DSST Public Schools (DSST) seeks a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead one of the highest performing charter school organizations in the nation. DSST currently serves 7,000 6th-12th grade students across Denver and Aurora in 16 schools with a mission to transform urban public education by eliminating educational inequity and preparing all students for success in college and the 21st century.

DSST Public Schools seeks an extraordinary leader with a track record of leading a large organization towards accomplishing its mission. We believe a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team leads to innovation, which allows us to better support our students, families, and the community—regardless of background, experience, or social and/or cultural identity. DSST aims to be an inclusive and equitable workplace by valuing race, gender, sexual orientation, and all aspects of individual identities. When reading this job description, we hope you feel energized by what you see, feel, and hear. If you believe you could bring passion and commitment to the role but aren't sure you meet every qualification, we would encourage a conversation about the opportunity. Above all, we are looking for people who believe in our mission to eliminate educational inequity and strive for educational excellence.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

Please do not apply to this application. We are partnering with a Search Firm, Spencer Stuart for this role, so to express interest or to nominate a potential candidate for the DSST Public Schools CEO position, please email: DSSTCEO@spencerstuart.com.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to Board of Directors

Direct reports

• President
• Chief Equity Officer
• Chief External Affairs Officer
• Chief Operations Officer
• Chief of Schools
• Chief of Staff
• Vice President of Development

Other key relationships:

• Staff
• Denver Public Schools and Aurora Public Schools Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Teams
• State and Community Leaders
• Philanthropic Partners

CORE PRIORITIES

• Embrace the responsibility of fulfilling our mission with every DSST student.
• Exemplify and live the 6 core values of respect, responsibility, courage, curiosity, integrity and doing your best.
• Effectively and prudently manage a $120 million budget and direct all academic, operational, and institutional priorities of the organization.
• Work strategically with an engaged and effective Board and Senior Leadership Team to guide DSST’s evolution and continuous innovation and improvement, outlined in the DSST Strategic Plan 2028.
• Understand all aspects of the academic, operational, and financial functions of the organization and regularly evaluate their impact on our organizational goals.
• Continue to advance and invest in DSST’s commitment to a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of school life.
• Demonstrate skill in anticipating, managing, and resolving conflict.
• Promote goal-oriented performance across all teams.
• Ensure DSST is an employer of choice and has the human capital necessary to carry out all school and organizational functions effectively and within budget.
• Promote a positive work environment and culture that fosters high staff morale, inclusivity, and excellence.
• Cultivate and build relationships throughout the Denver Metro community, including with key community partners, and current and potential donors.
• Implement board policy and develop administrative procedures and regulations to manage school operations. Recommend policy updates and adoptions to the Board.
• Build on the leadership position DSST plays in the national, Denver, and Aurora charter school communities.
• Remain informed and influence, where possible, developments in local, state, and federal laws and policies, and ensure compliance with all applicable requirements.
• Ensure all school facilities are properly maintained and that adequate provision is made for the safety of students, employees, and other users of school facilities.
• Communicate with legal counsel on litigation and compliance matters as directed by the Board.

The CEO must currently live in or be willing to relocate to the Denver Metro area.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Mission Orientation

Leadership experience within, and personal commitment to, organizations aligned with DSST’s mission and core values. Deep understanding of, and/or appreciation for, the landscape of urban public education and the inequities within these systems, and experience navigating their rapidly changing contexts.

Inspiring and Enterprising Leader

Experience serving as an inspiring, trusting, and credible communicator and relationship builder to a range of internal and external stakeholders with diverse experiences and viewpoints. A track record of innovative and entrepreneurial leadership within dynamic and evolving organizations within diverse operational and regulatory environments. Experience leading leaders, and empowering high-performing teams while successfully driving results and growth.

Education Leadership Experience

Strong knowledge of, and appreciation for, exceptional classroom instruction, school leadership, and education leadership at the state, district, and charter management operator levels. Strong familiarity with how to manage and create high-performing middle schools and high schools.

Demonstrated Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

An unwavering, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all forms, internally and externally, as a personal and professional value. Track record of impact on organizational culture, systems, practices, and strategies which drive measurable progress on the dimensions of access, equity, and belonging.

Operational Management

Extensive management experience with a strong financial and organizational acumen. A demonstrated ability to build, manage, and empower a team to ensure hard work, unity, stability, trust, and effectiveness. Successful leadership and management of a team, networked organization, and budget of similar size and scope to DSST.

Strategic Stewardship and Fundraising

A demonstrated ability to develop strategy, manage and align resources, use data, implement plans with fidelity, identify challenges and assess progress, and address gaps to achieve strong and consistently high results across all functional areas. A creative and ambitious advocate for philanthropic support, with a track record of successful revenue generation and fundraising, including cultivating and stewarding major donors and external partners.

A master’s or doctoral degree in education, business, or management is preferred. An M.B.A., J.D., or exit-level degree in other fields will also be considered.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Strategic Agility

• Anticipates future challenges and opportunities, illuminates and builds awareness of emerging priorities and potential, and works with the Board, Senior Leadership Team, and other partners to adjust the organization’s direction accordingly.
• Demonstrates the ability to balance short-term decision-making while conveying a long-term vision for how DSST can evolve to drive greater impact and results.
• Challenges assumptions and conventional wisdom with specific, data-driven, and well-reasoned proposals, exhibiting clear vision and the ability to deliver on a focused mission with measurable outcomes.
• Implements and assesses strategies based on continuous evaluation, learning, and experimentation.
• Thinks and plans at least three to five years ahead of the current strategy.

