Director of School Operations | Job Description

Elm City Montessori School, launched in August 2014, is New Haven’s first public Montessori school. We currently serve approximately 320 students between the ages of 3 and 13. New Haven, Connecticut is a thriving arts, cultural, and education hub, located in the center of a growing community of public Montessori schools.

The Director of School Operations provides leadership for and manages all operational functions, including all human resources, IT, and facilities and is responsible for ensuring that the school complies with all relevant state/local/federal rules and regulations. The Director of School Operations reports to the Principal and is a member of the school’s leadership team and will play an important role in ensuring the school’s short and long term success. Key components of this position include: human resources systems development and management, operations systems and management, budget management, and facilities management.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Human Resources Management

• Develops and manages human resources policies and programs for the entire school; conducts a continuing study of all human resources policies, programs, and practices 

• Supervises ECMS staff hiring and onboarding

• Identifies and ensures compliance with legal requirements and government reporting/regulations affecting human resources (e.g., OSHA, EEO, ERISA, Wage and Hour)

• Monitors human resources exposure of the organization

• Coordinates decision-making on employee benefits programs

• Directs the preparation and maintenance of files and reports that are necessary to carry out human resources responsibilities

• Manages payroll, benefits and human resources reporting

• Supervises and evaluates the Business Manager and Operations Associate

Financial Management

• Manages the school’s annual budget with Principal

• Submits and manages all state and federal grants

• Coordinates and supports annual audit, yearly financial reporting

• Supervises the purchasing and leasing of materials, services, supplies, and equipment, including purchase requests, bill payment, reimbursements, and bookkeeping

• Prepares requests for proposals, issues and receives bid requests and interviews vendors regarding the purchase of materials, services, supplies, and equipment in accordance with the school’s charter and state regulations

Facilities 

• Leads leasing negotiations, facilities alteration and refurbishment

• Plans and manages short- and long-range facilities projects

• Negotiates contracts and supervises the work of cleaning, maintenance, and external contractors and staff

• Ensures that the interior and exterior of the school facility are clean, healthy, and safe (aligned with our 'care of the environment' values)

• Coordinates external use of facilities 

• Manages tenant relationships including rental agreements and space needs

• Manages partnerships with the New Haven Public School business and facilities departments and the City of New Haven Parks & Public Works departments

• Directs special projects, as needed

School Operations 

• Manage operations requests, coordinate purchasing and manage the inventorying and organization/distribution of all supplies and materials

• Managing ordering, preparation, and set up for school and community events

• Manage the ordering, inventorying and organization/distribution of all supplies and materials

Data and Information

• Supervises the input and retrieval of all data and information pertaining to essential records and files, including personnel records, student academic and health records, fire and safety records, and central files

• Maintains and guides the potential purchasing of information systems software to ensure the effective and efficient maintenance of school data and records

• Supervises the inventory and maintenance of school property

• Manages the preparation of reports to the CSDE, NHPS, funders, and other agencies as required

Communication and Technology

• Supervises the preparation and dissemination of external school correspondence

• Ensures the messages in school’s voicemail, website, and other social media are current and appropriate

• Approves the purchase and/or lease of all office and instructional equipment and supervises the maintenance of all office and instructional equipment

• Ensures the appropriate backup and storage of computer files

• Supervises and performs when necessary operational and office tasks

Required Skills and Experience

A successful candidate:

• Possesses a Connecticut School Business Administrator certification (085) or equivalent, or a Master’s degree in accounting, business/finance or non-profit management 

• Has a minimum of three years of top level administrative experience, preferably in a public/charter school or public agency setting

• Is proficient in basic office computer skills, including, but not limited to Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, and Google Suite

• Demonstrates the capacity for independent work, flexibility, the capacity to handle multiple demands and effective prioritization

• Has a firm commitment to upholding the school’s mission

Compensation: $95,000-110,000 based on education and experience. Medical, vision, dental and 401K matching benefits available.

Interested applicants may fill out ECMS Employment Application:

https://forms.gle/Lj9wBaVWCYk3fi6t5 

Revised: May 2026