Principal, Northern Deanery High School, Bellingham

Archdiocese of Seattle CATHOLIC SCHOOLS; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic Schools seeks a Principal to serve as chief administrative and academic officer for the Northern Deanery Regional Catholic High School. Appointed by the Archbishop and accountable to the Board, the Principal leads spiritual, curricular, and operational excellence in a twelve-month, full-time role.

The role requires robust leadership, fundraising capability, and a deep commitment to Catholic education, with responsibilities spanning governance, curriculum, faculty

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Ten years of senior leadership experience in Catholic education or similar.
• Five to ten years of classroom teaching experience.
• Principal certification or eligibility in Washington State.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee spiritual, academic, financial, and operational well-being of the school.
• Hire, evaluate, and terminate staff; supervise duties.
• Lead curriculum development and data-driven instruction.
• Manage master schedule, calendar, and activities.
• Lead long-range strategic planning with Board and senior leadership.
• Represent the school to Archdiocese, donors, and community.

Skills

Catholic leadership

Strategic planning

Fundraising

Public speaking

Communication skills

Data-driven instruction

Team leadership

Education

Master's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

POSITION DESCRIPTION: PRINCIPAL

Appointed By: Archbishop of Seattle, in consultation with the Board of Directors

Reports To: Superintendent of Catholic Schools and the Board of Directors

Status: Full-time, exempt, twelve-month administrator

Position Summary

The Principal is the chief administrative and chief academic officer of the Northern Deanery Regional Catholic High School (NDRCHS). The Principal is appointed, in consultation with the Board of Directors, by the Archbishop of Seattle ("Member"), serves on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio (non-voting) member, and is accountable to the Member and to the Board on matters delegated by the Member and the Board as provided in the school's bylaws. The Principal reports to the Superintendent of Catholic Schools and the Board of Directors. The Principal, or his/her delegate, shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees, and shall be a practicing Catholic as defined in the school's bylaws.

The Principal bears overall accountability for the spiritual, academic, financial, and operational well-being of NDRCHS, and ensures that the school's identity as a Catholic secondary school is protected and advanced in every facet of school life, always in keeping with the vision and values of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

The Principal holds ultimate authority over the hiring, evaluation, and (when necessary) termination of all school employees, and gives clear educational, faith, and moral leadership to the school community. As the school's chief instructional leader, the Principal ensures rigorous and well-supported academic programming and is a visible, present leader in the daily experience of students and faculty. As the school's public face and chief ambassador, the Principal represents NDRCHS to the Archdiocese of Seattle, donors, alumni, civic and business leaders, and the broader community.

Essential Functions

Mission & Catholic Identity

• Serves as the chief steward of the school's Catholic identity and mission, ensuring that Gospel values permeate the academic, spiritual, and co-curricular life of the school.
• Models a lived commitment to the school's mission and educational tradition, fostering a culture of prayer, faith development, service, and Gospel values in daily school life.
• Ensures the continuing Catholic faith formation of both students and faculty.
• Ensures the school's policies, programs, and culture remain in keeping with the vision and values of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
• Maintains the school's relationships with the Archdiocese of Seattle and, where applicable, its sponsoring religious community or order, representing the school at appropriate diocesan and network gatherings.

Governance & Board Relations

• Serves as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Board of Directors, and serves, or designates a delegate to serve, as an ex-officio member of all standing committees of the Board.
• Is accountable to the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, the Member, and the Board on matters delegated under the school's bylaws.
• Assists the Board in policy development, brings recommendations forward for Board action, and ensures Board-approved policy is implemented faithfully across the school.
• Leads the development, communication, and execution of the school's long-range strategic plan, in partnership with the Board and the senior leadership team.
• Acts as final internal recourse for matters and disputes that cannot be resolved at the staff or administrative level, in keeping with established school policy.

Instructional & Academic Leadership

• Serves as the chief instructional leader of the school, ensuring a rigorous, college-preparatory, and inclusive program aligned with the school's mission and the standards of relevant accreditation bodies.
• Leads ongoing curriculum development, instructional improvement, and the use of data and research-based best practices to drive student achievement.
• Ensures that academic programs welcome and support the full range of learners, including students with diverse learning needs who graduate from the Archdiocese's Catholic elementary schools, with learning support, accommodations, and differentiated instruction integrated into the fabric of the school rather than treated as supplemental.
• Approves the master schedule, academic calendar, and daily schedule, and coordinates the scheduling of school-related activities.
• Oversee academic advising, college and post-secondary counseling, and student academic progress monitoring, and address academic emergencies as they arise.
• Plans for the development of academic and co-curricular programs in support of the school's long-term educational objectives.

