Lead, Service Delivery Management (Virtual Schools)

About the RoleThe Lead, School Operations Manager aka: Director of School Operations (DSO) is a senior, enterprise-level leader responsible for driving operational excellence across a portfolio of Connections Academy schools. This role partners closely with school leaders to ensure schools are compliant, sustainable, and positioned to deliver strong student outcomes—at scale.The DSO is a leader of leaders, directly managing school principals and working alongside leadership teams to strengthen execution, build leadership capacity, and ensure the Connections Academy model is implemented with fidelity. This is a highly visible, high-impact role requiring strong judgment, the ability to operate across multiple schools simultaneously, and comfort navigating complexity in a fast-moving environment.The DSO works in close partnership with cross-functional teams—including School Success, Academic Outcomes, Finance, HR, and Operations—to translate strategy into disciplined, scalable execution while maintaining a strong focus on student experience and long-term sustainability.What You'll DoLead Portfolio-Level School OperationsDirectly manage and coach multiple school principals across a portfolio of virtual schoolsEstablish clear operational expectations and accountability across schools while honoring local nuancesMonitor operational health, compliance indicators, and engagement trends to proactively identify risksHold school leaders accountable for execution of:Academic improvement initiativesCompliance, charter, and contract requirementsSchool-year milestones and operational deliverablesProvide structured, data-informed coaching to strengthen leadership effectiveness and execution disciplineEnable Operational Sustainability & Enrollment GrowthPartner with schools to ensure operational readiness to support enrollment growthAssess leadership capacity, staffing models, onboarding processes, scheduling, and systems readinessIdentify operational constraints that could impact growth, persistence, or staff sustainabilityStrengthen retention-supporting practices that improve student and staff experienceProactively identify and mitigate risks related to charter stability and renewal readinessDrive School-Year Readiness at ScaleEnsure consistent execution of school-year cycle activities across multiple schools, including:School calendars and handbooksAnnual policy and process reviewsSummer school planningIdentify pressure points impacting leaders and staff and coordinate mitigations across the portfolioBuild Leadership Capacity & SuccessionServe as a leader of leaders, managing principals responsible for large, complex organizationsSet clear performance expectations tied to operational excellence and strategic initiativesConduct performance evaluations and support ongoing leader developmentLead hiring, onboarding, and succession planning for school leadersFacilitate leadership development that cascades through leadership teams and staffSupport Boards, Authorizers & External PartnersSupport school leaders in engaging effectively with boards, authorizers, districts, and partnersPrepare leaders for meetings by supporting agenda development, data review, and performance narrativesContribute to formal school leader performance reviews presented to boards, ensuring clarity and evidence-based evaluationLead Change & Continuous ImprovementSupport schools through operational change as new products, services, and systems are introducedDrive adoption of enterprise processes while minimizing disruption to schoolsContribute to continuous refinement of the School Operations operating modelWhat You BringRequired Qualifications3–5 years of proven leadership experience as a Principal or equivalent senior school leadership roleAdvanced degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or ManagementDemonstrated ability to lead leaders and operate effectively across multiple organizationsStrong operational judgment and experience managing complexity at scaleExcellent communication, executive presence, and relationship-building skillsData-driven mindset with a focus on results and accountabilityComfort working in a technology-enabled, virtual environmentAbility and willingness to travel frequentlyPreferred QualificationsExperience leading or supporting virtual or blended schoolsExperience working with charter schools, authorizers, or boardsBackground in large-scale or multi-site educational operationsWhy This Role MattersInfluence the success and sustainability of multiple schools serving students nationwidePartner closely with senior leaders to translate strategy into actionBuild strong, stable leadership teams that deliver consistent resultsPlay a key role in enabling growth while protecting student experience and complianceCompensation at Pearson is influenced by factors including skill set, experience, and location.The full-time salary range for this role is $140,000 - $150,000.This position is eligible for Pearson's annual incentive program. Information on benefits can be found here.Applications will be accepted through 3/26/26. This window may be extended depending on business needs.Who we are:At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing TalentExperienceGlobalTeam@grp.pearson.com.Job: School Service DeliveryJob Family: LEARNING_&_CONTENT_DELIVERYOrganization: Virtual LearningSchedule: FULL_TIMEWorkplace Type: RemoteReq ID: 23191locationJ-18808-Ljbffr