Chief Operating and Sustainability Officer – Washington, D.C. Grades K-05

The Mundo Verde Public Charter School seeks an extraordinary, highly qualified individual to serve as Chief Operating and Sustainability Officer (COSO).

Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School is Washington, D.C.’s first school dedicated to education for sustainability and biliteracy. The school pursues these through a bilingual, two-way immersion model and Expeditionary Learning, a best practice, project-based school design. Mundo Verde has approximately 200 employees working at two campuses currently serving over 1,000 students. 

• Cook Campus, at 30 P St. NW, serving grades pre-K 3-5
• Calle Ocho Campus, at 4401 8th St. NE, currently serving grades Pre-K 3–2 with planned expansion through grades five

Mundo Verde aims to foster high levels of academic achievement among a diverse group of students by preparing them to be successful and compassionate global stewards of their communities. We are a bilingual public charter school with an approach to student development that centers on equity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, preparation for global citizenship, and project-based learning. To achieve this mission serving our students and families, we need a team full of passionate, equity-minded, learning-oriented, strategic, collaborative leaders and educators. 

The Chief Operating & Sustainability Officer ensures that Mundo Verde’s school and network operations support the development of its students, the health and safety of its people, and the sustainability of the organization and community. The COSO is a member of the Mundo Verde executive leadership team and leads the organization’s overall operations and systems, financial health and management, facilities and supplies, information technology, data, environmental sustainability, and health initiatives. The COSO supervises 5 positions: 1) Senior Operations Manager, 2) Health and Safety Manager 3) Senior Business Manager, 4) Senior Food Program Manager, and 5) Sustainability Manager. This position reports to the Executive Director. 

The COSOs core responsibilities:

• Vision and strategy

• • • Design the operational – including financial and sustainability – strategy for Mundo Verde, aligning practices and management to execute against the mission and strategic plan; holds decision rights over the overall annual operating goals and budget /plan, created in partnership with the ED and other key leadership roles 
    • Guide Mundo Verde’s leadership to ensure operational and environmental sustainability are deeply infused into its approach to management at all levels and MV practices and policies 
    • Ensures the values of ESPICA (Empath, Speak Your Truth, Perseverance, Inquiry, Collaboration, Appreciation) are upheld in operational policies and practices 

• Operational leadership and management

• • • Oversee the development and execution of Mundo Verde’s annual (or multi-year) operational plan, including systems, facilities, Information Technology, supplies, meals program, contracts, and risk management including COVID-19 response
    • Manage and coach team to ensure day-to-day operations on campuses are efficient, safe, and supportive of health learning environments 
    • Responsible for decisions related to facilities management and development including site-based health and wellness concerns and ideas; IT infrastructure and other core operating systems; meals program; resource allocation, procurement, and sustainable usage; and environmental practices 

• Resource & growth planning

• • • Oversee long-term facility management, expansion, and capital improvement plans. This includes the financing and real estate expansion of Calle Ocho Campus planned for completion in summer of 2024 which will include temporary space needs in SY23
    • Manage any large-scale capital projects, financial procurements, or operational system changes 

• Financial leadership and management

• • • Oversee the creation and updating of multi-year financial planning, ensuring that Mundo Verde is equipped to execute on its strategy and operate in alignment with these values; EdOps is outside contractor that COSO oversees in this work 
    • Works closely with the Executive Director to ensure alignment of budget with federal, local, and private funding sources to uses 
    • Translate multi-year financial plan into annual budget and goals in deep partnership with Executive Leadership and other key leaders 
    • Create processes to ensure financial management and decisions are aligned with principles and plan; and ultimately responsible for approving any significant expense and for Mundo Verde managing to its budget 
    • Acts as Board of Directors liaison in Executive Director’s absence on financial matters and regularly reports out on financial and operational health 
    • Signatory on LEA contracts and payments as authorized by the Board of Directors 
    • Manage rigorous budget accountability process across all departments, ensuring department directors and managers understand and manage department budget effectively and know and realize their responsibilities and authorities 
    • Ensures compliance for operating and financial procedures with relevant governing bodies including OSSE and the DC Public Charter School Board

• Risk management

• • • Responsible for analyzing, assessing, and managing risk for the organization including related LEA compliance to appropriate authorizers
    • Ensures the organization has proper risk coverage and training 
    • Responsible for ensuring that enrollment and facilities requirements are met to continue LEA operations 
    • Responsible for COVID-19 policies and procedures 

• Sustainability leadership and management

• • Continue to deepen and expand Mundo Verde’s day-to-day practice of its commitment to environmental sustainability – i.e., campus gardening and food preparation initiatives, energy sourcing, recycling and composting services, and exploring a farm expansion 
  • Act as advocate for environmentally sustainable practices across sectors 

• Team management

• • Manage and coach operations teams to goals 
  • Create conditions on the teams that practice – and model – an inclusive, collaborative, results-oriented, equity-driven approach to teamwork 

The success of the Chief Operating & Sustainability Officer will be assessed by:

• Mundo Verde’s overall efficiency and health of its campuses and network team, including budget management, operational / campus-based feedback, and meeting sustainability goals 
• Feedback from team / reports, leadership, manager, and staff relative to experience of Chief’s leadership and their teams’ performance 

The capabilities, experiences, and mindsets essential to this role are the following:

• Financial management 
• Operational management 
• Knowledge of large financing and construction projects
• Deeply centered (in knowledge and values) in diversity, equity, and inclusion 
• Collaborative, strategic, resourceful thinker 
• Action-oriented planner and manager 
• Adept at facilitating trust and communication with stakeholders from a variety of identities, languages, cultures, and roles
• Belief and skill in delegating and sharing power with others  

Compensation is in the base range of $130,000 subject to qualifications, experience, and negotiations.  Also includes a robust benefits package and potential relocation.

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