Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Compliance

Organizational Description

New Millennium Academy (NMA) is a Hmong charter school, and its mission is to prepare learners for life by engaging them in high academic achievement and fostering cultural pride and identity. NMA’s vision is to develop global leaders who transform the world.

Culture of Learning

Every scholar has the right to learn, be engaged, and grow in a healthy school environment. As such, NMA fosters a culture of learning that embraces every scholar’s strengths and seeks employees who will optimistically and confidently participate in this culture of learning. 

Core Principles:

1. Aim for high academic achievement.

2. Embrace cultural pride and identity.

3. Model the way.

4. Understand how data drives decisions.

5. Have high expectations.

6. Create a socially/emotionally supportive learning environment.

Job Description

Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Manager of Strategic Initiatives drives the organizational strategic planning process and helps steward achievement of the strategic priorities of the Executive Director, including growth, legal and risk. In addition, you will directly lead key strategic workstreams and initiatives and your leadership will strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of organization-wide processes and systems. You will receive invaluable exposure to our strategic vision and the breadth and depth of work of our senior leadership. 

Organizational Strategy and Planning

Oversee and/or support workstreams related to strategy development and implementation, growth planning and implementation, and annual planning processes

• Serve as Program Lead stewarding effective delivery against our multi-year organizational strategic plan

• Lead design and implementation based off of New Millennium Academy’s long term strategic plan

• Manage major organizational initiatives and workstreams as required, which may include leading cross-functional teams to address emerging needs; designing and implementing new processes or systems; or leading and implementing organizational change.

• Manage and/or support projects to enhance strategic and administrative support and effectiveness of the Executive Director and senior leadership.

State, Federal, and Authorizer Compliance

The Manager of Strategic Initiatives is directly responsible for ensuring that the school is in compliance with all federal, state, and authorizer guidelines. Specific Compliance duties include:

• Ensuring all legal and contractual obligations are met – World’s Best Workforce Report, MARSS, DIRS, Special Education, CLICS, audits, etc.

• Oversees the completion of all necessary reports, claims, and forms to state, federal, authorizer and other governing bodies;

• Ensuring public-charter school policies and procedures are in place as mandated by MN-statute.

Board Relations and Governance

The Manager of Strategic Initiatives is responsible for managing New Millennium Academy’s local governance relationship strategy and staffing the elected Board of Directors.

• Manages information flow requested by, or submitted to, the Board of Education individually and collectively; coordinates efforts and works collaboratively with multiple stakeholders within time sensitive deadlines.

• Develops draft policies with key stakeholders and manages policy processes.

• Develops and cultivates relationships with board members and oversee the board governance compliance process

Special Projects Management

• Oversees special executive-level projects and independently executes special strategic projects, research, and assignments. 

• Coordinates logistics for internal and external communications, meetings and speaking engagements on behalf of the Executive Director.

• Ensures optimum use of the Executive Director’s time and effective operations.

• Prepares and manages the credit card reconciliation process and other administrative tasks

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Dedication to the mission of New Millennium Academy

• Strong and creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and strategic planning skills, including the ability to disaggregate problems and structure complex issues;

• Strong collaboration and influence skills, demonstrating an ability to navigate organizational relationships, incorporate differing perspectives, develop recommendations, and generate consensus with partners across teams

• Excellent people and project management skills, including detail and action-orientation with excellent follow-through skills;

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and demonstrates strong interpersonal skills with varied constituencies;

• Strong presentation design and slide development skills;

• Strong data analysis skills and familiarity with data-driven decision-making;

• Displays maturity, flexibility, comfort with ambiguity and a sense of optimism/can-do attitude;

• Ability to take initiative, manage priorities, and work independently