Operations Coordinator

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Operations Coordinator to support our office and Executive team. The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills, a strong commitment to confidentiality, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

The Operations Coordinator will serve as the face of the INCS office, providing administrative support to the Senior Manager of Finance & Operations and the Chief Program & Operations Officer. Key responsibilities include:

• Managing calendars, scheduling meetings, and organizing travel for C-level members
• Providing general office management and administrative support, including filing, recordkeeping, and basic internet research
• Coordinating events, meetings, and travel arrangements for off-site events
• Maintaining a central calendar of standard meetings and promoting a streamlined approach to scheduling
• Preparing onboarding materials for new hires and organizing personnel records
• Ensuring proper functioning of office equipment and related supplies

Responsibilities

The Operations Coordinator will be responsible for:

• General Office Management & Administrative Support (50%):
  • Executive Support: Provide high-level administrative support to the Chief Program & Operations Officer, including managing calendars, scheduling meetings, organizing travel, and preparing for key presentations and events.
  • Support C-level members with filing, recordkeeping, scheduling, meeting prep, basic internet research, as needed.
  • Maintaining related credit card expenses of Chief Program & Operations Officer for the credit card reconciliation process; support Senior Manager of Finance & Operations with simple budget tracking of expenses such as for organizational events.
  • Responsible for day-to-day office operations tasks including but not limited to processing ingoing and outgoing mail and packages; greeting visitors; answering phone, routing calls, and taking messages; making copies; managing inventory and stocking of kitchen and supplies; maintain an organized and clean working environment.
  • Ensure proper functioning of office equipment and related supplies (e.g., copier/printer, postage meter, water); request servicing as needed with goal of minimizing disruption to office operations.
  • Coordinate and prepare materials for executive meetings, including agendas, presentations, and reports.
  • Maintain a central calendar of standard meetings which includes an events calendar and promote a more streamlined approach with scheduling meetings across the organization.
  • Prepare onboarding materials for new hires and organize personnel records.
  • File and maintain INCS records, documents, and reports (soft copies and hard files).
  • Serve as a liaison between the strategic leaders and their teams, internal/external stakeholders, maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
  • Conduct research and gather information as needed to support decision-making processes for Chiefs and above.
  • Attend annual meetings and train staff on proper evacuation and emergency procedures that pertain to the office building.
  • Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information pertaining to all communication.
  • Responsible for scheduling staff and Board meetings, testing links and other technology, and supporting meetings in virtual and in-person spaces; maintaining repository of notes for key stakeholder meetings with schools (D299 and Greater Illinois meetings).
• Data Input, Management, Reporting, & Records Management (25%):
  • Maintain database records such as LGL (i.e., contact information, demographics) for all stakeholders.
  • Create process for organizing and migrating online resources and files on SharePoint over to cloud platform.
  • Produce accurate and timely reports.
  • Draft letters, memos, and other communications for internal and external audiences.
• Project Support (25%):
  • Event planning and preparation for internal and external events from initial planning stages to post-event evaluation (e.g., creating name tags, program materials, coordinating swag bags, etc.).
  • Outreach phone calls before/after events, coordinating school visits.
  • Supporting overall team culture with coordination of staff events; birthdays and milestone activities recognition.
  • Coordinate transportation, venue sourcing, and travel arrangement for off-site events.

Requirements

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented individual with excellent communication skills and a strong commitment to confidentiality. The ideal candidate will possess:

• Enthusiastic orientation toward customer service and problem-solving and the ability to take initiative.
• High expectations and a focus on results.
• Proven ability to develop rapport and effectively work with a wide range of people and in a variety of environments.
• Ability to interface with all levels of clients (executives, school leaders).
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and ability to independently manage multiple projects at once.
• Strong sense of accountability, taking ownerships over projects and responsibilities.
• Proactively communicate to clarify priorities as needed.
• Comfort working independently and taking direction as needed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills including Word, Excel, and Power Point (e.g., mail merge, pivot tables, PPT animation).
• Confident outlook and presence, maturity, optimism, calm under pressure, and a sense of humor.
• Strong affinity for feedback and open conversations.
• A commitment to embracing diversity and fostering an environment of inclusion and cultural competency.
• Undergraduate degree or experience in office management/administrative support preferred.

About INCS

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) advocates for the improvement of public education by creating the conditions that allow high-quality charter public schools to grow, thrive, and serve students and families well. We work toward creating positive conditions for charter schools by informing community members of the value of charter schools and supporting elected officials who enact laws providing equitable funding and accountability. We partner with education leaders to maintain fair and transparent charter school policies and practices. As a membership organization, providing charter school leaders with the resources needed to ensure student success is a critical feature of our mission.

Cultural Competency at INCS

Cultural competency is a lifelong process of building the knowledge, mindset, and skills necessary to engage fully and effectively with students, colleagues, and stakeholders of different backgrounds. This process requires us to deeply understand our nation's history of injustice and its link to the persistent opportunity gaps that INCS and its member schools are focused on closing. It also requires us to strengthen our cultural competency by better understanding our own implicit and explicit biases and by reflecting on our words and actions through open dialogue.

Equal Opportunity

INCS believes it is critical for leaders to reflect the communities that they serve, and that diversity across multiple dimensions enables us to achieve our mission of transforming lives and communities through public education. We do not just accept difference – we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our staff, member schools, and the broader community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and seek and welcome a diverse pool of candidates in this search.