Chief Operating Officer
University Prep Schools· Education Management· Sep 19, 2026 · 1mo ago
U Prep Academy District - DETROIT, MI 48202
In office
Full-time
C-Level
$200K–$231K est.
10+ years exp
Job description
About U Prep Schools:
University Prep Schools ("U Prep" or the "Network") is Detroit's largest public charter school
network, serving approximately 4,600 students across 10 schools spanning kindergarten through 12th grade. The network is organized across three distinct K-12 districts: University Preparatory Academy (UPA), University Prep Science & Math (UPSM), and University Prep Art & Design (UPAD).
U Prep is grounded in the belief that every student deserves access to a culturally affirming, academically rigorous program in an environment where they are known, valued, and challenged. Its four-pillar academic model, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Project-Based Learning, CREW, and Distributed Leadership, shapes everything the organization does.
The systems built, the people developed, and the decisions made across U Prep are expected to serve one north star: creating the conditions for rigorous teaching and learning in every classroom, every day.
Commitment to U Prep's Core Values is non-negotiable:
• We work well by ourselves and in teams
• We care about people
• Our actions have a purpose
• We think big and do
• Learning is exciting
U Prep operates through a distinctive structure designed to combine public-school accountability with the flexibility of an independent management model. Grand Valley State University serves as the charter authorizer for the Public School Academies of Detroit (PSAD), whose Board governs the three U Prep districts. Each district contracts with Detroit 90/90, a nonprofit educational management organization that employs the network's staff and provides centralized leadership and operating support.
A defining part of U Prep's history is its long-standing partnership with the Thompson Schools Foundation. Through affiliated entities, Bob and Ellen Thompson invested approximately $123 million in nine school facilities between 2003 and 2013 and lease those buildings to the schools for just $1 each per year. That investment created a high-quality physical platform for the network and helped level a major facilities disadvantage faced by many charter schools.
U Prep is now entering an important new chapter. Its Strategic Plan calls for stronger teacher quality and retention, school culture, student wellness, college and career readiness, and organizational efficiency. The plan places particular emphasis on modernizing HR and data systems, improving communication and transparency, standardizing policy execution, strengthening accountability, and aligning resources more directly with student outcomes.
The organization is financially strong and operates at significant scale. Enrollment remains the lifeblood of the network, with the majority of funding tied directly to student enrollment and additional federal funding. This financial strength creates the capacity to invest thoughtfully in technology, talent, and operating infrastructure while preserving long-term sustainability.
In May 2026, Djeneba "DJ" Cherif was appointed CEO and Superintendent of University Prep Schools after progressing through academic leadership roles within the organization since 2018. She is building a high-energy leadership team focused on innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
The Opportunity:
Townsend Search Group has been retained by U Prep to identify an exceptional Chief Operating Officer (the “COO”). The COO will report directly to the CEO and serve as a full member of the U Prep Executive Leadership Team alongside the Senior Executive Director of Academics, Executive Director of Elementary Schools, and Executive Director of Secondary Schools.
The COO will be responsible for ensuring that every operational system, process, and decision supports and amplifies U Prep's academic mission and creates the conditions for scholars to thrive. At U Prep, operations serve academics, as every decision is evaluated through the lens of one question: How does this support teaching, learning, and student outcomes?
The COO will lead the Operations House, a diverse portfolio of critical functions including Human Resources, Finance, Athletics, Information Technology, Attendance, and Marketing, and will be accountable for building systems and cultures within each department that are efficient, innovative, and deeply aligned to U Prep's mission and values.
This is not a traditional COO search; this is a mission-driven opportunity. U Prep is not looking for a leader who will simply maintain existing operations, manage toward the next shareholder meeting, or simply manage the status quo. The next COO will be a builder and change leader who can bring disciplined business thinking, strong people leadership, and execution to an organization where operational performance ultimately supports what happens in classrooms and our youth in the Detroit area.
For an accomplished executive who has spent years in corporate environments and is looking for something more, this is an opportunity to apply the same rigor, judgment, and leadership to work with a different kind of return. Seeing a student become the first in a family to graduate, watching alumni return as teachers and principals, and building systems that improve what happens in classrooms can be more rewarding than any quarterly earnings call. The work is demanding, but the impact is significantly tangible and enduring.
Lead as an Executive and Service Partner to Academics
The COO will bring an operations and sustainability lens to strategic conversations, helping ensure that organizational decisions are operationally sound, fiscally responsible, and supportive of the academic mission. The COO will work in constant partnership with the Executive Leadership Team and School Leadership Teams. When an operational challenge affects teaching and learning, the COO is expected to flag it, work collaboratively to solve it, and remain connected to classrooms and schools so the operating model stays grounded in the day-to-day academic experience.
The relationship with the CEO should be built on trust and autonomy. The COO will own the day-to-day operating functions, elevate matters that require CEO attention, and create greater capacity for the CEO to focus on academic strategy, leadership, and external relationships.
Lead and Develop the Operations House
The COO will directly supervise and develop a high-performing team of department leaders, including the Executive Director of Finance, Senior Director of Human Resources, Director of Athletics, Director of Information Technology, Director of Attendance, and Marketing Manager. A central priority will be investing deeply in each leader, building their capacity to manage their departments with both operational excellence and mission alignment, and ensuring that each function understands how its work contributes to the success of U Prep scholars and the academic mission.
The COO must be able to coach developing leaders, influence experienced employees, and build a culture of clear accountability. Change will require thoughtful leadership: listening first, understanding how work gets done, diagnosing root causes, explaining what needs to change, and bringing people through implementation while maintaining accountability.
