Job Description

DPAC, formerly Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus, is entering a pivotal new chapter in its history. Founded in 2001 by the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education as the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the school was created to provide children in Historic West Las Vegas with access to an exceptional, college‑preparatory education rooted in opportunity, excellence, and community pride. In 2017, Democracy Prep Public Schools assumed operations of the campus, building on Agassi Prep’s legacy while strengthening academic outcomes and organizational systems.

Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, DPAC will transition from a charter management organization to an independent charter school, governed locally and deeply anchored in the Westside community. This transition represents both a responsibility and an opportunity to honor DPAC’s history, strengthen its academic core, and chart a sustainable, community‑centered future.

DPAC currently serves more than 900 students across grades K–12 through an elementary school, middle school, and high school. The campus offers a rigorous academic program alongside arts, athletics, civic education, and student support. As DPAC enters this next phase, strong leadership will be essential to guide organizational transformation, stabilize operations, and position the school as a source of pride and possibility for our families.

Opportunity

DPAC is entering a new chapter focused on being open, strong, and rooted in the Westside’s legacy. Our goal is to become “the pearl of the Westside,” a beacon of educational excellence, academic rigor, and community pride, where every scholar thrives, and every family feels seen and supported.

The Executive Director will serve as the chief executive and community-facing leader of DPAC, responsible for translating this mission into day‑to‑day practice, long‑term strategy, and measurable results. The Executive Director will work in close partnership with the Board of Trustees to ensure academic excellence, financial sustainability, and meaningful engagement with families and community partners.

DPAC seeks an Executive Director to lead the campus, which includes an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school, and ensure that DPAC continues to play a central role in the Historic Westside community of Las Vegas.

The Executive Director's call to action is threefold:

• Work with the Board to implement DPAC’s overall strategic priorities;
• Ensure DPAC scholars receive a rigorous, safe, and structured learning environment;
• Maintain DPAC's financial health and grow its relationships with community and philanthropic organizations to ensure long-term sustainability as an independent charter school.

The Executive Director will lead DPAC to accomplish the following key priorities:

• Significantly improve student academic outcomes across K-12; specifically, move all three schools to a 5-star rating over the next three years;
• Build, inspire, and retain a high‑performing leadership team aligned to a shared vision;
• Engage families, staff, and community stakeholders in DPAC’s mission, strengthening trust and reinforcing the school’s value to the Westside community;

Successfully complete the transition to an independent charter school with strong governance, compliance, and operational systems. The Executive Director reports directly to the DPAC Board of Trustees. Through direct management of the DPAC leadership team, including school principals and leaders in culture and school operations, the Executive Director will ensure that DPAC delivers on its promise to provide students and families with the highest quality education possible.

The ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial champion for children who embraces challenges, thrives in ambiguity, is deeply committed to the Las Vegas education community, and will show up as a credible, visible leader of the organization.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership

• Manage and evaluate the operation and functioning of DPAC schools consistent with the school’s mission, values, and goals and the expectations set out by the charter;
• Ensure DPAC programs, policies, systems, and services are rigorous, high-quality, and in alignment with local needs;

• Set clear academic, operational, talent, enrollment, and financial goals and priorities in collaboration with DPAC leaders;
• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with DPAC’s Board of Trustees, charter authorizer, and local funders.

Team Management

• Recruit, develop, manage, and retain a high-performing DPAC leadership team, including school principals, operations leaders and culture leaders, managing them to achieve ambitious goals;
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, and decision‑making authority across the organization;
• Develop and implement systems/structure within the campus and with external vendors supporting finance, human resources, and other operational functions;
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and accountable adult culture centered on student success and growth;
• Implement strategies to improve staff stability, leadership development, and succession planning

• Strategize, develop, and support school instructional leaders to implement plans for staff and leadership development.

External Partnership, Engagement, and Sustainability

• Serve as the public face of DPAC and a visible leader in the Historic Westside community;
• Externally champion the vision, mission, goals, and values of DPAC, including speaking publicly and communicating widely about the work and accomplishments of the organization;
• Rebuild trust and expand partnerships in the local community, including working with key education leaders, government officials, and community-based organizations;
• Develop and execute strategies to stabilize and grow enrollment;
• In partnership with the DPAC Board of Trustees, ensure that DPAC has a sustainable long-term financial plan; manage the organizational budget of approximately $13M while laying the groundwork to increase funding opportunities
• Ensure compliance with all charter, legal, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

Qualifications

The ideal Executive Director candidate will bring the following experiences, skills, and mindset/values:

Experience

• At least ten years of professional experience, including senior leadership in education, nonprofit, or mission‑driven organizations;
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational transformation, change management, or turnaround efforts;
• Experience serving as a senior leader in a school, nonprofit, or complex organization with multiple stakeholders;
• Experience leading or overseeing schools, school networks, or education‑adjacent organizations serving historically marginalized communities preferred;
• Experience successfully managing, developing, and supporting inclusive, high-performing, diverse teams through layers.
• Experience building and stewarding external partnerships and serving as the face of an organization is a plus.
• Proven success in managing large budgets and making strategic financial decisions.
• Experience working effectively with a governing board;
• Experience building external partnerships and serving as the public representative of an organization;
• Strong understanding of or commitment to learning the Nevada and Las Vegas education landscape;
• Connection to and/or understanding of the Las Vegas/Nevada educational landscape is a plus; commitment to driving educational equity in Nevada is required.
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university is required; an advanced degree or equivalent is preferred.

Skills

• Strategic leadership with the ability to set vision, define priorities, and execute through others;
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills across diverse audiences;
• Financial acumen and operational judgment;
• Ability to lead with clarity, accountability, and empathy during periods of change.

Mindset/Values

• Deep belief in the potential of all students and families;;
• Alignment with the mission and vision of DPAC and commitment to its future as a community‑rooted institution;
• Integrity, transparency, and emotional intelligence;
• Collaborative and accessible leadership style; present and engaged leader;
• Evidence of well-developed emotional intelligence, humility, growth mindset, and receptiveness to feedback.
• Willingness to listen, learn, and adapt.

Benefits

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $170,000 to $185,000 annually, commensurate with experience. DPAC offers a comprehensive benefits package consistent with peer Nevada charter schools, which includes:

• Employer‑sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance;
• Participation in PERS;
• Paid time off and holidays;
• Professional development opportunities and necessary technology and resources to succeed.

DPAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. DPAC strongly encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply.