Wilcox Academy is a 4-star early learning center that provides enriched child care to the children of New Orleans across several locations. Our developmentally-appropriate education model is rooted in the best practices of early childhood development and center inquiry and discovery for our youngest learners. At Wilcox Academy, we take early childhood education seriously. We educate children and prepare them for kindergarten. We believe that Early learning is the social, emotional and academic foundation for a child’s future success. Our staff members are continuously learning and growing to ensure the utmost support for every child who walks through our doors.

Brief description of the role

The Chief of Staff (COS) is a new role that will lead and support Wilcox’s operational and strategic needs in partnership with the CEO, Rochelle Wilcox. With three locations serving approximately 165 students, the Chief of Staff will work collaboratively with the Leadership team to ensure alignment across the organization. In this role, the COS will help codify policies and procedures that will establish effective transition and growth to occur at all locations, including our newest facility on the campus of a local university. The COS will play an integral role in prioritizing business strategies and ensuring effective communication across the organization. As a close thought partner, this role will provide analysis, context, and clear problem statements to the CEO for decision making; as well as act on behalf of the CEO maintaining partnerships with stakeholders, clients, our community and staff.

Key roles and responsibilities

Oversee the Office of the CEO

• Manage the office of the CEO, serving as the central coordinator to establish clear priorities and ensure all critical functions are executed in a timely and professional manner.
• Partner with CEO to enhance Wilcox Academy’s public profile, social media presence and deepen engagement with partners and high-level audiences.
• Coordinate executive communications and ensure presentations, articles, press releases, and correspondence reflect CEO voice, organizational vision, messaging, priorities, and standards.
• Prepare the CEO for internal and external meetings, presentations, and events.
• Lead, research and track special projects and initiatives on behalf of the CEO.

Strategic Leadership Partner

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team [ELT], exemplifying the highest level of discretion, integrity, and professionalism and supporting the Leadership Team.
• Work closely with the ELT to ensure alignment of priorities, effective communication, and fulfillment of executive and organizational commitments.
• Support time-sensitive requests from the leadership team, community partners, and stakeholders.
• Monitor and advise the CEO and executive leadership team on opportunities related to emerging trends, process optimization, policy improvements, and strategic partnerships.
• Represent the CEO in meetings and events with partners, funders, and other stakeholders.

Human Resources Oversight

• Develop and implement HR organizational policies and procedure manual and handbook.
• Collaborate and resolve employee relations concerns by addressing demands, grievances or other issues in alignment with HR policies
• Support leadership team with recruitment, hiring and onboarding orientation processes of highly qualified staff, ensuring that new hires align with Wilcox Academy’s mission.
• Monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the organization including reporting of HR metrics for decision making.
• Oversee organization performance management system in support of driving retention of quality staff and termination process paperwork for exiting staff.
• Support oversight of the compensation and benefits program for the organization.
• Assess, monitor and support training professional development of staff.

Operations Support

• Support establishing an organizational operational system that can maintain operational procedures for information technology, facilitations, child nutrition, vendor management, service delivery and contract maintenance.
• Serve as key support and thought partner with the CEO to improve financial systems and strategy, supporting ELT members with budget and spending decisions.
• Ensure timely operational compliance with all federal, state and local requirements with reporting.