Executive Director

Job Description

As San Miguel approaches its 30th Anniversary, it seeks a new leader who will build on its impact and bring the school to the next level of excellence.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS"

The San Miguel model is comprised of three essential programs.

MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION: San Miguel serves sixth through eighth grade inner-city students, equipping each with the resources necessary to excel academically, socially, and spiritually at the high school level and beyond. This intervention during the critical middle school years has proven to dramatically improve the trajectory of the student and family.
GRADUATE SUPPORT: San Miguel provides youth development activities, leadership opportunities, financial assistance, and college readiness for its 150+ alumni during their high school years.
FAMILY SUPPORT: Through the San Miguel Community Center, educational opportunities for adults, clinical counseling for students and families, activities, tutoring and collaboration with other neighborhood organizations promote healthy development in the community.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE
The Executive Director works with a senior leadership team to...
• translate vision into action,
• identify and pursue opportunities for strategic initiatives,
• acquire necessary funding and resources, and
• ensure ongoing programmatic excellence and beneficial student outcomes.

Direct reports to the Executive Director include the Principal, Vice Principal, Business Manager and Development Director.

The Board of Directors seeks a confident and caring servant leader with an unwavering commitment to sustaining a well-built n inclusive culture. The next Executive Director will embrace the mission and culture of the school and build powerful relationships with all stakeholders - students, families, faculty, staff and donors. The Executive Director will be an effective and collaborative team leader committed to consensus building. He/she will inspire both those within and outside the school community.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Fundraising: The Executive Director, working with development staff and Board members, is responsible in the 2024-25 school year for raising $1.8 million annually in addition to special project funding through major gifts, foundations, annual giving, planned gifts and special events. The ideal candidate will be highly effective in prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and donor retention. Student financial aid and faculty/staff salaries are the top funding priorities at this time.
Enrollment: In concert with the Principal, the Executive Director achieves full enrollment within each class to maximize the number of students who receive the blessing and benefits of a San Miguel education each year.
Marketing/Communications: San Miguel has a tremendous story to tell and the next Executive Director will possess the skills and creativity to do so with a wide variety of audiences, venues and vehicles leading to increased awareness, interest, involvement, investment and heightened visibility and reputation.
Community Relations: The successful Executive Director will be a highly engaged member of the school and local community as demonstrated by interaction with students and families, connection with faculty and staff, participation in area events and organizations, etc. He/She will represent the school externally to not only funders but also Archdiocesan, political, university, civic, Lasallian, religious representatives and others in support of partnerships that will advance SMS students.
Management: The Executive Director will have the requisite abilities to effectively manage finance, facilities, human resources and the San Miguel Community Center.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS
• Practicing Catholic
• Not-for-profit or for-profit managerial experience; experience in education preferred
• Mission-driven decision maker
• Experienced, successful fundraiser
• Visionary, collaborative leader
• Polished, eloquent, relatable communicator
• Respected colleague
• Humble, ethical, emotionally intelligent with good sense of humor
• Bilingual Spanish greatly preferred
• Must love kids!

San Miguel alumni are particularly encouraged to consider this position.

SALARY AND BENEFITS
This is a full-time, 12-month position starting July 1, 2024. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Interested candidates should submit the following application materials electronically to Executive Director Search at csmoffice@cbservices.org: letter of introduction, resume, five professional references with email and telephone information, and an essay (500 words or fewer) demonstrating why innovative, accessible, compassionate middle school education for inner-city students is worthy of financial support. For more information visit www.sanmiguelchicago.org.

About the Employer

San Miguel School, founded in 1995, is a private, independent, Lasallian, Catholic school serving low-income, middle school students and families in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Through its unique educational model - intensive academic and social-emotional support while fostering the development of integral traits such as perseverance and resilience - San Miguel has transformed hundreds of lives and set generations of San Miguel scholars on the path to success.