Besfellowship

The 2026 BES Fellowship for Founding School Leaders - Arizona

Arizona · Contract

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 26 days ago

Project ManagementExcelLeadershipMentoring

About the role

BES welcomes applicants from any Arizona region favorable for new public charter schools and aligned with authorizer priorities, with particular interest in leaders aiming to found schools in the metropolitan Phoenix area.
The BES Fellowship and selection process fosters an equitable, inclusive, and empowering experience for Fellows.
For a comprehensive description of our Fellowship, please visit our website.

Responsibilities

The BES Fellowship for founding school leaders includes one year of training followed by three years of Follow On Support to support leaders in building a high-performing, locally responsive school.
Fellows also conduct in-depth studies of effective schools across the nation and complete residencies at high-performing schools, all while developing a charter application and establishing a founding board.
This dedicated coaching and cohort-based training, known as Follow On Support, helps Fellows bridge the transition from founder to school leader, preparing them to launch a strong, sustainable school.
By the second year of operation, they deepen the academic focus, serving a growing population of students, and build leadership capacity to support future growth, all while fostering an empowered, mission-aligned team.
From school founders and executive directors to operations leaders, deans, and curriculum directors, we train leaders to build schools, to ensure their schools excel, and to sustain their results over time.

Requirements

Commitment to community: You have experience in the community you are proposing for your school and bring strong organizational partnerships.
You have had success with similar populations of students and been responsive to community needs.
Minimum 8 years of professional experience, with instructional or instructional leadership experience required
Commitment to serving as a school leader in the proposed community for at least 10 years required
Strong preference for candidates with 2-3 years of experience living or working in the proposed school region, especially those with strong ties to the community
The ability to lead, manage and motivate: You have demonstrated the ability to lead and manage a team towards results, and you are committed to serving as a school leader in the community for at least 10 years.
Self awareness and humility: You possess a growth mindset and have a continuous desire to improve. You are eager to give, take, and implement feedback with humility and in real time.
Commitment to community: You have experience in the community you are proposing for your school and bring strong organizational partnerships. You can articulate how you will gain and factor in community input.
Diversity, equity and inclusion in action: Your school model will primarily serve students from under-sourced communities and bring an anti-racist lens to the work. You have had success with similar populations of students and been responsive to community needs.
Commitment to excellence for all students: You have a clear vision for your school and can discuss key elements of the school in a detailed, compelling, and direct manner. You hold yourself accountable for results and believe that all students can achieve at high levels.
Ability to establish and activate local connections to support school enrollment
Clear, compelling rationale for the proposed school location
Compensation and Benefits

Nice to have

Bachelor's degree required
Master's or Professional degree preferred
At least 2 years managing and supervising adults in a PreK-12 setting required, 2 years of school leadership experience preferred

Compensation

This is a contract role with a $100,000 grant during the first year of the program (the Fellowship training year)
Travel and accommodations for training and during school study travel
Up to $3,500 grants for school design expenses for Build Fellows
Up to $11,500 reimbursed for character and equity-focused professional development for Character and Equity Fellows.
The opportunity to apply for BES start-up fund awards and/or those provided exclusively to Fellows by our partners

Benefits

BES seeks a Fellow for our Fellowship program starting in August 2026 to serve as a founding school leader in Arizona to design and found a new public charter school rooted in character and equity.
Strong schools are built by strong leaders, which is why BES identifies and prepares exceptional individuals to transform education in their communities.
This is a version of our "traditional" four-year Build Track where Fellows found a school with character and equity at the core of its model, in addition to other locally responsive elements.
Fellows in Arizona begin with an intensive training year, where they engage in over 300 hours of coursework on school design, leadership, governance, and community engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Company info

Strong schools are built by strong leaders, which is why BES identifies and prepares exceptional individuals to transform education in their communities. From school founders and executive directors to operations leaders, deans, and curriculum directors, we train leaders to build schools, to ensure their schools excel, and to sustain their results over time.
The BES Fellowship and selection process fosters an equitable, inclusive, and empowering experience for Fellows. For over two decades, BES Fellows have founded over 220 schools and are currently serving more than 73,000 students, with many BES-trained leaders consistently driving student achievement beyond district and state averages and helping to close the opportunity gap.
For over two decades, BES Fellows have founded over 220 schools and are currently serving more than 73,000 students, with many BES-trained leaders consistently driving student achievement beyond district and state averages and helping to close the opportunity gap.

Visa & Work Authorization

In year three of operation and beyond, BES Fellow-founded schools can opt-in to other leadership and professional development opportunities from BES to support their school and strengthen their leadership bench.

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This listing is sourced directly from Besfellowship's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.