Senior Vice President of Operations

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Organization: Gateway Global American Youth and Business Alliance Academies, Inc. Reports To: Chair & Chief Executive Officer Location: St. Louis, Missouri Status: Full-Time Executive Position Salary: $135,000 POSITION SUMMARY Gateway Global is seeking a highly capable and execution focused Senior Vice President of Operations to serve as the organization’s senior operating executive and second-in-command to the Founder, Chair & CEO. The SVP of Operations will be responsible for leading day-to-day organizational execution across staff, programs, facilities, technology initiatives, marketing, administration, and strategic growth activities. This position is designed for a self starting executive operator who can take broad strategic direction, translate it into clear plans and priorities, delegate effectively, hold teams accountable, and ensure work moves forward without continuous CEO involvement. The successful candidate will manage Vice Presidents, Directors, Managers, and other designated staff while creating the systems, structure, and accountability needed to support Gateway Global’s continued growth. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Serve as the organization’s senior operating executive and second-in-command for day-to-day operations Translate CEO strategy and priorities into actionable plans, timelines, budgets, and measurable outcomes Supervise and manage senior staff, department leaders, and managers Lead daily operational coordination and ensure staff accountability and follow through Oversee Gateway Global’s major operational functions, including programs/strategic initiatives, academics, marketing, administration, facilities, compliance, and technology initiatives Maintain executive oversight of the GIWAC Campus, including the current Education Center and future Innovation Center Participate in facilities, construction, and project management meetings related to campus expansion Oversee operational planning and execution for NextGEO Academy sites hosted at universities and colleges Oversee operational execution of G2G Lab EdTech, and curriculum licensing initiatives Develop and manage departmental budgets in collaboration with department leaders Meet with the organization’s accountant and finance professionals monthly to review departmental financial performance and operating needs Establish effective operating systems, workflows, standard procedures, dashboards, and accountability processes Manage major vendors, contractors, consultants, and operational partners Identify problems early, develop solutions, and resolve routine operational matters without unnecessary escalation to the CEO Support responsible organizational growth and ensure operational capacity keeps pace with expansion Represent Gateway Global in selected external meetings and partner engagements as assigned LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS The ideal candidate will demonstrate: Strong executive leadership and judgment Exceptional self management and initiative A proactive rather than reactive leadership style Strong delegation and staff management skills Innovation and continuous improvement thinking High accountability and follow through Strong problem solving and decision making ability Excellent organizational and project management skills Ability to manage multiple priorities without losing execution discipline High emotional intelligence Strong written and verbal communication Ability to operate comfortably in a growing, evolving organization A solutions oriented and ownership driven mindset REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Candidates must meet one of the following requirements: Master’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, Management, Education Administration, Nonprofit Management, or a closely related field, from an accredited institution with significant senior leadership experience of five (5) or more years OR Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least seven (7) years of progressive executive or senior operational leadership experience Candidates should have demonstrated experience managing people, budgets, operations, major projects, and cross functional teams. Strong preference will be given to candidates with experience in complex, multi-program, multi-site, education, workforce development, technology, nonprofit, economic development, or similar organizations. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS Candidates should demonstrate executive level proficiency with: Project and operational management systems Departmental budgeting and financial review Performance dashboards and KPIs Microsoft 365 and/or Google Workspace Project management platforms such as Monday.com, Asana, Smartsheet, or similar CRM, program management, or comparable enterprise systems Data driven decision making and executive reporting Process improvement and workflow development Vendor and contract management Technology, automation, and AI enabled productivity tools SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE Success will be measured by the SVP’s ability to: Create a highly accountable and well managed operating organization Reduce the CEO’s involvement in routine day-to-day matters Strengthen staff leadership and execution Improve coordination across departments Maintain strong operational and financial discipline Ensure facilities and major initiatives are effectively managed Build scalable systems that support Gateway Global’s continued growth THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate is an operator, builder, problem solver, and trusted executive partner who thrives in environments where growth requires both strategic thinking and disciplined execution. This individual does not simply manage tasks. They build systems, lead people, anticipate problems, and create the structure required for an organization to operate effectively at scale. The Chair & CEO should lead Gateway Global. The Senior Vice President of Operations should run its day-to-day operations. PHYSICAL DEMANDS Physical demands are representative of the requirements necessary for an employee to perform the essential functions of this position. The employee is required to actively listen and communicate clearly with an emphasis on self management and management of others. The employee is required to publicly speak. The employee is required to reach with arms and hands, balance, lean, and move from one location to another. Vision abilities required by this job include close and far. Ability to operate a computer keyboard and mouse, and lift and transport files and reports is required. Employees must be able to lift and carry a minimum of 20 pounds. Gateway Global provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type regarding race, color, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. All roles are subject to a background check and drug screening. All candidates required to be an American citizen or legally eligible to work in the United States. #J-18808-Ljbffr