Lead, Process Excellence & Project Management

Thanks for your interest in Success Academy! Running a large, fast-growing, and high-performing network of public charter schools takes a village - families, children, teachers, staff and faculty, advocates, and supporters alike. We are growing fast in New York and expanding to Florida, and we would love to welcome you to our community! We work tirelessly every day to ensure children have access to a fun, rigorous, whole-child education regardless of zip code or economic status. When you join SA, you play a part in giving every student who walks through our doors a fair shot at reaching his or her potential. About the Role Success Academy is seeking a high-energy, high-potential Lead, Process Excellence (PE) & Project Management to join our enterprise-wide continuous improvement team. Reporting directly to the Head of Process Excellence, you will act as the "boots on the ground" driver of strategic operational improvements, change management, and project execution across the organization. This is not a purely advisory role; you will actively manage critical projects while utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, and project management frameworks to eliminate waste and optimize workflows. This role is ideal for a practitioner who possesses strong analytical skills, a collaborative spirit, and can deliver massive organizational impact. This role offers a distinct vantage point across Success Academy’s entire operational footprint and high visibility to senior leadership. We are looking for a practitioner who wants to master their craft and has the ambition to grow into a future leader within our organization. Key Responsibilities Project & Initiative Execution: Own and manage the end-to-end execution of cross-functional process improvement projects aligned with the enterprise PE roadmap. Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and achieve measurable performance targets. Problem Diagnosis & Mapping: Partner with business and functional teams to map current-state workflows, diagnose impediments, identify waste, and leverage data analytics to design streamlined, future-state processes. Facilitation of Kaizens & PSP: Lead focused Problem Solving Process (PSP) sessions and Kaizen events to drive rapid process improvement, cross-functional alignment, and immediate operational lifts. Driving a PE Mindset: Act as an ambassador for continuous improvement. Promote and embed foundational PE tools—including Standard Work, Transactional Process Improvement (TPI), Problem Solving Process (PSP), and Daily Management—into daily operations across various departments. Policy Deployment & Daily Management Support: Assist the Head of PE and business leadership in implementing Policy Deployment (Hoshin Kanri) goals and maintaining robust Daily Management tracking systems. Training & Capability Building: Support the delivery and improvement of the internal PE training program. Coach and upskill employees in PE Fundamentals and Lean tools, helping to cultivate an organization-wide culture of problem-solving. Minimum Qualifications Experience: 6-7 years of demonstrated hands-on experience in process improvement, operational excellence, lean business systems, or technical project management. Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field. Lean Six Sigma Proficiency (Required): Hands-on experience applying Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodologies and core process excellence tools (e.g., DMAIC, VSM, Kaizen, Standard Work, 5S, and Daily Management) to deliver tangible, measurable results. (LSS Green Belt or Black Belt certification strongly preferred). Project Management Skills: Proven track record of managing project timelines, tracking KPIs, managing stakeholder communications, and driving execution without losing momentum. Experimentation & Growth Mindset: A self-starter who thrives on experimentation, is comfortable with ambiguity, and can help operational teams manage risk and learn from iterative testing. Communicatio…