Special Assistant to the Chief Schools Officer

You support the Chief Schools Officer (CSO) to make strategic use of her time and resources so Uncommon can better serve students and school leaders. You’ll own day-to-day executive support and run projects that improve CSO operations, partnering across teams and regions to move work forward. In this role you’ll combine high-quality administrative execution with project management and communications—helping shape school-facing initiatives and the CSO team’s impact across the organization.

Duties & Responsibilities

Administrative Excellence

• Manage the CSO’s calendar, schedule meetings, and coordinate travel logistics and comprehensive itineraries.
• Prepare daily CSO briefs and weekly calendars to ensure the CSO is prepared for meetings and action items.
• Provide administrative support for the CSO team (credit card reconciliation, reimbursements, and other office tasks).

Meeting & Event Management

• Own planning and logistics for meetings and events: create agendas, prepare presentations, take minutes, and manage follow-up.
• Support external speaking engagements by handling logistics, drafting speeches/presentations, and preparing the CSO for events.

Program & Systems Management

• Create and maintain strategic trackers, rubrics, and project plans to monitor progress toward goals and deadlines.
• Partner with leaders across teams and regions to manage stakeholders and operationalize organization-wide CSO initiatives.
• Support budget management for the CSO and HSI, including greenlighting purchases and recommending budget adjustments.

Communications & Culture

• Manage and implement the CSO’s communication plan and support inspirational written materials when needed.
• Help shape a joyful, collaborative staff culture within the CSO team and with Home Office leaders.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 1–2 years of professional experience; experience in K–12 education or in an executive-level support role is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and follow projects through to completion.
• High level of discretion handling confidential information and interacting with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to travel frequently (weekly travel between NYC and Newark; monthly travel to Boston, Rochester, and/or Camden) and to work occasional weekends as needed.
• Physical requirements: moderate physical activity including standing or walking for periods, setting up equipment or materials, and occasionally carrying items up to 20–40 lbs.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience as an assistant to senior leaders, or prior school operations/teacher experience within K–12 settings.
• Experience creating presentations, managing trackers, or operationalizing programs.

Additional Information

Start Date: July 1st, 2026

Work Environment: Newark, NJ | In person 5 days/week | travel and weekend work required. Expect regular travel between NYC (Manhattan and Brooklyn) and Newark, and monthly travel to other regional sites.

Our people are what make us Uncommon. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families. Our compensation philosophy values equity & fairness and attracting & retaining top talent. [same for all roles]

Compensation 

Compensation for this role is between $64,000 to $75,300. 

Starting pay is determined using various factors including but not limited to relevant professional experience, education, certifications, and tenure with Uncommon Schools. If you meet all job description requirements you will likely receive an offer of $67,800. 

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits
• Pre-tax flexible spending, dependent care, and health saving accounts

*A detailed list of all benefits is located HERE.

At Uncommon, we believe that a supportive and welcoming environment helps our students, staff, and community thrive. We are dedicated to building a team that brings a wide range of perspectives and experiences, reflective of the communities we serve---with over 70% of our staff identifying as people of color. Our organization values respect and open dialogue on important topics that shape our school culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.