ABOUT ALLIANCE COLLEGE-READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Alliance College-Ready Public Schools is one of the largest and most successful nonprofit public charter school networks in the nation, operating 25 high-performing, middle and high schools that educate nearly 13,000 scholars who make up the heart of Los Angeles’ Latinx, Black, and recent immigrant communities. Alliance schools have been recognized as among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, the U.S. Department of Education, and the California Department of Education. Since opening our first school in 2004, 95% of Alliance scholars have graduated from high school. We strive to uplift our scholars and their communities by fostering unparalleled educational opportunities that encourage scholarly thought, resilient learning, powerful communication, mind-body wellness, and community advocacy. To learn more, visit www.LAalliance.org.

ROLE SUMMARY
The Manager, Strategic Initiatives (MSI) provides direct support to the Chief Financial Officer in ensuring that Alliance’s Accounting and Finance Team provides high-value services and supports to our schools and meets the requirements of authorizers, funders, lenders, and other external parties. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the MSI is responsible for leading and implementing key initiatives across the Accounting and Finance Team. The MSI works closely with the Accounting and Finance Leadership Team, and acts as a point of contact between organization leadership, department team members, and other stakeholders. The ideal candidate for this position will be a strong project manager with a proven track record in navigating complex, multi-level challenges, an ability to manage myriad stakeholder relationships, and an aptitude for identifying and addressing diverse needs. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced professional to take a leadership role in helping Alliance achieve our mission of ensuring equity and excellence for scholars in Los Angeles.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES  
Project Management

• Manage and lead key strategic projects in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, and work closely with the Chief Financial Officer and other team leaders to support Alliance’s organizational priority initiatives.

• Project manage cross-functional work, including managing annual audits and the school budgeting process, especially those requiring rapid-response or other issue resolution; develop project plans, track milestones, and conduct data analyses to support departmental decision-making. 

• Perform analysis and strategic consultation on Accounting and Finance-related issues impacting the organization. Prepare briefings, memos, or presentations to communicate findings to the Chief Financial Officer and Accounting and Finance Leadership Team. 

• Coordinate to support departmental initiatives, including tracking deliverables and managing team fiscal responsibilities, including managing department credit card, facilitating Coupa requirements, etc. 

Coordination and Support

• Support the Accounting and Finance Team with cross-functional projects, process improvement initiatives, and strategic problem-solving as needed. 

• Support the Accounting and Finance Leadership Team through facilitation of regular meetings, tracking progress against department goals and network-wide priorities, and manage follow-ups to key actions and decisions.

• Manage monthly Accounting and Finance Team meetings, annual outings/retreats, and other critical meetings. This includes creating the content; developing agendas, memos, presentation decks, facilitation notes, and communications to participants, facilitating select activities, and managing follow-up to key actions and decisions. 

• Work with the Chief Financial Officer to implement initiatives to enhance and strengthen team culture. 

• Attend the Accounting and Finance Leadership Team meetings as needed to support with departmental coordination.

• Support the Accounting and Finance Leadership Team in documenting critical processes and developing training materials for department team members. 

• Coordinate logistics for recruitment activities, including scheduling interviews, preparing materials, and supporting onboarding of new team members.

• Develop and distribute clear and timely communications related to team projects and initiatives, ensuring internal/external deadlines are included in appropriate communications tools, including the weekly Operations, Principal, and Home Office Newsletters.

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE

• Commitment to Alliance’s core beliefs and mission.

• Ability to manage myriad relationships, facilitate collaboration across functional departments, and provide support to senior leaders. 

• Strong analytical skills necessary to interpret data, identify trends, and support departmental goals and initiatives.

• Ability to think critically about process improvement.

• Proven ability to navigate complex issues and support strong performance results. 

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. 

• Proficient use of Microsoft Office and Google-based applications.

• Entrepreneurial spirit to thrive in a fast-paced, fluctuating, and achievement-oriented environment. 

• Willingness to go above and beyond to contribute to the success of a dynamic team committed to a new future for urban education. 

• An advanced degree in business, public policy, finance, or a related discipline is preferred.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 3 years of relevant, progressive professional work experience and a Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university; OR

• At least 5 years of relevant, progressive professional work experience and a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g., GED).

• Demonstrated project management experience and ability to navigate complex issues and support strong performance results.

• Strong project management and data analysis skills with the ability to efficiently manage multiple projects and deadlines, work across departments and functions, and translate strategies from plans to action.

WORK LOCATION
This position is remote and will work virtually in the greater Los Angeles area, with occasional travel to school sites. The successful candidate will be given a $400 work-from-home set-up allowance and receive a monthly stipend of $100.

BENEFITS

In alignment with our commitment to equity for our scholars, Alliance is committed to equity and transparency for our team and offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience as well as generous retirement and health benefits. This position is exempt.

• Relocation: Individuals residing outside of the Greater Los Angeles area are eligible for a relocation bonus of $5,000 for individuals and $7,500 for new staff with families/partners. 

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision plan options that are covered at 100% of monthly premiums for individual employees and at least $1,000 per month towards medical family plan premiums. Please click HERE for more information on health insurance.

• Retirement: Alliance Home Office employees are eligible for a retirement allowance equal to 7.5% of their regular yearly earnings. Please click HERE for more information on retirement.

• Paid Leave: Regular full-time 12-month employees receive 8.5 weeks of vacation and paid time off. Full-time employees accrue 3 weeks of flexible paid time off per year and receive 27 other paid holidays as part of our network calendar.

• Professional Development: At Alliance, we believe in supporting staff growth and development. Home Office staff are allocated $500 per year for professional development expenses.

COMPENSATION

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit an application. If you advance to the next step, you will be contacted for a phone screen and/or interview. Only candidates who advance will be contacted.

If you would like to view the progress of your application, you can log in to your Candidate Home Account by signing in at the top right of our jobs page.

Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor or support applicants on visas at this time or in the foreseeable future.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Alliance College-Ready Public Schools is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, anti-racist, pro-Black community that celebrates diversity, equity, and the unique identities of all scholars and staff. Nearly two-thirds of our teachers and administrators identify as people of color, reinforcing our commitment to representation and the power of diverse role models. We recognize the richness of the cultures and communities we serve, and we believe that embracing and empowering these identities is essential to the success and pride of our scholars. Working at Alliance means joining a movement to drive transformative change, nurture resilience, and build lifelong, meaningful connections with scholars and their communities.

Champion Alliance’s Anti-Racist, Pro-Black Mission: The strongest candidates will bring a commitment to Alliance’s mission of building an anti-racist, pro-Black community that prioritizes the success and well-being of Black and Brown scholars. Candidates should have a passion for promoting equity through anti-racist, student-centered teaching practices that celebrate racial and cultural identities. This role is rooted in service to systemically underserved communities in Los Angeles, helping scholars graduate “college-ready” with pride in who they are.

This job description is subject to change at any time based on the evolving needs of the organization.

• Alliance College-Ready Public Schools are tuition-free public charter schools that do not discriminate against any scholar, parent, community member, or staff member based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

• Alliance College-Ready Public Schools requires that all team members complete a LiveScan background check and TB clearance.

• Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they match every criterion. If you think you meet some of the qualifications, but don't necessarily check every box in the job description, we encourage you to still apply. If you have questions contact the Talent Acquisition Team at joinus@laalliance.org.