Job

POSITION:ManagingDirectorofProjectAccelerationand Innovation

The applications will close on Friday, June 5, 2026. We will move quickly through the hiring process for this role and have tentative finalist interview dates set for Friday, June 12 (morning) and Monday, June 15 (afternoon).

REPORTSTO:ChiefofStaff

POSITIONTYPE:12-month

STARTDATE:Immediately

COMPENSATION:$119,363 - $179,045,Home Office Compensation Grade 12(3-year grant funded role; through June 2029) - offers commensurate with experience

At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of a high-performing, team-oriented culture.

Some quick stats about us:

• 21,000+ Students
• 2,400 Team Members
• 16 Secondary Campuses
• 11 Elementary Campuses
• 92% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
• 96% Hispanic & African-American Students
• 90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
• 88% First-Generation College Students
• Ranked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options within Houston’s city limits serving our increasing population.

THE OPPORTUNITY

YES Prep needs a dynamic Managing Director of Project Acceleration and Innovation witha robust set of experiences and astrongtrackrecordofsystemsdesign,innovation,andexecution to make our mission a reality. As a YES Prep employee, you will achieve jaw-dropping results, create pathways to opportunity for our students, and build transformative relationships.

To put it simply, you will define and operationalize innovation across the organization,

accelerate strategic initiatives, and build the infrastructure needed to rapidly pilot, evaluate, and scale high-impact practices. In this role, you will achieve breakthrough results, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and help YES Prep deliver transformative outcomes for students.

THE“RECEIPTS”(i.e.THEMEASURABLEGOALS)

AtYESPrep,webelievethat“iftherearen’treceipts,itdidn’thappen.”Inotherwords, we hold ourselves accountable to measurable results. The following are a high-level summary of the annual goals associated with this role. These goals will be finalized during the 90-day onboarding plan and reviewed annually for adoption.

•Year1:

• Establish and lead YES Prep’s inaugural AI Design Team—a cross-functionalteamofteachers,campus-basedstaff,andHomeOfficestaff chargedwithbuildingYESPrep’sAIphilosophy,guidingprinciples,and pilot explorations.
• Create YES Prep’s Power of YES strategic goal related to “Edge” through collaborationwiththeexecutiveteamandtheBoardofDirectors

Note: This was originally going to be defined as participation in the TEA Strategic Compensation Cohort, but we recently withdrew from that project. Because of this, we now need to redefine “Edge” for the duration of the Power of YES strategic plan.

•Year2:

• Design anAIscopeandsequenceforYESPrep’sSecondarystudents(grades6 through 12)with input from the AI Design Team and the Schools Team
• Buildthe planandtoolsfortracking “Long Term Outcomes” for YES Prep graduates in collaboration with the Analytics Team and with input from the College Initiatives Team, and externalpartners(e.g.MITBlueprintLabs).

•Year3:

• FinalizethenextstrategicplanforYESPrepincludingvision,majorgoals and respective targets, and initial launch documentation in collaboration with the executive team and the Board of Directors

THE ROLE

WhenyoujointheYESPrepteam,someoftheworkandresponsibilitieswill include:

InnovationandOrganizationalAcceleration

• DefiningandoperationalizingaclearinnovationframeworkacrossYESPrep Public Schools;
• Incorporatingartificialintelligenceandemergingtechnologiestoaccelerate project management and organizational effectiveness;

• Designingtools,systems,andprocessesthatimprovecross-functionalexecution and performance;
• Buildinginfrastructurethatenablesrapidimplementationofstrategicpriorities;
• Leadingandsupportingtheprogressionofcross-functionalprojects

PilotDesign,Evaluation,andScaling

• Buildingandmanagingsystemsforpiloting,evaluating,andscalingnew initiatives that are assigned to or adopted by the district;
• Establishingclearevaluationcriteriatodeterminepilotsuccessandexpansion;
• Scalinghigh-impactinnovationsacrosstheorganizationtoimproveoutcomes and efficiency;
• Researchingbestpracticesacrosssectorsandtranslatingthemintoactionable systems within YES Prep

SystemsDesignandOrganizationalEffectiveness

• Acceleratingstandardizationofsystemswhereconsistencyimproves cross-functional collaboration and performance;
• Identifyingareaswhereautonomydrivesexcellenceandenablingflexibility accordingly;
• Strengtheninginfrastructuretosupportsustainablegrowthandoperational excellence in cross-functional work;
• DesigningscalablesystemsalignedwithYESPrep’sstrategicpriorities

ExecutiveandBoardCollaboration

• Servingasastrategicpartnerto theChiefofStaffandexecutiveleadership;
• Preparinganalyses,recommendations,andupdatestosupportexecutive decision-making and strategic planning;
• EngagingwiththeYESPrepBoardofDirectorsatstrategicintervalstoprovide updates and gather input;
• CollaboratingacrossHomeOfficeteams and campusestoensurealignmentandeffective execution

Additionaldutiesasassignedinrelationtoorganizationalpriorities.

THEPERSON

Weseekstaffwithpassionforthemission,driveforresults,andacommitmentto continuous improvement. The ideal candidate demonstrates strategic thinking, ownership, and the ability to translate vision into results.

THEMUSTHAVES

• Bachelor’sdegreefromanaccreditedfour-yearcollegeoruniversity

• Significantexperienceinstrategy,operations,projectmanagement,or organizational leadership
• ExperienceincorporatingAIoradvancedtechnologyintoorganizational systems
• Demonstratedabilitytodesignandimplementsystemsthatimprove organizational effectiveness
• Stronganalytical,problem-solving,andexecutionskills
• Abilitytocollaborate,influence,anddriveresultsacross teams
• Strongwrittenandoralcommunicationskills
• Abilitytomanagemultipleprioritiesinafast-pacedenvironment
• BeliefinandcommitmenttothemissionandcorevaluesofYESPrepPublic Schools

THEMUSTHAVE BELIEFS

• BeliefinandcommitmenttothemissionandcorevaluesofYESPrepPublic Schools
• Desiretodisruptsystemicstatusquosineducation
• Willingnesstogoaboveandbeyondtodisruptsaidstatusquos
• Passiontodevelopresiliencythrougharelentlesspursuitofjaw-dropping results
• Convictionthathighexpectations+highaccountability=highperformance and high growth

THENICETO HAVES

• ExperienceinK–12educationormission-driven organizations
• 10+yearsofprofessionalexperience
• Bilingual(Spanish)

THEPERKS

• Compensation – This position is an exempt, salaried position; offers commensurate with experience.

• Health and Supplemental Insurance– A $0 monthly medical option or a $24 monthly option that includes $50 YES Prep Paid Health Savings Account contribution, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.

• RetirementPlans–ParticipationinTeacher Retirement System of Texasandan optional 457b Retirement Plan.

• Paid Time Off– Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 15 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar
• Paid Leave Programming – In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid out at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.

• Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development

• Award Winning Culture– The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston’s Best Place To Work in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2025. We won the2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Educationand were a 2016 finalist as well.

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation,genderexpression,nationalorigin,disability,age,maritalstatus,military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.