Director of Growth (Orange County)

Join a dedicated team that fosters autonomy and creativity while receiving a competitive salary, opportunities for career and personal growth, and the gratification that comes from creating positive multi-generational change.

Ednovate Background

Ednovate launched its first school in 2012. Since then, we’ve grown to eight schools and are on a trajectory to reach 11 schools in just the next few years (you can read more about our schools here). Ednovate is committed to serving areas where students traditionally lack access to a quality college-prep education by building tuition-free, safe, high-performing public schools driven to create positive multi-generational change.

We are made up of world travelers, nacho connoisseurs, KPOP business owners, and Beyonce fans. We love LA and OC, and we're our students' biggest cheerleaders. We are looking to hire innovative changemakers who aim to continue our goal of becoming the high school experts across Southern California. Sound like you? Keep reading.

Position Overview

Ednovate is seeking a Director of Growth to lead strategic initiatives supporting the launch of four new campuses in Orange County. This role will support the network’s expansion by managing relationships and events in Orange County; sourcing, evaluating, and securing new facilities; and ensuring alignment across key growth workstreams.

The Director of Growth will report to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and play a key role in supporting Ednovate in securing up to eight facilities over the next ten years, with an immediate priority of securing two facilities within the next six months.

What You'll Do

The Director of Growth will coordinate with workstream owners to track progress toward milestone completion and surface roadblocks, dependencies, or pivot points. This position requires someone local to Orange County who is willing to drive to various site locations as needed. This person is expected to periodically attend in-person meetings in Orange County.

• Real Estate / Facilities. Support the Chief Operating Officer in identifying, securing, and preparing new school sites that meet all regulatory, zoning, and operational requirements. They will lead project management to keep facilities on track—prioritizing the successful acquisition of two sites within six months—while advancing the broader facilities strategy. This role oversees research on compliance requirements (including E occupancy, CUP, and traffic), manages and documents sourcing efforts, engages key stakeholders such as donors and public officials to generate leads, and implements a structured process for site visits.

• Cross-Functional Coordination and Project Management. Support executive leadership in coordinating cross-functional efforts to ensure smooth execution of growth initiatives tied to annual milestones. They will regularly track and report on progress related to facility sourcing, regional partnerships, event coordination, and other growth activities—proactively identifying roadblocks, key dependencies, and opportunities to pivot as needed.

• Orange County Relationship and Event Management. Align closely with the Director of External Impact and the Chief of Schools to ensure consistent messaging around Ednovate’s growth in Orange County. They will build and manage strong relationships with key stakeholders—including landlords, permitting offices, community partners, advocacy groups, legal and construction teams, architects, and local leaders—to facilitate approvals, support expansion efforts, and ensure smooth execution across all real estate and facility-related processes.

Who You'll Be

• Mission-driven professional passionate about increasing college attainment for historically under-represented students

• Social justice champion committed to promoting educational opportunity for all students and families

• Entrepreneurial spirit who thrives in a workplace characterized by autonomy, flexibility, transparency and accountability

• Collaborative team player who works well with others from diverse backgrounds, uplifts and celebrates our teammates and engages in healthy debate and feedback to get the best results for students and families

• Resourceful, persistent learner with a growth mindset, constantly seeking to “find a way or make one” to master your craft and improve results.

We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree, required

• Five years of proven experience in cross-functional project management, preferably within the education sector required

• Background in event coordination, logistics, and stakeholder management required

• Ability to learn legal and regulatory requirements related to real estate and facility management required

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines required

• Local to Orange County, with reliable transportation to conduct in-person site visits and meetings strongly preferred

• Experience working with public schools or educational organizations, preferred

• Strong understanding of California’s educational facility requirements and zoning regulations, preferred

We're Committed To Giving You

• A competitive and transparent salary ($125,000 - 195,000, depending on background and experience)

• Medical, dental and vision coverage - including a fully-paid medical and dental option for employees and their families - and flexible spending account options

• Paid family leave, short-term disability and life insurance benefits

• Fitness and entertainment discounts

• Generous paid time off and holidays

• 403b retirement savings plan, with company match

• A place to grow, learn and be a part of the Ednovate family

We Believe in Inclusion

We aim to intentionally develop a schoolwide culture in which every student and teammate feels a sense of belonging. Ednovate does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

We know applying for a new job can be daunting, and studies have shown that individuals from historically underrepresented communities may only apply to roles when they meet 100% of the qualifications. We encourage all interested candidates to apply. You may be just the person we need! If you have any questions about your application or interview process, do not hesitate to email hiring@ednovate.org. We are here to help.