Career Center

The Associate Director of Schools for Finance & Operations serves as the chief finance and operations officer for the Laboratory Schools. Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Schools, the Associate Director is the senior administrator responsible for overseeing and stewarding the schools’ financial, operational, and physical resources. Lab is a complex organization serving a variety of internal and external constituencies, with a business model that mirrors independent school management in most respects, even as we also function as a unit of the University of Chicago. Responsive both to the opportunities and challenges of this complex structure, the Associate Director provides leadership in school finances, budget planning and management, physical plant maintenance and project management, information and technology services, auxiliary programs and revenue, and other program areas. The Associate Director oversees a broad range of departments and responsibilities, providing supervision, mentorship, and support for the directors of Finance, Operations, Information Technology and Registrar Services, and Family Life Programs (Lab’s auxiliary programs), overseeing the work of these departments as well as Safety and Security, Transportation, and Food Services which are nested within them. In addition, they advise and partner with offices and areas including Nursing, wellness and EEO, and academic divisions on compliance issues and business matters. As an integral member of the senior leadership team, they collaborate with other senior administrators, partner with members of the Laboratory Schools Board, and work closely with colleagues at the University of Chicago on questions of long-range strategic import and issues pertinent to the daily operations of the schools. The work of the Associate Director will bring them into close contact with Lab’s academic program, all aspects of our operations, and the breadth of our community. They are expected to build positive and productive relationships with employees, students, and their families, characterized by careful listening and a commitment to problem solving and customer service.

The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in finance and operations and a proven track record of leadership. They will be a seasoned manager with demonstrated success in mentorship and support of colleagues. In order to effectively convey and explain critical and often complex matters, the ideal candidate will bring excellent written and oral communications skills and a teacher’s mindset. They will be motivated by enthusiasm for the opportunities of non-public education, and will maintain a keen eye for areas of improvement and growth throughout the Lab Schools. The ideal candidate will bring commitment to building and maintaining positive relationships throughout the community, commitment to Lab’s values including equity and belonging, enthusiasm for Lab’s mission, and the determination to use their responsibilities as an opportunity to foster an engaging and inclusive school culture.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Master’s degree in business, accounting, non-profit management, finance, or related field. 

Experience: 

• Minimum of ten years experience in progressively responsible leadership positions in financial/operational planning and oversight, preferably in non-profit organizations.
• Working in a primary or secondary independent school setting.
• Navigating the administration and bureaucracy of a university or other complex organization.
• Overseeing direct reports with a variety of responsibilities and proven track record of effective and productive supervision, management, and mentorship.
• Proven track record of long-range strategic planning as well as daily/routine management of programs and operations, preferably in an educational setting.
• Long-range organizational financial planning in a non-profit setting, determining and implementing budget goals, supporting a network of budget managers, and ensuring adequate oversight and safeguards for accountability and transparency.
• Overseeing physical plant management, information and technology endeavors, safety and security operations, janitorial, transportation, and/or food services a plus.
• Working in a unionized environment and experience with implementing and interpreting collective bargaining agreements.