ASPIRA Delaware, Chief Executive Officer
School Mission:
ASPIRA Delaware was established to educate and empower each ASPIRANTE to realize their full potential and positively impact their communities. Founded in 2011, ASPIRA Delaware’s Las Américas ASPIRA Academy extends ASPIRA’s long-standing mission to empower young people through education, leadership, and cultural pride. The school has grown into a thriving K-12 dual-language school community in Newark, Delaware, dedicated to developing biliterate leaders, changemakers, and confident decision-makers.
Responsibilities
Set and drive a system-wide vision for academic excellence, student achievement, and instructional best practices across K-12 programs.
Guide and integrate curricular and instructional programs to maximize student outcomes and build a high-performing, consistent, and data-driven culture.
Support, develop, and evaluate school leadership while upholding systems of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement grounded in student outcomes.
Oversee organizational operations including HR, finance, facilities, nutrition, transportation, safety and security, IT, building systems, and compliance.
Ensure alignment with Delaware charter regulations, state and federal requirements, and governance expectations through strong compliance, ethics, and accountability practices.
Build scalable systems and lead enterprise risk management, crisis response, emergency planning, and leadership continuity efforts to ensure organizational stability and performance.
Lead the design and execution of growth initiatives, including replication of the ASPIRA Academy model, expansion of grades/campuses/programs, and exploration of regional or national opportunities.
Develop and present expansion proposals to the Board and oversee charter applications, renewals, and amendments associated with growth initiatives.
Build the talent, systems, funding, and operational infrastructure necessary to scale successfully while maintaining academic quality and mission alignment.
People Leadership & Culture: Build, develop, support, and retain high-performing leaders, educators, and staff through strong leadership pipelines, succession planning, and professional growth opportunities. Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, inclusion, continuous improvement, and commitment to bilingual education and cultural identity.
Financial Management: Partner with the CFO/Director of Finance to develop and manage the annual budget, long-term financial plans, and financial strategies aligned to operational and expansion priorities. Ensure strong financial controls, transparency, clean audits, and reporting practices aligned with Board oversight and accountability expectations. Secure and steward funding sources, including grants, partnerships, and philanthropy, to support organizational sustainability and growth.
Performance & Accountability: Establish and monitor organizational performance metrics aligned to academic, operational, financial, and strategic goals. Implement systems for organizational effectiveness, continuous improvement, and accountability across leadership teams. Provide transparent performance reporting and dashboards to the Board and key stakeholders.
Board Relations & Governance: Serve as the primary liaison to the ASPIRA Board of Directors and provide regular reporting on academic, operational, financial, and growth priorities. Partner with the Board on strategic planning, CEO evaluation, governance compliance, succession planning, and major organizational decisions. Maintain transparent communication regarding organizational risks, leadership transitions, crisis response, and significant organizational changes.
Family, Community & External Relations: Build strong, trust-based relationships with families, community members, and organizational stakeholders while serving as a visible and accessible leader. Represent ASPIRA Delaware at the local, state, and national levels, including engagement with the Delaware Department of Education, charter authorizers, universities, nonprofits, funders, and community partners. Advocate for educational equity, bilingual education, and ASPIRA Delaware's mission through strategic partnerships and transparent stakeholder communication.
Requirements
Proven leadership experience in public education with an understanding of charter school operations (e.g., Head of School, Principal, or senior executive role within a school system).
Graduate degree in Education, Business, or related area required. Ed.D. or Ph.D. preferred.
Strong track record of driving student achievement and organizational performance.
Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing teams and deliver measurable results.
Preferred Experience with school expansion or multi-site management.
Background in dual-language or bilingual education.
Familiarity with Delaware education systems and regulations.
Spanish proficiency strongly preferred.
Successful change leadership or turnaround leadership experience.
Key Competencies & Leadership Profile
Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire trust, credibility, and alignment across stakeholders.
Proven ability to build a culture that drives performance, accountability, and inclusion.
Exceptional communication skills (written, verbal, and interpersonal) across diverse audiences.
Track record of developing high-performing teams and leadership pipelines.
High level of attention to detail with strong execution discipline.
Demonstrated financial acumen and ability to align strategy with resource allocation.
Deep passion for education and commitment to student success and equity.
Ability to build and sustain strong internal and external relationships.
Strong professional judgment and decision-making capability.
Strategic mindset combined with hands-on leadership and operational rigor.
Strong understanding of governance, compliance, and ethical leadership expectations.
Ability to lead through crisis and manage organizational risk effectively.
Demonstrated commitment to transparency and stakeholder communication.
Experience implementing performance measurement and accountability systems.
Impact Opportunity
This role offers the opportunity not only to lead a high-impact school, but to scale a proven model, extending ASPIRA Delaware's mission to more students and communities while preserving its commitment to excellence and cultural identity.
Benefits
The position offers a competitive salary range of $160,000 - $200,000. ASPIRA Delaware participates in the State of Delaware employee benefits program through the State of Delaware Benefits Office. As a participating Delaware charter school, eligible employees have access to the same benefit structure available to public education employees within the State system. A full overview of the education employee benefits provided through the State of Delaware can be found here: State of Delaware Education Benefits Overview.
To Apply
Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/9DC3AB7C9C. ASPIRA Delaware is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.