Dean on Special Assignment

The Dean on Special Assignment is a cross-functional school leadership position designed to support high-priority initiatives or projects that directly impact student outcomes, school culture, and/or staff development among other areas. In collaboration with other network leaders, the Dean plays a critical role in advancing school- or network-wide priorities by leading targeted projects, supporting implementation of key strategies, and collaborating across teams to build capacity and drive impact. This role is ideal for an experienced Summit educator or leader who possesses strong relationship skills, brings strong instructional and operational instincts, and is eager to take on a specialized leadership assignment in service of the broader Summit community.

Who We Are:

What if all students graduated high school with the knowledge, skills and habits they need to lead a fulfilled life? This is the question that guides our mission at Summit Public Schools.

To collectively prepare a diverse community of young people with the skills, knowledge, and habits to attain economic empowerment and success in a chosen concrete next step toward a fulfilled life. We operate 10 schools serving over 3,300 students in the Bay Area and Washington state. 100% of Summit graduates are college ready and Summit graduates complete college at double the national average.

We need exceptional, diverse, and mission-aligned individuals to join our team to help prepare our students for a fulfilled life. Join us!

What You’ll Do:

A Summit Public Schools Dean on Special Assignment will work in support of specific strategic priorities or projects as dictated by organizational need. This work will require them to:

• Lead and manage high-priority, cross-functional projects aligned to school and network-wide strategic priorities

• Partner with school and network leadership to strengthen school systems and operations, which could include curriculum, expeditions programming, scheduling, data collection, event logistics, or compliance-related tasks.

• Support instructional improvement efforts by potentially facilitating professional development, coaching teachers, and analyzing student data to inform practice.

• Serve as a bridge across teams—academic, operational, and cultural—ensuring coherence, accountability, and timely communication throughout the duration of the special assignment.

• Step in to cover leadership duties across domains as needed to support overall school functioning.

• Engage families, students, and staff in change processes to build investment in key initiatives, monitor feedback, and adjust approaches responsively.

• Collect and report progress data on assigned initiatives to school and network leaders, adjusting strategies based on results and input.

What you need:

• Commitment to uphold Summit’s values, belief that all children deserve a rigorous and equitable education that prepares them for college and for life

• Bachelor’s Degree (a Master’s Degree in Education and/or participation in the Leadership Fellows program is preferred but not required)

• A minimum of 1 year of leadership experience

• Teaching experience within a Summit school or extensive teaching experience elsewhere

• Clear health and background check

Who you are:

About You

• You maintain high expectations for all students and believe all students can find success in school, college, and life.

• You thrive while collaborating and are excited to work with your colleagues. You find positivity in shared successes.

• You share our vision to reimagine what schools should be and are excited to make an impact on the public education landscape.

• You are empathetic and culturally competent. You’re proactively facilitate courageous conversations to advance anti-bias anti-racist practices and dismantle racism in our organization.

• You are data driven and have the ability to collect, evaluate, and utilize data in meaningful ways.

• You have expertise in planning learning experiences that model skills-based, personalized instruction.

• You are positive and resilient in the face of big challenges.

• You take initiative and ownership in driving your work to meet personal and team goals.

• You possess strong people management and relationship skills, with the ability to motivate, inspire, develop, and communicate with a diverse group of teachers, leaders, staff members, and community members.

• You have an ability to apply honest, actionable, and timely feedback that results in improved performance.

• You have a strategic mindset when it comes to executing professional development initiatives.

• You thrive in innovative environments, and are comfortable with the ambiguity that can come with a dynamic and progressive workplace.

• You’re committed to continuous improvement, see feedback as a positive, and have a growth mindset.

What You Get:

In addition to joining a highly motivated team and engaging in meaningful work, you’ll have access to a comprehensive suite of benefits including a retirement plan, “take what you need” PTO policy, 12 paid holidays, and 3 weeks of organization-wide closures during the year. You and your dependents will have access to multiple health, dental, and vision plans at 25% cost (we cover the other 75%) and employee life and disability insurance at no cost. Our compensation policy strives to be equitable and transparent. Our compensation policy strives to be equitable and transparent. The salary for this position starts at $103,663 and goes up to $122,635 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Summit is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly intertwined with education. We are ALL better when we are able to bring our whole selves to work and honor each other’s voices across identities, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals who are members of historically marginalized communities. Spanish language proficiency is a plus.