Chief of Staff

Who We Are

Partnership Schools is accepting applications for the role of a Chief of Staff in Cleveland, Ohio. The ideal candidate brings zeal, creativity, imagination, positivity, and passion to their work, and is ready to dive into a fast-paced and exciting entrepreneurial environment.

Since 2013, the Partnership has been a pioneering school management organization shaping the next generation of urban Catholic schooling. From 2013 through 2024, the Archdiocese of New York granted operational management of seven long-standing Pre-K to 8th-grade schools in the South Bronx and Harlem to the Partnership, and during that time the schools experienced substantial math and reading achievement gains and increased enrollment significantly. In 2020, the Partnership was invited to expand to the Diocese of Cleveland, where it manages four schools in the heart of the city providing students in historically underserved neighborhoods with the academic preparation, faith formation, values, and skills they need to thrive. The Partnership currently serves about 1,000 students in Cleveland, nearly of all of whom live in poverty. .

The historic success of urban Catholic schools stems not only from a rigorous tradition of academic excellence but also from an emphasis on developing self-worth, moral character, a love of learning, and a sense of civic responsibility—all part of our long-standing commitment to educating the whole child. Partnership Schools is unique in knitting this tradition together with lessons from high-achieving public, charter, and independent schools, in the service of our students.

At the Partnership, we believe all children can achieve at the highest levels. If you are interested in serving as a pioneer in education and share an unwavering commitment to raising student achievement and an appreciation and respect for Catholic culture, identity, and values, we want to hear from you!

What You’ll Do

Partnership Schools is at a pivotal moment in our trajectory. In our first decade, Partnership Schools successfully pioneered a groundbreaking approach for the independent management of urban Catholic schools, one needed now more than ever. As Catholic schools nationally have faced enrollment, academic, and financial crises that resulted in waves of closures, the schools in the Partnership increased enrollment, produced academic growth, and raised more money than ever. Because our effective model serves as a proof-point of what is possible, Partnership Schools is accelerating our growth and tenaciously expanding philanthropy to increase the number of students served and bolster the organization’s national impact on the school choice movement.

Partnership Schools seeks an entrepreneurial and innovative Chief of Staff to help catalyze the organization’s continued growth and advancement. They will join a growing, motivated, and collaborative team—comprising both on-the-ground leadership in Cleveland, and geographically dispersed talent based on the organization’s talent-first mindset. The Chief of Staff will serve as a critical link between strategy and everyday operations, allowing the Partnership to accelerate their turnaround efforts in Cleveland. The role reports to Christian Dallavis, Superintendent—with special tasks from Kristen Gengaro, Executive Director, and important partnerships with key department leaders, including Nick Green, Managing Director of Schools in Cleveland.

As a key member of the leadership team, the Chief of Staff will have the following key responsibilities:

Strategy and implementation:

• Act as a strategic partner and thought leader to the Superintendent and Executive Director, delivering insightful analyses and input to address the organization’s strategic priorities;
• Work closely with the School Support Team (SST) to move strategic plans from vision to execution, including project management and implementation; and
• Identify critical issues and potential roadblocks to achieving goals and partner with leadership teams to address them.

Leadership:

• Own and lead weekly SST leadership meetings including preparing agendas, materials, and follow-up items; facilitating decision-making; driving a culture of accountability; and helping the team to bring focus and prioritization to next steps;
• Participate as an active member of the organization’s Senior Leadership Team, as assembly of leaders from all departments, in service to enterprise-level goals; and
• Act as a proxy for the Superintendent where necessary, facilitating decisions that align with their vision.

Accountability/performance oversight:

• Monitor progress on key initiatives, evaluating program effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement; and
• Complete external research and perform data analyses to stay abreast of the larger landscape, ranging from competitors’ performance and culture metrics to salary guides, and talent recruitment strategies to enrollment tactics.

Special projects:

• Identify and oversee special projects that align with the organization’s goals, as set forth in the 2025-2028 strategic plan. At the time of this job posting, examples of special projects include:
  • Operationalizing a new salary scale that brings us in alignment with Cleveland Metropolitan School District and competitor charter schools—with subtasks related to communications, job postings, standardization of expectations, to name a few—allowing us to attract and retain the very best teaching talent
  • Assessing the viability of expansion efforts for the organization—starting by adding new schools in Cleveland, and then pivoting to other cities across the country;
  • Systematizing talent and performance management for school leaders and teachers, such that staff are provided with meaningful feedback and opportunities for career progression; and
  • Creating a plan to reinstate our preK program such that we can stand up a compliant program that is both a feeder for enrollment and also a cost-neutral or net-positive revenue opportunity.

What You’ll Bring

• Seven to ten years of proven experience in nonprofit management or operations, experience in education is a plus;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build authentic relationships with diverse stakeholders and effectively convey our mission and impact;
• Strategic thinking and analytical abilities, with the capacity to develop and implement data-driven strategies and evaluate their effectiveness; and
• Proven ability to lead with agility and efficiency, and manage projects with multiple and competing deadlines.

Why You’ll Be a Fit

• You are deeply committed to the mission of Partnership Schools and to the education of students in underserved communities—and will inspire others to support and our efforts;
• You are interested in learning about preK-8 education, Catholic education, school choice, and/or social justice;
• You’re open-minded, intellectually curious, and eager to learn something new each day!
• You naturally bring a positive, high-energy, and collaborative approach to your work; and
• You are comfortable being part of a team that is “forming, storming, and norming” as it builds on current ways of working to continually improve systems, tools, and approaches—and would welcome the chance to shape the future with us.

What We Offer

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The Partnership offers a competitive benefits package and is an equal opportunity organization that values diversity.