Collaborating and Partnering

• Articulates DSST’s mission, culture, value proposition, and impact effectively and with passion, and serves as an authentic and compelling external spokesperson.
• Leverages a wide range of relationships, common values and motivations, and core concerns across multiple schools and campuses to create a clear sense of mutual benefit and equitable partnership.
• Cultivates and builds relationships with current and potential donors and partners, ultimately growing DSST’s revenues to enable greater impact.
• Ability to sustain and foster a strong, inclusive organizational culture and alignment across our nearly 1,000 employees centered in our view of the human condition, values, and educational equity.
• Impeccable credibility, integrity, and ability to create and maintain strong relationships built on trust and transparency with staff, students, families, funders, and public officials.

Inclusive Orientation

• Engages, inspires, and empowers a diverse, motivated, and high-performing team, bringing out each team member’s personal best while modeling a passion for DSST’s mission and delegating tasks as appropriate.
• Holds the organization accountable for its commitments, providing clarity, fairness, and constructive feedback, and motivates team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals. Invests in and promotes professional development and wellness for self and staff.
• Builds and sustains a culture where every member of the team can bring their full identity and experience to their work. Partners with staff and creates a safe space as they think proactively and boldly about the future.
• Demonstrates a deep, authentic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Actively seeks ways to diversify management and the broader team.
• Capacity for board building, development, and alignment.

OTHER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Infectious passion and commitment to DSST Public Schools’ mission to eliminate educational inequity.
• Embraces learning and being challenged, a collaborative leader.
• An unwavering commitment to upholding and fulfilling all fiduciary responsibilities with integrity.
• Eager to engage with stakeholders ranging from students to teachers to donors.
• Exceptional organizational, written, and verbal communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.
• Decisive, honest, transparent, and a sense of humor.

COMPENSATION

$250,000-$325,000 based on skills, experience, abilities, and organizational needs. In addition to the annual salary, DSST Public Schools offers a strong benefits package.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

Please do not apply to this application. We are partnering with a Search Firm, Spencer Stuart for this role, so to express interest or to nominate a potential candidate for the DSST Public Schools CEO position, please email: DSSTCEO@spencerstuart.com.

DSST Public Schools is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not exclude participation in, deny benefits to, or discriminate on the basis of, Race, Color, Religion, National Origin, Sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), Age (40 and older), Disability, Genetic Information (including employer requests for, or purchase, use, or disclosure of genetic tests, genetic services, or family medical history), retaliation for filing a charge, reasonably opposing discrimination, or participating in a discrimination lawsuit, investigation, or proceeding in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities

WHO WE ARE

At DSST Public Schools, we are proud to be the largest and highest-performing network of public charter schools in Denver and Aurora with 100% of our students having been accepted into college or post secondary programs since our inception in 2004. When you join DSST, you play a part in ensuring ALL students at our 16 schools have access to a transformational and joyful education. We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about why we’ve been selected as the 2018 Broad Prize Winner and as a Denver Post “Top Place to Work”.

Not interested right now but might be in the future, or want to learn about other positions? Complete our Interest Form to connect with a member of our Talent Team.

INTERVIEW EXPECTATIONS

For most of our positions, we hire on a rolling basis. Therefore, we recommend that you submit your application as soon as you are able! You can learn more about what to expect in our interview process here .

TOTAL REWARDS

At DSST, we know that our people are the greatest asset we have in reaching our mission of eliminating educational inequity. We work hard to build a work culture that allows our staff to not only feel fulfilled by the work they do but also feel supported to live a joyful, healthy life. We want this work to be your life’s work. Check out our website and our benefits highlight guide to learn how we deliver on our commitment to the human condition.

Some Highlights:

• Staff Experience Bonus : DSST celebrates staff that continue to choose our network by rewarding a bonus every 3 years in increasing increments from $3,000-$6,000.

• Excellent Healthcare Plan : We encourage you to check out our benefits guide to see the ways we are committed to the wellness of our staff. We are always looking to improve how we care and, through staff feedback, we’ve been able to implement innovative new benefits such as Fertility Benefits as well as staffing a Mental Health Counselor that is dedicated solely to DSST Staff.

• Time Off : DSST Staff enjoy 11+ weeks off per year + paid PTO (from Day 1!)

• Career Development : In addition to weekly coaching from a designated coach, you’ll have access to internal training and development pathways designed by our Professional Development & Training Team as well as external development opportunities.

REFERRAL

Know someone who would be a great fit? Refer them here ! Anyone can refer a candidate and we offer a $500 referral bonus for every successful referral.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

DSST Public Schools is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not exclude participation in, deny benefits to or discriminate on the basis of, race, color, religion, National origin, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), Age (40 and older), Disability, Genetic information (including employer requests for, or purchase, use, or disclosure of genetic tests, genetic services, or family medical history), retaliation for filing a charge, reasonably opposing discrimination, or participating in a discrimination lawsuit, investigation, or proceeding in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is active and may require standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, and crouching throughout the day. The employee must lift and/or move items up to 30 pounds. The employee must have sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.