Executive Director, Education Strategy & Innovation Center

Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Atlantic University’s FAU Lab Schools seeks an Executive Director to launch and lead The Carl A. DeSantis Center for Educational Strategy and Innovation. The role includes translating a five-year plan into annual programs, building a team, and managing the foundation grant with fiscal accountability.

The leader will develop measurement systems, partnerships, and revenue streams to sustain the Center beyond the grant, driving innovation in K-12 education nationally.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in education, business, instructional design, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Five or more years of experience as a school district senior leader or principal supervisor, OR ten or more years as a school principal and district leader.
• Five or more years of experience building programs or strategic initiatives from concept through implementation, evaluation, and scale.
• Experience managing grants or restricted funds, including budgets, compliance, and programmatic and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to use data, research, and performance measures to inform strategy and decision making.
• Experience managing complex budgets, personnel, contracts, timelines, and external partners.
• Exceptional executive communication, presentation, relationship-building, analytical, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Establish the Center’s operating model and lead its expansion over the five-year grant period.
• Translate strategic initiatives into actionable implementation plans with milestones, staffing, and costs.
• Recruit and onboard Center staff and stand up core infrastructure (LMS, continuing education, events).
• Identify emerging challenges and translate findings into programs, services, and partnerships.
• Create a rigorous evaluation process for launching, refining, and scaling initiatives.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Grant management

Data-driven decision making

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Executive communication

Education

Master’s degree or higher

Job description

Florida Atlantic University’s FAU Lab Schools seeks an Executive Director to launch and lead The Carl A. DeSantis Center for Educational Strategy and Innovation. The role includes translating a five-year plan into annual programs, building a team, and managing the foundation grant with fiscal accountability.

The leader will develop measurement systems, partnerships, and revenue streams to sustain the Center beyond the grant, driving innovation in K-12 education nationally.