Diana Carrera
Jersey City,NJ
Summary
Forward-thinking team leader skilled at operating departments efficiently to meet goals. Successful background matching employees with roles for maximum performance. Proactive and hardworking individual focused on continuous operational improvement.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Operations
KIPP Elements Primary School
07.2023 - Current
- Oversee financial management and implement operational systems.
- Supervise the operation team and ensure smooth office operations.
- Manage student recruitment, admissions, registration, and waitlists and engage new families in school activities to create a welcoming environment.
- Manage the school's facility maintenance, design, and strategic development, and I assist the Principal and Director of Finance in budgeting and overseeing school-based purchasing, ensuring adherence to fiscal policies and procedures.
- Plan and coordinate logistics for multi-day events and oversee technology procurement and maintenance and student information system integrity
- Coordinate with the Shared Services Team concerning all data analysis and reporting.
- Moreover, I ensure school-wide compliance with health and safety laws, teacher certification and fingerprinting, city and state education mandates, and all federal and state workplace regulations.
- Analyzed customer feedback and identified areas for improvement to drive business success.
- Monitored office workflow and administrative processes to keep operations running smoothly.
Director of Operations
Ascend Public Charter Schools
10.2022 - 06.2023
- Oversaw day-to-day production activities in accordance with business objectives.
- Oversaw successful implementation of operational strategies and policies to drive organizational growth and productivity.
- Collaborated with senior management to develop and execute long-term corporate goals and objectives.
- Monitored budget and utilized operational resources.
- Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
- Trained new employees on proper protocols and customer service standards.
- Managed purchasing, sales, marketing and customer account operations efficiently.
- Implemented innovative programs to increase employee loyalty and reduce turnover.
Director of Summer and Afterschool Programs/HR Representative
LEEP Dual Language Academy Charter School
04.2021 - 10.2022
- HR and Operations Responsibilities:
- Managed HR responsibilities, payroll, and state compliances
- Responded to employee inquiries, questions and complaints and guided and directed employee relations issues to support workforce analysis, performance management and other core HR functions.
- Apply and assist with grant applications for the enrichment programs
- Managed the afterschool program's budget and built projections to expand the program
- Organized bus and OPT coordination
- Knowledge of OPT and meal services for the enrichment and charter school programs
- Driven whole school employees' complaints and requests regarding HR
- Conduct quality control tests for the school and HR compliances
- Implement measures and make sure employees follow safety measures
- Operated as key business partner to employees, managers, directors and senior leaders to promote HR practices and strategies and enable delivery of specific, measurable business goals.
PS 84 Site Supervisor PK-5th grade, Outdoor Curriculum, and Program Development & Staff Development Coordinator, Arts, and Athletics
Outdoor Curriculum
09.2018 - 03.2021
- Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day inquiries from families
- Supervised and coordinate daily operations
- Hire, train, mentor, and assist new teachers
- Manage a team of 80-plus employees
- Applied strong leadership talents and problem-solving skills to maintain team efficiency and organize workflows.
- Planned, organized, and directed teacher's conferences
- Developed and maintained an age-appropriate curriculum
- Designed and supervised outdoor and pre-k curriculum
- Managed Budget and Staff Payrolls
- Communicate with parents regularly about the programs and progress of their children.
- Maintained clean and well-organized production areas to avoid violations or unnecessary work delays due to hazards or inefficient layouts.
Assistant Executive Director
Adventures in Learning
03.2018 - 08.2018
- Market the program/classes to potential new families and register students
- Oversee, maintain, and process enrollment
- Supervise and coordinate daily operations
- Hire, train, and mentor new staff
- Manage a team of 80-plus employees
- Planned, organized, and directed teacher's conferences
- Developed and implemented curriculums for infants, toddlers, and preschool programs
- Maintain all regulations required by the New Jersey State Licensing and Health Department
- Communicate with parents regularly about the programs and progress of their children
- Create lesson plans for language immersion preschool and afterschool programs.
Director
Key Element Learning
10.2012 - 02.2018
- Establish and develop the school policies and facility set up according to the New Jersey State Licensing Department
- Hire, train, mentor, and assist new teachers
- Manage a team of 20-plus employees
- Communicate with parents regularly about the programs and progress of their children
- Planned, coordinated, and executed birthday parties based on themes or customized for parents
- Market the program/classes to potential new families and register students
- Manage the school's budget
- Develop curriculum for Preschool, language preschool, and enrichment classes based on age-appropriate skills
- Create lesson plans for language immersion preschool and afterschool programs
- Teach Spanish and work as a floater for the preschool program when needed.
Art Teacher
Manhattan Youth
09.2011 - 01.2015
- Developed curriculum for Ceramics and Art's classes based on age skills
- Prepare materials in advance
- Market art programs in art presentations and school exhibitions
- Maintain communication with the supervisor about students' needs.
Spanish Teacher
Tribeca Language
04.2012 - 11.2012
- Developed Curriculums for Spanish classes based on age skills
- Assist in the development of the Spanish program.
Curator of Art Events
10.2023 - 08.2012
- While working as an artist and curator, I managed the gallery space and artwork and interacted with people during the opening and closing reception
- In this role, I explained to the viewers the idea behind the theme and the artist's expectations of their creations.
Manager
Florencia 13
10.2006 - 10.2011
- Hire and train new staff members
- Responsible for closing the restaurant and night reports
- Order supplies within the budget
- Managed a team of 15 employees.
Education
Master in Business Administration - Organizational Management and Leadership
Jersey City University
05.2021
Bachelor in Arts and Sciences - Art History and Philosophy
Jersey City University
05.2011
Associate in Studio Arts -
Hudson County Community College
05.2008
Skills
- Outstanding interpersonal skills
- Excel in Strong verbal communication: fluent in Spanish and English
- Quick learner, energetic, and organized
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Constant Contact, Justworks, Jackrabbit, SchoolMInt, ATS, IInfinate Campus, and OPT software
- Professional CPR, CPI, S-95 Trained and certified
- Process Improvement
- Strategic Planning and Execution
- Operations Oversight
- Data Management
- Inventory Management
- Employee Development
Certification
- Harvard Business School Online, 09/18-12/18, CORe (Credential of Readiness) is a 150-hour certificate program on the fundamentals of business from Harvard Business School. The CORe comprises three courses—Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting—developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning model.
- The Magic of Music Training with Kira Willey, November 2018
- Children's Yoga Training for Early Childhood Educators, September 2018
- Learning Without Tears: Pre-K Readiness & Writing, November 2018
- Raising Tide Capital Business Planning and Management, September 2016-November 2017
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Curator of Art Events
10.2023 - 08.2012
Director of Operations
KIPP Elements Primary School
07.2023 - Current
Director of Operations
Ascend Public Charter Schools
10.2022 - 06.2023
Director of Summer and Afterschool Programs/HR Representative
LEEP Dual Language Academy Charter School
04.2021 - 10.2022
PS 84 Site Supervisor PK-5th grade, Outdoor Curriculum, and Program Development & Staff Development Coordinator, Arts, and Athletics
Outdoor Curriculum
09.2018 - 03.2021
Assistant Executive Director
Adventures in Learning
03.2018 - 08.2018
Director
Key Element Learning
10.2012 - 02.2018
Spanish Teacher
Tribeca Language
04.2012 - 11.2012
Art Teacher
Manhattan Youth
09.2011 - 01.2015
Manager
Florencia 13
10.2006 - 10.2011
Master in Business Administration - Organizational Management and Leadership
Jersey City University
Bachelor in Arts and Sciences - Art History and Philosophy
Jersey City University
Associate in Studio Arts -
Hudson County Community College