President / Head of School

HR Symphony; Honolulu, Northern (HI, KY); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryknoll School in Honolulu seeks a President/Head of School to lead the Catholic educational ministry, uphold mission, and advance academic excellence within a collaborative, mission-driven culture.

Reporting to the Pastor and working with the Principal, School Board, faculty, and parish, the President will shape strategy, secure resources, guide enrollment, and foster partnerships to sustain long-term excellence.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in education, business, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of successful executive leadership experience.
• Experience in strategic planning, enrollment management, financial stewardship, and personnel supervision.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and public speaking skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership for the school's Catholic identity and mission.
• Lead strategic planning, advancement, enrollment management, and financial stewardship.
• Collaborate with Pastor, Principal, School Board, and community to advance the school's mission.
• Ensure governance, external relations, and accreditation processes align with Diocesan policies.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Public speaking

Collaboration

Catholic leadership

Education

Master's degree or higher in education, business, or related field

Job description

MARYKNOLL SCHOOL

PRESIDENT/HEAD OF SCHOOL Job Description

MARYKNOLL SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT:

Rooted in the Catholic faith, Maryknoll School is a nurturing and welcoming community that values academic innovation and excellence, lifelong learning, service to others, and the courage to imitate Jesus by word and example

ABOUT MARYKNOLL SCHOOL

Maryknoll School is a Catholic educational ministry of Sacred Heart Church in the Diocese of Honolulu. For nearly a century, Maryknoll has been dedicated to forming young men and women who know Jesus Christ, pursue academic excellence, embrace lives of service, and become leaders who positively transform the world.

Inspired by the Gospel and the rich tradition of Catholic education, Maryknoll School is committed to educating the whole person—spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, and physically. The school provides a learning environment where faith and reason work together, where every student is encouraged to discover his or her God-given gifts, and where academic excellence is rooted in the dignity of every human person.

As a ministry of Sacred Heart Church, Maryknoll School shares in the Church's mission of evangelization. The parish and school are not separate institutions but one Catholic community united in the mission of proclaiming the Gospel, forming disciples, strengthening families, and serving others. Collaboration between the parish and school is fundamental to fulfilling this mission and reflects the Church's understanding that Catholic education is an essential ministry of the parish.

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

Maryknoll School seeks a President/Head of School who embraces servant leadership rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The President/Head of School recognizes that the school's greatest strength is found in its people and that the mission of Catholic education is accomplished through collaboration, mutual respect, shared responsibility, and faithful stewardship.

The President/Head of School cultivates a culture that values teamwork over silos, dialogue over isolation, and partnership over individual achievement. Working closely with the Pastor, Principal, Administrative Leadership Team, faculty, staff, School Board, parents, alumni, benefactors, parishioners, and the Diocese of Honolulu, the President brings people together in pursuit of one common mission.

Leadership at Maryknoll is collaborative, mission-driven, and grounded in prayer. The President models integrity, humility, accountability, transparency, and joy while fostering an environment where every member of the community is empowered to contribute to the flourishing of the school and the Church.

POSITION SUMMARY

The President/Head of School serves as the chief executive officer of Maryknoll School and is entrusted with leading the educational ministry of the Church through the mission of Maryknoll School.

Under the authority of the Pastor, the President provides visionary leadership for all aspects of the school's mission, including Catholic identity, strategic planning, institutional advancement, enrollment, financial stewardship, personnel leadership, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability.

Working in close partnership with the Principal, the President ensures that Maryknoll School remains a premier Catholic educational institution committed to academic excellence while faithfully carrying out the evangelizing mission of Sacred Heart Church.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The President/Head of School reports directly to the Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, who exercises canonical authority and final responsibility for Maryknoll School in accordance with Canon Law and the policies of the Diocese of Honolulu.

The School Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Pastor and the President/Head of School by providing strategic counsel, expertise, and recommendations in support of the mission and long-term success of Maryknoll School.

The Principal serves as the chief academic officer of the school and reports directly to the President. The President supports, supervises, and evaluates the Principal while ensuring the school achieves excellence in academics, student formation, and educational outcomes.

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Catholic Mission and Identity

The President serves as the chief steward of Maryknoll School's Catholic mission.

Responsibilities include:

• Advancing the mission of Catholic education in partnership with the Pastor.
• Ensuring that Catholic identity permeates every aspect of school life.
• Supporting the spiritual formation of students, faculty, staff, and families.
• Promoting prayer, sacramental life, service, and missionary discipleship.
• Serving as a visible witness to the teachings and values of the Catholic Church.
• Ensuring institutional decisions remain faithful to Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The President provides visionary and strategic leadership for the overall direction and future of the institution.

