Chief of Staff to the Superintendent

Chief of Staff to the Superintendent

Reports to: Superintendent

Classification: Executive

Job Status: Full-Time

Work Schedule: 245 Days

Salary Range: $118,590.85 - $147,315.55

FLSA Status: Exempt

Amount of Travel: 30% In District Travel

Level: District Administration

Date Revised: October 2026

Position Summary: The North Little Rock School District (NLRSD) is seeking exceptional applications for the executive leadership position of the Chief of Staff to the Superintendent. This role is responsible for supporting the Superintendent in executing daily organizational strategies, improving operational efficiency and effectiveness while fostering exceptional communication within the educational institution and outside the organization. This role provides strategic counsel and support directly to the Superintendent to assist in effectively running the day-to-day operations of the school district. This role involves strategic planning, project management, communication, team management, crisis management, improving organizational culture, hiring, and acting as a liaison between the Superintendent and all other operational departments. The Chief of Staff reports directly to the Superintendent and works closely with senior cabinet-level and executive-level leaders to ensure the institution's strategic plan goals and action steps are met while prioritizing student achievement, faculty development, and overall educational and organizational excellence. Expected to be highly visible across the organization and in the community to support and carry out the Superintendent's long-range vision for the NLRSD. The Chief of Staff may act on behalf of the Superintendent at the Superintendent's request or in the Superintendent's absence, as directed.

The Chief of Staff will assist the Superintendent in working directly and collaboratively in establishing a high-performing executive leadership team to execute actions steps to improve all aspects of the organization with an emphasis on key district performance targets outlined in the NLRSD's strategic plan and improve any organizational dysfunctions affecting the service delivery of support to all schools. The Chief of Staff will directly supervise the Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director of Human Resources, Director of Safety Services, Coordinator of Communications, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Director of Transportation, Director of Maintenance and Facilities, Coordinator of Custodian Services, and the Director of Information Technology and other departments as directed by the Superintendent. The leadership over these departments will improve operational support and services to schools focused on improving teaching and learning with high levels of customer service and hospitality.

In addition, ideal candidates will be committed to high organizational standards with a successful background and record of accomplishment related to the duties and responsibilities, including managing time, focusing on data and results, building on organizational strengths, concentrating on top priorities, and researching effective decisions and executing identified action steps with fidelity.

NLRSD continues its transformational journey to high academic excellence. The district is seeking an experienced executive leader who will assist the Superintendent in bringing together all stakeholders to serve the individual needs of students, employees, and families while implementing the vision, mission, moral purpose, core values, NLRSD graduate profile, and five strategic goals.

