relentless focus on positive child and family outcomes to close the achievement gap and build a better future for the children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program. Through their Direct Program Administration and Training and Technical Assistance efforts, Acelero Learning is a unique change agent in the $9 billion, federally funded program Head Start program.
Acelero Learning and its subsidiaries directly operate 36 preschool Head Start centers, delivering high-quality preschool, health and nutrition services, and parental education to over 4,000 low-income children and their families. Leveraging their record of success over the last decade, Acelero has developed online tools and trainings available to Head Start programs nationwide to ensure their ongoing success. In addition, Acelero Learning has developed an affiliate program that provides a high-quality, cost-effective model for Head Start grantees which assembles, in one package, the best tools to track outcomes and key compliance indicators, research-based approaches to curriculum and instruction, and a corresponding system and tools for working with parents.
Through this diversified program approach, Acelero Learning has grown from less than $1M in annual revenue in 2005 to over $40M in annual revenue today and will continue to grow strategically over the coming years. For more information, please visit http://www.acelero.net.
Position:
Acelero Learning is currently seeking its first Chief Administrative Officer to build the systems, processes, and strategies to continue the organization’s growth and drive toward excellence. With oversight over the finance, human resources, IT, facilities, and legal functions, this position offers an outstanding opportunity for a seasoned operations and finance executive to work with a talented team operating in a fast-paced, collaborative, and results-oriented environment to close the achievement gap.
Responsibilities:
Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the entire Senior Management Team, the CAO will serve as the principal driver of all “back office” systems. The CAO will help to create the organization’s strategic vision while making the tactical, day-to-day decisions to shape and implement the organization’s growth. This position will ensure that Acelero Learning has the proper financial and operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to effectively grow the organization and ensure its financial strength and operating efficiency.
Specifically, the CAO will:
- Provide overall financial management of the organization, including supervision of VP of Finance, ensuring strong fiscal systems and processes, timely reporting, and managing to budgets across all operating divisions
- Lead and manage the Human Resources function, including managing a HR team, ensuring effective and compliant policies and procedures, payroll and benefit administration, talent acquisition and management; build a strategic HR function with a proactive and long-term orientation
- Oversee the technology infrastructure, including systems and support to almost 800 employees and ensuring availability and access to mission critical tech solutions
- Manage the part-time general counsel and participate in all legal matters, lease negotiations, etc.
- Manage administrative functions of 35+ facilities, including the national Support Center
- Ensure the development and execution of detailed workplans to support the organization’s growth and development, ensuring high quality services, staff management, and operational management at every stage; establish clearly defined expectations and standards for accountability
- Maintain the organization’s entrepreneurial approach to its work while fostering discipline in planning and execution
Qualifications:
- At least 10 years of increasing management and leadership experience within regional or national multi-site organizations, preferably in child care and/or education; combination of experience in finance, human resources, IT, facilities management, and legal preferred
- Demonstrated experience in a high growth environment, with the ability to translate strategy into execution and prepare the organization to move to the next level, becoming intentionally strategic
- Passion for the work of Acelero Learning, making a difference in the lives of society’s most vulnerable and underserved members
- Creative problem-solver with a commitment to the use of data to drive decision-making
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, able to listen well, work closely with and influence the actions of a diverse constituent base
- Understanding of the value of technology and the role it can play in streamlining business processes and aiding in decision-making
- A proven leader with the ability to be strategic and visionary while also understanding all the details and demonstrating an ability to roll up his/her sleeves to get the job done
- Comfortable providing and receiving open, honest feedback dealing with substantive issues
- Demonstrated commitment to developing diversity within an organization
- Ability to travel nationally as needed
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred
To Apply:
Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format, to Aaron Lieberman athttp://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1944 Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