Responsibilities include:

• Articulating and advancing a compelling vision for the future of Maryknoll School, rooted in its Catholic mission.
• Developing and implementing a long-range strategic plan.
• Leading responsible institutional growth and fostering a culture of innovation and openness to new ideas.
• Identifying and evaluating new programs, partnerships, and educational models that respond to the evolving needs of students, families, the Church, and the broader community.
• Establishing measurable goals and institutional priorities.
• Promoting operational excellence and long-term sustainability.
• Building a culture of continuous improvement, creativity, and collaboration.
• Leading organizational change with transparency, discernment, and collaboration.
• Academic Excellence

Working through the Principal, the President:

• Ensures the delivery of an outstanding Catholic educational experience.
• Supports innovation in teaching and learning.
• Promotes student success and holistic formation.
• Encourages faculty excellence and professional development.
• Holds the Principal accountable for academic outcomes while providing support and resources for continued growth.
• Institutional Advancement and Enrollment

The President serves as the chief ambassador of Maryknoll School.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading fundraising and philanthropic initiatives.
• Building relationships with benefactors and foundations.
• Supporting marketing and communications.
• Leading strategic enrollment management.
• Strengthening student recruitment and retention.
• Expanding community partnerships.
• Promoting the mission and reputation of Maryknoll School locally and nationally.

The President ensures responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to the school.

Responsibilities include:

• Developing annual and long-range financial plans.
• Overseeing budgets and financial reporting.
• Ensuring fiscal accountability.
• Protecting and enhancing school facilities.
• Planning for long-term sustainability.
• Working collaboratively with the Pastor and School Board regarding financial strategy.

The President develops and supports a high-performing leadership team.

Responsibilities include:

• Supervising the Principal and Administrative Leadership Team.
• Recruiting and retaining exceptional leaders.
• Supporting employee formation and professional growth.
• Conducting evaluations.
• Promoting accountability and collaboration.
• Building a workplace culture characterized by trust, respect, professionalism, and mission.
• Parish and Community Collaboration

Recognizing that Maryknoll School is a ministry of Sacred Heart Church, the President intentionally strengthens the relationship between the parish and school.

Responsibilities include:

• Collaborating closely with the Pastor in advancing the shared mission of the parish and school.
• Building meaningful relationships with parish staff and ministries.
• Creating opportunities for students, families, faculty, and parishioners to share in the life and mission of both the parish and school.
• Encouraging collaboration across departments and ministries rather than operating in isolation.
• Supporting parish initiatives and identifying opportunities where the gifts and resources of the school can enrich parish life.
• Fostering a unified Catholic identity in which the parish and school work together in evangelization, worship, stewardship, and service.

Governance and External Relations

The President/Head of School:

• Works collaboratively with the Pastor in carrying out the mission and strategic direction of Maryknoll School.
• Partners with the School Board in its advisory role.
• Serves as the primary representative of the school to the Diocese, educational organizations, civic leaders, and the broader community.
• Ensures compliance with diocesan policies and applicable laws.
• Builds partnerships that strengthen the mission and future of Maryknoll School.
• Oversees accreditation processes and ensures continuous institutional improvement.
• Professional Growth

The President commits to lifelong learning by:

• Pursuing ongoing spiritual formation.
• Remaining informed of emerging trends in Catholic education.
• Engaging with professional organizations that strengthen leadership and institutional excellence.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will:

• Be a practicing Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church who embraces and faithfully lives the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Demonstrate a deep commitment to Catholic education and the mission of evangelization.
• Hold a master's degree or higher in education, educational leadership, business administration, management, finance, or a related field.
• Possess a minimum of five years of successful executive leadership experience.
• Demonstrate success in strategic planning, organizational leadership, institutional advancement, enrollment management, financial stewardship, and personnel supervision.
• Possess exceptional communication, interpersonal, and public speaking skills.
• Demonstrate integrity, humility, sound judgment, and a collaborative leadership style.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The President maintains a visible presence throughout the campus and parish community and regularly participates in liturgies, school events, parish celebrations, fundraising activities, Board meetings, alumni events, and community functions. Evening and weekend commitments are an expected part of the position.

CONCLUSION

The President of Maryknoll School is more than the chief executive officer of an educational institution. The President is entrusted with advancing the educational ministry of the Church by leading a community where faith is lived, excellence is pursued, relationships are strengthened, and every student is formed to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and a servant leader for the world.

Employment Type:
Full Time

Compensation:
$160,000.00 to$200,000.00/ Year