Operationalize Financial Strategy and Sustainability
Working with the CEO, the Senior Executive Director of Academics, and the Executive Director of Finance, the COO will translate the network's strategic priorities into sustainable, equitable, and mission-aligned financial plans and operating budgets. A major responsibility will be supporting the organization's financial health through sound fiscal management, strategic resource allocation, and financial transparency. U Prep's financial strength gives the COO the ability to recommend investments, make thoughtful tradeoffs, and build infrastructure that supports the organization's long-term priorities.
Build a Talent-Centered Culture
The COO will work closely with the HR team to help make U Prep the number one place to work, learn, and have fun. The COO will help build systems and cultures that attract, develop, and retain strong talent across departments while creating an environment where people feel valued, have clear growth pathways, and remain connected to the mission.
Drive Innovation and Best-Practice Adoption
The COO will bring a commitment to continuous improvement and industry-leading practices to every operational department. The COO should continually ask what the best organizations are doing in HR, finance, athletics, marketing, and technology; scan other industries and organizations for relevant ideas; and drive implementation with rigor and thoughtfulness. The ideal candidate possesses an analytical and problem-solving mindset, particularly the ability to enter an unfamiliar environment, ask incisive questions, identify patterns, and bring relevant ideas from other industries. At the same time, the successful candidate must be a proven operator who has managed people, built teams, implemented change, and lived with the results of operating decisions.
Ensure Systems and Automation Where Necessary
The COO will evaluate each operational function for opportunities to automate, streamline, and modernize, recognizing that manual processes drain resources and attention from mission-critical work. The leader will assess how work is performed, document and standardize critical processes, build durable SOPs, and determine where existing technology can be used more effectively or where new investment is warranted. Technology and automation should free up time and create efficiencies without losing the human touch that matters for culture and relationships.
Ensure Compliance and Regulatory Adherence
The COO will ensure that all operations, including payroll, benefits, food service regulations, financial reporting, data privacy, and other compliance requirements, meet or exceed federal, state, and local standards. Just as important, the COO will build systems and processes that make compliance part of the normal operating rhythm.
Champion School Culture and Climate
Operations directly affect school culture. Facilities, athletics, and access to technology all shape how students and staff experience U Prep. The COO will help ensure that every operational function contributes to a warm, welcoming, well-maintained, and well-resourced environment where people want to be.
Compete for Talent, Students and Resources
Enrollment and talent will be critical to U Prep's long-term success. Detroit's education market is increasingly competitive; families have more choices and demographic trends are creating greater pressure on enrollment across the market. The COO will help create an opportunity for U Prep to become more sophisticated in how it markets the network, tracks the enrollment funnel, and converts interest into students in seats. The same operating discipline applies to attracting and retaining the teachers and leaders required to deliver strong academic outcomes.
Candidate Requirements
The successful candidate will be a seasoned leader with deep operational expertise, someone who has spent enough time in the weeds to understand how systems work and break, but who can also see the strategic forest while attending to the operational trees. Industry experience outside of K-12 education is considered a plus, as U Prep is looking for a COO to bring a unique perspective to the traditional educational/charter school format. The ideal candidate asks hard questions, respectfully challenges existing assumptions, and brings evidence and alternatives to strategic conversations. The leader should be pragmatic, solutions-oriented, and humble enough to learn from other industries and organizations.
The successful executive will possess:
• A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in operations, finance, or business management within complex operating environments
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams across multiple functional areas
• A track record of implementing operational systems, automation, and process improvements that increased efficiency and reduced costs
• Experience managing human resources, payroll, benefits, and talent development
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in organizational practices
• Experience researching, evaluating, and implementing industry best practices
• Strategic thinking and the ability to see how operational decisions affect the mission and organizational sustainability • Strong people leadership and coaching skills
• Change-management capability and the ability to lead teams through transitions and improvement initiatives • Technology literacy and comfort with data systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• A collaborative and collegial approach to partnership with academic leaders
• A curious and problem-solving orientation focused on asking the right questions and finding solutions, not obstacles • Unwavering commitment to U Prep's Core Values
• Ability to work on-site at U Prep’s Detroit, Michigan headquarters
The Rewards
Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Benefits include comprehensive medical coverage, a 401(k) with up to a 6% employer match, and dedicated investment in professional growth. The position is at-will, exempt, and Detroit-based, and is expected to be highly visible across the home office and schools, with reasonable senior-level flexibility. Most importantly, this role offers the opportunity to apply sophisticated business leadership to build stronger systems, stronger schools, and better outcomes for the next generation of Detroit students.
Townsend Search Group
Townsend Search Group has been engaged to assist in identifying and evaluating prospective COO candidates for the U Prep. Since 2004, Townsend Search Group has partnered with organizations to identify, attract, and place changemaking C-suite executives and senior management. We work closely with clients across the country to provide a superior search experience, acting as authentic ambassadors to build transformative leadership teams that last. Our proven, personalized approach allows us to move efficiently, meet unique challenges, and magnetize top talent. Combined with genuine passion for the clients we work with, Townsend provides candid, accurate appraisals of the differentiators, challenges, and opportunities that draw in the strongest possible business leaders.
Townsend’s functional expertise includes Executive and Senior Management, Accounting and Finance, Operations, Private Equity, and Advisory (Investment Banking, Valuation, Transaction Advisory, Legal, and Turnaround & Restructuring) professionals.
University Prep Schools (Detroit 90/90) is an equal-opportunity employer. Please note only pre-qualified candidates have been authorized to receive this confidential information.
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