Faculty, Staff & Organizational Leadership

• Holds ultimate hiring and termination authority for all school employees, and recruits, hires, evaluates, and (when necessary) dismisses faculty and staff.
• Assigns administrative and teaching duties, and establishes supervision, job descriptions, and annual evaluation procedures for all direct reports.
• Builds and leads a cohesive senior leadership team with clearly defined roles and shared accountability to the school's mission and strategic plan.
• Provides for the ongoing professional development and formation of faculty and staff, including formation in the school's Catholic identity and mission.
• Holds regular faculty meetings to communicate the mission, values, culture, goals, and expectations of the school.
• Fosters a positive, mission-aligned employee culture and ensures fair, consistent personnel policy and practice across the school.

Student Life & Community Presence

• Is a visible, accessible presence throughout the school in classrooms, hallways, athletic and co-curricular events known by and knowing the students.
• Maintains a sound, fair disciplinary system that supports a safe, orderly, and positive school climate.
• Makes decisions on student admission and dismissal in accordance with school policy, in coordination with admissions leadership where applicable.
• Serves as liaison between faculty and families on academic programming and day-to-day school matters.

Financial & Operational Stewardship

• Holds overall fiscal responsibility for the school, directing the preparation, approval, and oversight of the annual operating budget (including academic departments, professional development, and student life) with the Board's finance committee and the business manager.
• Leads long-range financial and facilities planning, including capital needs, debt management, tuition strategy, and financial aid policy, in partnership with the Board.
• Oversee the school's day-to-day operations, ensuring policies and procedures reflect the school's mission and a safe, well-run campus.
• Oversee the maintenance, safety, and long-term planning of the physical plant and campus.
• Ensures sound internal controls, risk management, and compliance with applicable civil, canonical, and accreditation requirements.
• Coordinates and supervises any state-or federally funded academic programs.

Advancement, Enrollment & External Relations

• Leads institutional advancement, including major gift cultivation, capital and annual fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, and alumni relations.
• Serves as the school's chief spokesperson and public representative to media, donors, civic and business leaders, and the broader community.
• Leads enrollment strategy in partnership with admissions leadership, ensuring the school's continued strength and sustainability.
• Oversee marketing, communications, and public relations activity that shapes the school's reputation and visibility, including public letters, statements, and media engagement on the school's behalf.
• Monitors and maintains the school's relationships with affiliated organizations, including alumni associations, parent organizations, and booster/athletic support groups, ensuring their activities align with and support the school's mission.
• Represents the school in the educational community, including collaboration with the Archdiocese of Seattle's Office for Catholic Schools and other Catholic and independent high school leaders.

Qualifications

Required

• Practicing Catholic as defined in the school's bylaws, with a deep, lived commitment to Catholic education and a genuine appreciation and understanding of the Catholic faith.
• Master's degree required; advanced degree (Ed.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., M.Div., or comparable) preferred.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience in Catholic education, independent schools, higher education, nonprofit leadership, or a comparably complex mission-driven organization, including five to seven years as a school administrator (assistant principal, dean, department chair with administrative responsibility, or principal).
• Five to ten years of prior classroom teaching experience.
• Principal certification, or eligibility to obtain Washington State principal certification.
• Demonstrated experience in curriculum development, faculty supervision and evaluation, and use of student data to inform instructional decisions.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, and advancement strategy.
• Demonstrated experience in financial oversight, long-range planning, and operational management of a complex organization or institution.
• Excellent communication, public speaking, interpersonal, and organizational skills; demonstrated integrity, compassion, and the ability to build trust across diverse constituencies board members, donors, civic and business leaders, alumni, faculty, and families.

Preferred

• Experience in a Catholic secondary school President, Principal, Head of School, or comparable chief executive role.
• Familiarity with Seattle Archdiocesan or other religious-sponsored school networks.
• Experience leading institutional strategic planning, growth, or repositioning.
• Understanding of enrollment-driven independent/Catholic school business models and the relationship between mission, tuition strategy, and financial sustainability.
• Experience in admissions, enrollment management, or athletic program oversight, as relevant to the school's co-curricular tradition.

Compensation

Salary: $140,000-155,000; Salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data, applicant's skills and prior relevant experience, degrees, and certifications.

Benefits: A comprehensive package of benefits is offered including two medical plan options, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability, long term disability, pension, 403(b), HSA, FSA, and generous sick leave, vacation, and holidays.