Summary
Description
Position Summary
The Executive Director is responsible for the successful leadership and management of Irrawaddy Academy according to the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors.
Key Leadership and Management Qualities:
- Is a proven salesperson and marketer, able to rally a community behind a cause
- Is a successful administrator, able to lead a team to strong outcomes
- Demonstrates strong decision making, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills; able to make difficult decisions
- Demonstrates strong financial intelligence and long term vision for fiscal stewardship
- Demonstrates exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Possesses the language and cultural knowledge to communicate effectively with non-English speaking communities in St. Paul.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Director is expected to successfully perform the following:
Leadership
- Build a culture of success throughout the school community, including students, faculty, staff, parents, trustees, and partners.
- Participate with the Board of Directors in developing a vision and strategic plan to guide the school
- Identify, assess, and inform the Board of Directors of internal and external issues that affect the school
- Foster effective teamwork between the Board and the Executive Director and between the Executive Director and staff
- Act as a spokesperson for the school
- Represent the school at community activities to enhance the school's community profile
Community relations/advocacy
- Drive enrollment, actively marketing and promoting the school to the target community.
- Develop a strong family-school culture, with families taking their part in promoting academic and life success in their children.
- Communicate with stakeholders to keep them informed of the work of the school and to identify changes in the community served by the organization
- Establish good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with community groups, funders, politicians, and other organizations to help achieve the goals of the organization
Operational Planning and Management
- Develop and implement an operational plan which incorporates goals and objectives that work towards the strategic direction of the school
- Ensure that the operation of the school meets the expectations of its stakeholders, Board and funders.
- Oversee the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the school
- Draft policies for the approval of the Board and prepare procedures to implement the organizational policies; review existing policies on an annual basis and recommend changes to the Board as appropriate
- Ensure that personnel, students and volunteer files are securely stored and privacy/confidentiality is maintained
- Provide support to the Board by preparing meeting agenda and supporting materials
Instructional Planning and Management
- Oversee the implementation and evaluation of the organization's curricula, programs and services
- Ensure that the curricula, programs and services offered by the school contribute to the organization's mission and reflect the priorities of the Board
- Monitor the delivery of instruction, programs and services of the school to maintain or improve quality
- Oversee the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects
Human Resources Planning and Management
- Determine ongoing staffing requirements for organizational management and program delivery
- Create a strong and positive working environment which rewards strong staff performance and discourages behavior that goes against the school’s mission.
- Oversee the implementation of the human resources policies, procedures and practices including the ongoing development of job descriptions for all staff
- Establish a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and regulations
- Recruit, interview and select staff that have the right technical and personal abilities to help further the school's mission
- Ensure that all staff receive an orientation to the school and that appropriate training is provided
- Implement a performance management process for all staff which includes monitoring the performance of staff on an on-going basis and conducting an annual performance review
- Coach and mentor staff as appropriate to improve performance
- Discipline staff when necessary using appropriate techniques; release staff when necessary using appropriate and legally defensible procedures
Financial Planning and Management
- Work with appropriate staff and the Board (Finance Committee) to prepare a comprehensive budget
- Work with the Board to secure adequate funding for the operation of the school
- Research funding sources, oversee the development of fundraising plans and write funding proposals to increase the funds of the schools
- Participate in fundraising activities as appropriate
- Approve expenditures within the authority delegated by the Board
- Ensure that sound bookkeeping and accounting procedures are followed
- Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget and monitor the monthly cash flow of the organization
- Provide the Board with comprehensive, regular reports on the revenues and expenditure of the organization
- Ensure that the organization complies with all legislation covering taxation and withholding payments
Risk management
- Identify and evaluate the risks to the organization's people (teachers, staff, management and volunteers), property, finances, goodwill, and image and implement measures to control risks
This job has supervisory responsibilities.
Education Minimum:
Degree in a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, training and experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job preferred.
Doctoral degree, Professional Educator’s License preferred.
Experience Minimum: 3- 5 years administrative experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job.
Computer Skills
A complete knowledge of Microsoft Products and Google Workplace as used in overall management in an educational environment is required.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Start date: Spring 2025 or earlier
FTE: 1.0
Contract: Annual
Application Process
Please send cover letter, resume, teaching license, copies of all university transcripts (unofficial), and up to three letters of recommendation to admin@irrawaddyacademy.org. Attention all application materials to Myat Thanda, Board Chair.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
Irrawaddy Academy is an equal employment opportunity employer. Irrawaddy Academy does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status or veteran status.
