School Operations Manager

Job Specification: School Operations Manager

Location: Nashville, TN (Hillwood Campus)

Reports To: CEO

Dotted Line Reports To: Head of School

Start Date: Immediately

FLSA Status: Full-Time, Exempt

DHS Status: Designated Person-in-Charge / Assistant Director

About Stellaris Education

Stellaris Education is lighting the path of dreams by creating exceptional educational environments that champion humanity and inspire children to become skilled, curious, and compassionate risk-takers who act with purpose to achieve their dreams and create a better world. Our vision is to build the leading international and multilingual early childhood education

network in the United States.

Role Mission

The School Operations Manager (SOM) is the guardian of the school’s daily environment and regulatory standing. Initially reporting to the CEO and later on a regional Director of Operations, you provide the operational infrastructure that allows the Head of School (HOS) to lead the faculty and allows the Admissions team to grow our community. You are the "anchor" of the front office and are responsible for managing the building, the local budget, and the vital link between our remote systems and our physical campus.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Facilitation

• Tour Support: Ensure the facility is "tour-ready" at all times. You will manage the tour schedule for the HOS and provide the "warm handoff" as families arrive and depart.
• On-Site Intelligence: Capture essential notes during family visits and relay them to the Admissions Coordinator to ensure the enrollment funnel remains updated and personalized.
• The First Impression: Own the reception and front-office atmosphere, ensuring every visitor (parents, vendors, inspectors) receives a professional and organized welcome. Ensure that all locations visited at the school represent the school in the best light possible.
• Other responsibilities as defined from time to time by the CEO in consultation with the HOS.

2. TN DHS Compliance & Site Safety

• Legal Designee: Act as the Designated Person-in-Charge in the HOS’s absence, ensuring the school remains in full legal compliance with Tennessee DHS Rule 1240-04-01.
• Audit Management: Maintain meticulous, up-to-the-minute files for all students and
• staff. You are the point person for all state inspections (Health, Fire, Licensing).
• Security: Manage campus access control and daily check-in/out protocols.

3. Campus Logistics & Vendor Management

• Facility Oversight: Direct the work of local vendors (cleaning, maintenance, landscaping) to ensure the building is safe and pristine.
• Supply Chain: Manage site-level procurement for classrooms, office, and kitchen, adhering to the budget set by the CEO.
• Staff Support: Coordinate schedules for part-time enrichment staff (Arts/PE) and ensure they are integrated into the school’s daily flow.
• After Care / Break Care / Summer Camp: Coordinate and be responsible for management of our after care and enrichment programs, break care, and summer camp program.

4. HR & Financial Administration

• Local Onboarding: Manage the on the ground components of hiring (fingerprinting,
• local document verification, and site orientation).
• Expense Tracking: Review local invoices, highlights, and variances to budgeted
• activities to the CEO/CFO and provide monthly budget-to-actual visibility to the HOS.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Must meet Tennessee DHS Director/Designee requirements (typically a Bachelor’s degree OR a CDA/Associate’s with the required years of experience in a licensed facility). Candidates must be able to provide documentation of DHS Director-Qualification upon hire.
• Experience: 4+ years in operations management, school administration, or high-level office management.
• The Matrix Mindset: Ability to balance tasks from the CEO, provide logistical support to the Head of School, and feed data and worth with the Admissions Coordinator.

Preferred Qualifications

• Language Proficiency: Professional Biliteracy in English and Spanish. Possess impeccable written and verbal English communication skills (required), with a strong working knowledge in Spanish (preferred) to support our multilingual community.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Familiarity: Prior experience working within an IB World School (PYP preferred) is highly desirable. Candidates should understand the operational and administrative requirements necessary to support an inquiry-based, international curriculum.

The Reporting Matrix

• Primary Report: CEO (Strategic/Financial oversight) - for now, until a Director of Operations is hired who will be in charge of operations across Nashville locations.
• On-Site Partner: Head of School (Daily tactical collaboration).
• Operational Peer: Admissions Coordinator (Collaborative data sharing and planning).