Associate Director of Strategy & Growth

Job description

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.

Position Overview

We’re looking for an  Associate Director, Growth and Strategy & Growth, to help powerRocketship’s scaled impact work. This is a unique opportunity for a strategic problem-solver and strong project manager to contribute meaningfully to high-priority growth across our existing regions in California, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Washington DC, and beyond. This role will also function as part of an internal consulting arm—conducting discovery and analysis, developing solutions, and supporting planning and decision-making,  collaborating with teams across national and regional functions to execute on strategic priorities.

You’ll report to the Senior Director of Strategy and Growth and serve as a connector and force multiplier across the organization—building relationships, identifying synergies, and fostering cross-team collaboration to ensure aligned, effective, and scalable impact. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is motivated by mission, challenge, and impact.

The following are essential functions related to the position:

Growth: 60%

• Drive Rocketship’s scaled impact strategy by supporting  full enrollment in existing schools, supporting expansion within current regions, and building a pipeline of new geographies for potential growth.
• Lead cross-functional execution and project management of growth efforts across a portfolio of regions,  managing end-to-end process from greenlighting diligence, to school design and start-up, in strong partnership with Regional staff, Finance, Facilities, and other teams.
• Troubleshoot emerging challenges related to growth, supporting teams with problem-solving and exercising critical judgement in escalating risks to Senior Director and National Executive Team.
• Codify and systematize key growth processes - including greenlighting, school design, and school start-up- to improve clarity, consistency, and efficiency across the organization.
• Define and analyze the implications of 5-10 year trends on our market’s economics and Rocketship’s competitive positioning.
• Explore and vet innovative growth opportunities that align with Rocketship’s strategic plan
• Refine, in partnership with MarComms, Finance and other stakeholders, enrollment planning - including diagnosing and benchmarking, overall strategy, process execution, and progress monitoring
• Refine and build systems for scale to enable Rocketship to achieve strategic growth objectives and greater efficiency

Strategic Iniatives: 30%

• Manage a portfolio of strategic initiatives, defining scope, timeline, deliverables, and success metrics in collaboration with stakeholders to ensure alignment with Rocketship’s organizational priorities.
• Conduct discovery and root cause analysis to define problems, synthesize insights, and develop data-driven and clear action plans and solutions.
• Design and maintain reporting structures that provide visibility into progress and outcomes and  drive accountability.
• Drive change management and stakeholder engagement to ensure smooth adoption of new tools, systems, processes, or solutions across the organization.
• Surface and suggest  trends and insights across initiatives to inform broader systems improvements and strategic planning efforts.

Team Support: 10%

• Support the National Chief of Staff and Senior Director of Strategy and Growth on other bodies of work, included but not limited to, National Executive Team governance, Strategic Planning, Data Systems,  Analytics and Assessments, Student Information Systems, and Technology Solutions.

Skills

• Strategic problem-solver: Uses data to shape decisions, solve complex problems, and move initiatives forward. Balances high-level strategic thinking with hands-on execution, and consistently drives results independently and proactively.
• Project management excellence: Juggles multiple priorities and workstreams efficiently and effectively. Comfortable influencing without authority, holding stakeholders accountable, and keeping teams aligned on critical deliverables and timelines.
• Clear and compelling communication: Crafts high-quality communications across formats (written, verbal, visual). Tailors messages to a range of audiences and synthesizes complex ideas clearly to support decision-making and alignment.
• Stakeholder navigation: Has the interpersonal, diplomatic, relationship-building, and communication skills necessary to cultivate successful working relationships to drive outcomes.
• Technical fluency: Comfortable conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis in excel / Google Sheets and creating strong presentations in PPT / Google Slides. Able to quickly learn and adapt to new tools and systems.
• Attention to detail: Produces consistently accurate, high-quality work. Spots inconsistencies and shows pride in work.

Mindsets

• Mission-Aligned: You are passionate about Rocketship’s mission of equal access to opportunity for all, and are willing to go above and beyond for students and communities.
• Ownership & Initiative: You take full ownership of your work, proactively identifying challenges, offering solutions, and driving progress without being asked. You hold yourself accountable for both successes and setbacks, and consistently demonstrate follow-through.
• Growth-Oriented: You approach your work with curiosity and a desire to improve. You seek out feedback, reflect, and iterate on systems and practices to make them better.
• Entrepreneurial: You are energized by problem-solving in a dynamic environment. You are comfortable with ambiguity, flexible, and bring a creative, can-do attitude to your work
• Collaborative: You enjoy building strong relationships and working across teams. You are self-aware and emotionally intelligent, understanding how your actions impact others, and adjusting thoughtfully to foster collaboration and trust.
• Sound judgment: You handle sensitive or confidential matters with discretion, tact, and professionalism. You know when and how to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree is required
• At least 2-4 years of relevant work experience, with a track record of success in strategy, operations, or  project management roles in complex organizations.
• Experience in education / charter schools and / or management consulting is a plus but not required
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated ability to leverage data for decision-making.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with an emphasis on crafting high-quality materials  to synthesize information clearly and influencing diverse audiences to act or align.
• Strong strategic problem-solving and cross-functional project and process management skills, delivering results in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, navigate organizational dynamics, and influence without direct authority.
• Ability to move comfortably between high-level strategic- and systems-thinking and intricate details.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

$100,000 - $110,000 a year

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 position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.

Compensation:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.

Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.  For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.