Executive Director

About Spero Academy
 

Spero Academy is a public K-6 elementary charter school with locations in Northeast Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. We are in session 4 days/week, 11 months out of the year and a high educator to student ratio. We provide individualized educational programs designed to meet the unique needs of our students through continuous progress and a responsive
environment. About 90% of our student population have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and we employ a variety of staff to support students in whatever way they need to grow and thrive: social workers, speech language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, music therapists, art teachers, physical education teachers, developmental adapted physical education teachers, a multilingual learner teacher, in addition to classroom teachers and
paraprofessionals.
 

Spero Academy seeks a strategic, innovative, and curious leader who embodies its mission: to empower academic, social, and emotional growth for all in a culturally inclusive and collaborative environment. We prioritize adaptive education and a supportive community to ensure every student feels valued and prepared to reach their full potential.
 

Position Summary
The Executive Director (ED) oversees all strategic, academic, financial, and operational functions of Spero Academy. They function as the superintendent of the schools, report directly to the school board, and are accountable to the University of St. Thomas and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).
 

● The ED role is both strategic and operational and is cumulatively responsible for all aspects of organizational health, including but not limited to:
○ Enacting the school’s vision/mission;
○ Overseeing the realization of the school’s strategic goals and outcomes;
○ Managing finances and meeting the school’s financial goals;
○ Maintaining MDE accreditation and being accountable to the school’s authorizer;
○ Guiding the school’s professional culture and overseeing human resources;
 

The ED is ultimately responsible for the execution of all programs and procedures in alignment with the school’s mission and vision, with input from a broad range of constituents.
 

Primary Responsibilities
 

● Strategic Operational Oversight
○ Maintain alignment between all programs and the overall vision, mission, and
core values of Spero Academy.
○ Drive process improvements that enhance Spero Academy’s ability to achieve the strategic outcomes in all aspects of organizational health, including but not limited to academics, child development, assessments and data, organizational
stability, and financial strength.
○ Maintain alignment between the school’s mission and the policies and strategic direction of Spero Academy’s Board of Directors.
 

● Organizational Leadership & Staff Management
○ Work with the Directors and Principals to develop, maintain, and enhance all
aspects of Spero Academy to ensure positive outcomes for students and a strong, collaborative professional culture. Supervises direct reports in a manner that promotes success, efficiency, and on-going development. This includes effective communication and delegation; training, accountability, development, and support of staff; establishing performance requirements; and evaluating staff supervised.
○ Develop and maintain a staff culture that embodies the school’s core values and brings the mission/vision to life.
○ Build or maintain processes, culture, and ways of working that ensure the
Leadership Team is high performing.
○ Establish systems that ensure that recruiting / selection processes benefit Spero Academy; ensure that employment legal requirements are met; and ensure overall HR administration meets the needs of employees and Spero Academy.

● Governance, Policy, and Law
○ Comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and
regulations. Appropriately and directly respond when infractions occur.
○ Stay up to date on all applicable legislative changes and work with the
Governance Committee to proactively establish policies.

● Community, Board & Authorizer Relations
○ Report to and maintain a positive, working relationship with the Board. The ED
is expected to attend committee meetings, within reason, and communicate with
committee chairs.
○ Communicate any relevant legislative updates to the school community in a
proactive manner.
○ Be the face of the school to the external community. Although the ED may not
be the primary point person for every relationship, the ED must be aware of,
connected to, and nurture relationships with all organizations (including and not
limited to: Minnesota Association of Charter Schools, Pacer, University of
St.Thomas, internship sites, etc.). Community outreach may also include
advocacy at the local and state policy level. Maintain a strong relationship with the school’s authorizer, currently the University of St. Thomas (UST).
○ External Communication: Implement quality, timely, and effective
communications from Spero Academy leadership to key partners, the community
at large, and other critical stakeholders.
○ Serve as a member of The Spero Academy Foundation Board.
 

● Fiscal Management
○ Ensure accurate financial management and oversight to guarantee that Spero
Academy secures all needed revenues (including enrollment projections), stay
within the board approved budget, and effectively protect assets. Ensure
effectiveness of accounting and auditing consultants.
○ Ensure the financial health and longevity of the school by cultivating
relationships with foundations, corporations, and individuals who provide
financial support to the school. Ensure that the school meets its short- and
long-term fundraising goals.
○ Work towards a diversified, sustainable, and strategic financial strategy.
○ Work with the staff, finance committee, business accountant to prepare a
comprehensive budget.

Qualifications:
 

Our next Executive Director may not be a Charter School or Special Education expert, but they should have a deep commitment to both and have the ability to align mission and action and bring out the best in Spero Academy’s leaders by empowering them with the systems, structure, culture, and accountability they need to meet all student’s needs.
 

Required
 

● Mission-driven and business-focused
● Commitment to and experience working with students from diverse backgrounds with
unique academic and personal needs.
● Effective and detailed written and verbal communicator
● Innovative, strategic, and inclusive systems thinker
● Strong financial acumen with experience managing complex multi-million dollar budgets, working with restricted revenue streams, and ensuring long-term financial stability.
● Demonstrated leadership experience in education, non-profits, or related fields.
● Have at least 5 years of leadership experience.
● Bachelor’s degree
● Expertise with the following computer applications: Mac equipment, classroom applications and software, Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods of time.
 

● Ability to maintain status of “not disqualified” upon completion of criminal background.
● Ability to lift up to 50 pounds on occasion.
Preferred
● Experience working with charter schools.
● Advanced degree in education, leadership, management, or finance
● Administrative License
● Special Education teaching license or experience.
● Thorough understanding of charter school operations.
● Understand charter schools and Minnesota Charter school law and are literate in finance, HR, and Special Education.

Additional Information
● Position reports to School Board Chair
● Position supervises Academic Department, Operations Department, Special Education
Department, Principals, and staff
● Position Status: Full-time, Exempt, 40 hrs/week, 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM, M-F, 12 months
● Pay Range: $83,200 - $146,816
The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. Spero Academy will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and
privileges of employment. If you require accommodation, please contact our Human Resources Coordinator at hr@spero.academy. Learn more about our philosophy, benefits, and team at https://www.spero.academy/about-us/employment

Application Process:
 

Submit resume and written answers to the following questions to cfritz@spero.academy:
(please limit answers to 200 or fewer words for each question)
 

● Tell us about a situation where you navigated competing priorities from key stakeholders
or direct reports.
● Describe your leadership philosophy and give an example of it in action.
● Describe how you have used data to inform academic, organizational, or programmatic innovation and improvement.
 

Estimated application close date: February 27, 2026