Essential Functions: The following duties are representative of performance expectations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Chief of Staff responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Directly reports to the Superintendent and may act on behalf of the Superintendent at the request of or in the absence of the Superintendent as directed.
• Serves as a key member of the Superintendent's cabinet and executive leadership team and acts as the chief advisor to the Superintendent.
• Partners with the Superintendent to implement long-term strategic initiatives that align with the institution's vision, mission, moral purpose, organizational core values, NLRSD graduate profile, and five-year strategic plan goals.
• Assist the Superintendent with executive-level leadership and management to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all students and staff while obtaining, allocating, aligning, and effectively utilizing human, fiscal, and technological resources for maximum organizational performance.
• Assist the Superintendent in planning and executing weekly cabinet and executive team meetings for maximum organizational effectiveness and assisting executive leaders in planning for monthly school board meetings and weekly reports.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Superintendent and cabinet and executive leadership teams on political and governmental matters, including legislation, state and local policy and regulations, operational efficiency, institutional planning, and strategic operations.
• Leads special projects and cross-functional initiatives to advance the institution's priorities including the development and implementation of executive level department Strategic Thinking for Action and Collaborative Knowledge (S.T.A.C.K.) plans that align with district strategic plan goals and performance targets to enhance collaboration and eliminate silos between executive level departments.
• Deploys, manages, and monitors the work of Targeted, Immediate, Group Execution and Response (T.I.G.E.R.) teams based on the organizational needs of the school district and as directed by the Superintendent within a project-management structure.
• Deploys, manages, and monitors the work of the Visionary, Implementation of key actions, for Performance, while Empowering others for Results (V.I.P.E.R.) teams.
• Leads the NLRSD Policy and Regulation Development Committee (PRDC) to create, revise, and manage all policy development in the district based upon internal auditing of outdated policies or gaps in policies that need to be created to ensure maximum performance and efficiency as directed by the Superintendent. Areas of priority and focus include BoardDocs Policy Sections: 1,2,4,5,6, and 7.
• Prepares presentations, reports, and briefs for the Superintendent, highlighting progress, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Creates time and space for the Superintendent to focus on key executive priorities by managing the time, schedule, tasks and communication flow for the Superintendent.
• Coordinates and monitors the progress of organizational initiatives, ensuring timely completion of key deliverables and projects.
• Leads the operational planning process to ensure resources are allocated effectively across all programs and departments.
• Oversees expenditure; demonstrates fiscal responsibility and ethical practices related to oversight of budgets, maintains an aligned instructional program that addresses state, local, and federal requirements to ensure academic achievement and organizational effectiveness. Recommends to the Superintendent any strategies or initiatives for reducing operational costs.
• Directs all executive level operational department heads to streamline effective processes, procedures, systems, and structures for maximum organizational effectiveness as directed by the
• Serve as the primary point of contact for key internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, staff, parents, and the community to assist the Superintendent in the day-to-day operations.
• Facilitates communication between the executive team and departments, ensuring alignment and fostering a culture of collaboration while ensuring all internal communication protocols are followed.
• Represents the Superintendent in meetings, both internal and external, when needed or as directed.
• Tracks and evaluates the institution's performance against its strategic goals, identifying gaps and recommending solutions through project-management tracking systems to keep leaders on task while ensuring accountability of deliverables and strategic initiatives are delivered on time.
• Support the collection and analysis of organizational data to inform decision-making and improve educational and operational outcomes as directed by the Superintendent.
• Advises, interprets, and communicates policy/regulations, budget, school/district goals and priorities for the Establishes and monitors systems of accountability for job performance, community involvement, adherence to ethical practices, and compliance to local federal and state policy/regulations for the district.
• Assists the Superintendent during Collaborative Observation Back by the Responsibility and Accountability (C.O.B.R.A.) of statistics (STAT) meetings with school principals and cabinet-level department heads to ensure any operational barriers are removed to support school principals as instructional leaders.
• Monitors feedback from students, teachers, parents and caregivers, employees, business, industry, and political leaders, higher education partners, and the community for continuous Receives suggestions, advice and general feedback on the operations of the district; helps ensure an open line of communication across the district hierarchy, bringing insight from all levels to incorporate in policy and decision-making.
• Assists the Superintendent with prioritizing the work, professional development and training needs, staffing allocations, and resource allocation for the district.
• Oversees performance management systems and initiatives for staff development and
• Acts as the first responder for issues requiring immediate attention on behalf of the superintendent, facilitating resolution in a timely and effective manner.
• Serves as the chief advisor to the Superintendent during Emergency Incident Command Operations in the event of any issue related to the safety and security of the entire school
• Provides guidance in navigating challenges related to policy, staff relations, and community
• Assists the Superintendent and other district administrators with building and maintaining positive school and district culture, especially during periods of significant change, transformation, and accountability.
• Serves as a liaison and provides support with the community and other stakeholders to address interests and Publicly responds to concerns of the community regarding the district; coordinates with community agencies to address the problems and needs of the district and its stakeholders. Assists district staff with developing and maintaining positive and collaborative community interactions.
• Perform other related work as required and directed by the Superintendent

Competencies: Must possess a diverse set of competencies that enable effective executive leadership and organizational management. Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities are essential for driving long-term initiatives and handling complex challenges. The role requires exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and must liaise between leadership, staff, and external stakeholders, ensuring clear and effective information flow. A high level of emotional intelligence is crucial for navigating relationships across diverse teams and fostering a positive work culture. Project management and organizational skills are critical for overseeing initiatives, managing multiple priorities, and ensuring deadlines are met on time. Must be adaptable and proactive, able to anticipate the needs of the NLRSD and pivot when necessary. A deep understanding of organizational effectiveness, including policies, regulations, and best practices, is also necessary to guide decision-making and operational efficiency. Ability to demonstrate strong internal and external support for the NLRSD. Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences. Excellent knowledge and understanding of all facets of operational effectiveness. Knowledge and understanding of the change process, organizational development, conflict resolution, and facilitation skills. Highly effective organizational and consensus building skills. Knowledge and understanding of all policies and procedures of the NLRSD. Ability to conceptualize, initiate, monitor and evaluate new and/or current programs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree required in a field related to the job duties and responsibilities.
• At least 7-10 years of senior executive level leadership experience, with significant experience in organizational leadership, management, strategic planning, strategy implementation, and operations are required.

Skills and Abilities Required: The following characteristics and physical skills are important for the successful performance of assigned duties.

Chief of Staff Leadership Knowledge and Expertise:

• Leadership: Knowledge and skills to lead cross-functional teams and strategic initiatives, so strong leadership skills are essential.
• Communication: Knowledge and skills to be able to communicate at a high level, both in writing and verbally, and be able to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Strategic thinking: Knowledge and skills to be able to think critically and strategically, identifying long-term goals and developing plans to achieve them.
• Project management: Knowledge and skills to be able to manage projects and people
• Problem-solving: Knowledge and skills to be able to quickly identify issues and develop
• Adaptability: Knowledge and skills to be able to deal with unexpected situations
• Data analysis: Knowledge and skills to use data analysis to make informed decisions, identify trends, and provide insights to the executive team.
• Business standards: Knowledge and skills regarding the business operational standards and functions of a school system.
• Policy development: Knowledge and skills to develop