Opportunities

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program is a two-year incubator that supports future school founders design and launch a new school in St. Louis. We aim to select up to two entrepreneurs each year.

Building the Future

The Opportunity Trust believes that all students deserve a school that honors who they are and prepares them up to thrive in our rapidly changing world. However, that promise goes unrealized for far too many students and families in St. Louis.

We are committed to supporting bold leaders who are working to transform that reality. The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program is an opportunity for school visionaries to imagine, design, pilot, and launch world-class schools in response to the family and community needs in St. Louis.

Colby Heckendorn and Genevieve Backer, Co-Founders of Atlas Public schools. "Working as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for The Opportunity Trust has been an amazing opportunity. We've been able to tour schools, meet with experts from around the country, and work with our local community to launch a school that our families are excited about. We're thinking globally and building schools that are designed to transform the learning environment for our kids."

Launching World-Class Schools

The program offers essential supports such as salary, funding, coaching, and community networking. Download our EIR Milestones Guide to learn more about the program phases and focus-areas over the two years. Although primarily driven by the entrepreneurs, the program offers a suite of key supports, including:

Salary

Salary ranging from $90,000 to $125,000 per year and health benefits provided for up to two years while designing and preparing to launch a new school.

Funding

A stipend to use for professional growth, visiting inspiring schools, and to pilot and build world-class school model concepts.

Coaching

Regular meetings with a coach to support the process, offer guidance, and identify additional resources and opportunities to drive progress.

Community & Network

Access and collaboration with fellow EIRs, staff members of The Opportunity Trust, and leading thinkers both locally and across the nation.

About You

While we’re actively seeking diverse profiles of leadership, applicants must demonstrate:

An unwavering bar for excellence and a track record of results:

You are obsessed with exceeding the bar for rigorous and relevant learning and can show results achieved.

Commitment to equity:

You regularly reflect on identity and power and are poised to co-create schools that represent a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Curiosity and self-direction:

You are humble and continually seek out broad inspiration. You drive development and are prepared to take the reins of your EIR journey.

Strong people leadership:

You have experience leading diverse, thriving teams and supporting the growth and development of others.

A promising vision for a new school:

While this will evolve through the program, you have an initial school vision that speaks to an authentic community need and represents an engaging, rigorous, relevant learning environment for students.

Ties to St. Louis:

You have a strong knowledge of and long-term commitment to St. Louis.

Kimberly Townsend

Founder, The Leadership School

The EIR program has been invaluable to my journey to design and build an excellent school. The programmatic and coaching support has allowed me to learn from the best schools and education leaders around the country, ensuring that we build a school that will be successful from the first day.

Key Dates

Initial Applications Due

Phone Interview

In-Person Final Interview

Interested?

Check back here in Fall 2020 for information about applying to be an Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

    The Opportunity Trust invests in educators and school systems eager to build the capacity required to make significant and measurable change.

    If that's you, check out our opportunities