Assistant Head of School

Headsnetwork; Newtown Square (Delaware County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent school in Newtown Square seeks an Assistant Head of School who will enhance the school's academic mission. As a strategic partner to the Head of School, the successful candidate will oversee academic operations and lead initiatives in collaboration with a diverse community. Qualified candidates will exhibit strong leadership and commitment to educational excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience as an academic leader in a K-12 setting.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Capacity to manage complex processes.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day academic operations.
• Collaborate with divisional heads on programming.
• Lead the strategic execution of school initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Curriculum Development

Problem Solving

Diversity and Inclusion

Education

Master’s degree in Education or related field

Job description

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL SEARCH

THE EPISCOPAL ACADEMY

Newtown Square, Pennsylvania

episcopalacademy.org

Start Date: July 2026

MISSION STATEMENT

Challenging and nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit, we inspire boys and girls to lead lives of purpose, faith, and integrity.

At The Episcopal Academy, we take a holistic approach to educating, nurturing, and developing boys and girls. We do not believe that Mind, Body, and Spirit are competing interests, but rather that the three are clearly inseparable and mutually reinforcing.

OVERVIEW

Founded in 1785, Episcopal Academy is dedicated to educating the whole student in mind, body, and spirit. Recognized as one of the finest independent schools in the nation, Episcopal Academy serves nearly 1,300 PK-12 students on an expansive, state-of-the-art campus where learners are motivated to pursue their passions in academics, athletics, and the arts.

Episcopal Academy is in a position of enviable strength, with robust enrollment, tremendous academic, athletic, and arts programs, the recent completion of a significant endowment campaign, and a new Strategic Plan on the horizon. With a rich, 240-year history, EA is grounded in tradition but never rests on its laurels. A culture of continuous improvement and forward momentum pervades the school, making EA the ideal environment for leaders and students who are curious, driven, and creative.

An active, visible, and relational presence on campus, the Assistant Head of School will serve as a critical force in the Episcopal Academy’s continued forward movement and a key partner to EA’s highly strategic Head of School T.J. Locke, who has served the school as Head since July 2013. The person in this role plays a critical role in the academic operations of the school, ensuring the day-to-day functioning of the school—from Pre-K through 12th grade—is smooth, efficient, and strategically aligned. This leader will also hold specific responsibility for providing vision, coordination, and oversight as they relate to delivering the highest quality academic programming at Episcopal Academy, ensuring structures, strategies, and systems for curricular and co-curricular programs are aligned, adaptive, and consistent with current best practices. The successful Assistant Head will be a strategic leader who manages complex operations, leads through others, and fosters unity and excellence throughout the school.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Head of School will work collaboratively with all constituents at Episcopal Academy to enhance the school’s ability to deliver on its mission by nurturing the diverse and inclusive community of learners and fostering the academic, artistic, athletic, and personal development of each student. The Assistant Head will work in close partnership with other senior leaders, serving as a thought partner to the Head of School, ensuring smooth day-to-day implementation of EA’s educational program, and operating as a highly visible presence in the school.

Specific responsibilities will be refined in partnership with the Head of School, evolving based on the current needs of the school, and are likely to include:

• Supporting, refining, and augmenting EA’s excellent academic program

• Providing leadership and support to the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School Division Heads, as they administer the curricular and co-curricular programs and personnel in their division

• Partnering with the Director of Admissions, Director of Communications, and Director of Advancement to support external functions of the school and with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer to oversee day-to-day operations of the campus

• Leading the execution of various projects and initiatives identified as a part of EA’s next Strategic Plan, which will be released in the 2025-26 academic year

• Serving as direct supervisor to the Executive Director of College Counseling, Director of Institutional

Research, and Academic Dean; other direct reports will be determined in consultation with the Head of School

• Supporting the smooth functioning of the school by serving as a liaison for parent, faculty, and student concerns and communication as needed

• Supporting and nurturing the professional community, including the leadership development of current and aspiring leaders across the school and fostering connection between members of the professional community in support of excellence, satisfaction and retention

• Engaging actively with the Board of Trustees and serving as administrative liaison to Board Committees, as directed by the Head of School

• As necessary, representing the Head of School at internal and external meetings, presentations, and committees

QUALIFICATIONS AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The Assistant Head of School will bring an impressive record as an educator and school leader who has previously served in senior administrative roles of considerable responsibility. Competitive candidates will have classroom experience and deep familiarity with strategic planning, change management, program development, management of complex processes, and the day-to-day operations of a K-12 school.

The most competitive candidates will offer most or all of the following qualifications and qualities:

Professional Qualifications

• Nuanced understanding of the academic and programmatic dimensions of a complex, multi-division independent school

• Experience as an academic leader and deep knowledge of current best practices and innovation in curriculum and pedagogy, preferably across multiple school divisions

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate orally and in writing with inspiration and clarity to both internal and external audiences

• The ability to articulate vision and strategy, the tactical skills to deftly manage the systems and processes necessary to implement strategy, and the organizational fluency to manage multiple streams of information and respond to situations as they emerge

• Experience with recruiting, hiring, supporting, retaining, and leading talented, diverse, and missionaligned faculty and senior leadership

• Personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and the requisite skillfulness to support student and faculty growth in this area and to facilitate critical conversations in the design of ever-more inclusive curriculum and programs

• A history of thoughtful innovation informed by research and data and moderated by a skillful and sensitive approach to change

Leadership Style and Personal Qualities

• Commitment to hard work and creative problem solving, while demonstrating humility and the willingness to learn from and with one’s colleagues

• A spirit of curiosity that fuels the pursuit of evolving best practices and current research on curriculum and pedagogy; a commitment to continuous learning

• The courage, confidence, and humility to advocate for new ideas, invite disagreement, and welcome feedback, engaging in challenging conversations with grace

• Eagerness to engage actively with students, faculty, parents, and alumni and willingness to prioritize visibility amidst the demands of a busy professional schedule

• The ability to navigate complexity, in part through effective prioritization, delegation, and management of systems

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail

• A sense of humor, enthusiasm for schools, and genuine excitement for serving as an Assistant Head of School

TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates are invited to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:

• A cover letter tailored to express interest in this position

• A current and comprehensive résumé

Selected candidates may also be asked to provide:

• Writing samples specific to this search

• List of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission)

Materials should be sent to:

Chris Boyle

Consultant

[e-mail]

Marsha Little

Senior Consultant

[e-mail]