President

Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame; Corpus Christi (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi, TX, seeks a mission-driven President to lead the Catholic college preparatory school for ages 3 through 12th grade, beginning July 2027. The President will partner with the Sisters, Board, faculty, staff, families, alumni, donors, and the community to advance the school’s Catholic identity and academic excellence.

The role combines strategic vision, fundraising and enrollment leadership, financial stewardship, and servant leadership.

Qualifications

• Practicing Catholic with visible witness to Catholic teachings.
• Senior leadership experience in a school, nonprofit, or related executive setting.
• Ability to lead adults, build teams, and communicate across constituencies.
• Strong oral, written, and listening skills for diverse settings.
• Experience with strategic planning, financial stewardship, enrollment and advancement, board relations.

Responsibilities

• Advance Catholic identity and mission with the Sisters, Board, and community.
• Implement strategic priorities and sustain institutional excellence.
• Support high academic standards and whole-child formation.
• Strengthen enrollment, marketing, fundraising, and donor relationships.
• Provide executive oversight for finances, facilities, and policies.

Skills

Catholic leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Communication

Team leadership

Public speaking

Education

Graduate degree in education/administration or related field

Job description

PRESIDENT

INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

THE OPPORTUNITY

Incarnate Word Academy seeks a mission-driven, relational, and strategic President to lead the Academy into its next chapter beginning in July 2027. Founded in 1871 and sponsored by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, IWA is a private Catholic college preparatory school in Corpus Christi serving students from age 3 through grade 12 across elementary Montessori and traditional programs, middle school, and high school. The next President will inherit a school with a long tradition of Catholic formation, academic excellence, whole-child development, and deep community affection.

IWA's mission is to reflect Jesus the Teacher by forming students in a loving and challenging Catholic environment where the individual gifts of every student are recognized, celebrated, and developed as a reflection of Christ. The President will serve as the chief executive leader of the Academy, advancing this mission in partnership with the Sisters, Board of Directors, administrative team, faculty and staff, families, alumni, donors, and the wider Corpus Christi community.

SCHOOL BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Incarnate Word Academy combines tradition, faith, and an eye to the future. Motivated by a philosophy of Catholic education and the charism of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, the Academy seeks to create a climate for learning with God as the highest value and to integrate faith with high academic standards. Its vision calls the community "to become an Image of Christ," and its core values include faith, dignity, compassion, integrity, dedication, gratitude, and service.

The Academy serves approximately 500 students each year across three school levels and is supported by more than 135 teachers, coaches, and staff members. Its programs emphasize strong academics, faith formation, ministry and service, athletics, extracurricular involvement, college readiness, and a supportive community. The President will be expected to honor and strengthen this comprehensive Catholic educational experience while ensuring the school's long-term vitality, visibility, and sustainability.

KEY LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• Mission and Catholic Identity: Serve as a visible faith leader who advances the Catholic identity of IWA, honors the heritage and charism of the Sisters, and fosters a community rooted in prayer, service, dignity, and love of Christ.
• Strategic and Executive Leadership: Work collaboratively with the Sisters, Board, and administrative team to implement strategic priorities, sustain institutional excellence, and guide the Academy through a healthy leadership transition.
• Academic and Student Formation: Support high academic standards, whole-child formation, strong college readiness, and a continuum of programs from early childhood through high school.
• Advancement and Enrollment: Strengthen mission advancement through enrollment, marketing, fundraising, alumni engagement, donor relationships, and community partnerships that support the Academy's mission and financial future.
• Operations and Stewardship: Provide executive oversight for finances, facilities, risk management, personnel, and policies in alignment with Board direction, civil requirements, and sponsorship obligations.
• Community Presence: Build trust through transparent communication, consistent presence, and authentic relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, benefactors, the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and the broader community.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will meet all required qualifications and most of the preferred qualifications, if not all.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A practicing Catholic who can give visible witness to the mission, values, and teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Senior leadership experience in a school, nonprofit, advancement, mission-driven, or related executive setting.
• Strong ability to lead adults, build teams, communicate effectively, and cultivate trust across diverse constituencies.
• Effective oral, written, and listening skills to communicate clearly, consistently, and effectively in individual and group settings.
• Experience with strategic planning, financial stewardship, enrollment and advancement, board relations, and/or organizational leadership.
• A graduate degree in education, administration, business, nonprofit leadership, theology, or a related field, or equivalent senior-level experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated commitment to Catholic education, ongoing curriculum development, and to the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, physical, and creative formation of students.
• Prior experience as a Catholic school president, principal, head of school, advancement leader, or senior administrator.
• Experience or familiarity working in a Catholic school environment shaped by the charism of a religious congregation.
• Proven success in building relationships in fundraising, major gift cultivation, capital campaign work, alumni relations, or donor stewardship.
• Knowledge of governance best practices and experience working effectively with a board of trustees and sponsoring religious community.
• Strong public presence and the ability to represent IWA compellingly in Church, civic, educational, philanthropic, and community settings.
• A collaborative leadership style that demonstrates confidence and executive maturity to connect with and inspire others.

OTHER INFORMATION

• Position is full-time with some evening and weekend commitments
• Salary commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits package included.
• The successful candidate must clear a criminal background check (fingerprinting required), drug screen, and the Texas Education Agency's "Do Not Hire" registry
• Position start date is July 2027