Director of Strategic Initiatives

Job Description

Nestled in the picturesque city of Naples, Florida, Royal Palm Academy offers a unique blend of rigorous academics, spiritual formation, and a rich array of extracurricular activities. Established in 1998, Royal Palm Academy (RPA) emerged with a distinctive vision rooted in Integral Formation-an educational philosophy dedicated to nurturing every facet of a child's growth.

Founded on academic rigor, character development, and spiritual growth principles, Royal Palm Academy stands as a beacon of excellence in Catholic education. With a commitment to holistic formation, RPA guides students on a journey of discovery, where they achieve academic success and cultivate virtues that prepare them for a life of purpose and service. Its dedicated educators embrace a student-centered approach, nurturing young minds and hearts to reach their fullest potential. Rooted in its robust Catholic identity, the community fosters an inclusive community where each student is valued, respected, and inspired to contribute meaningfully to our world.

Royal Palm Academy is the only independent Catholic school in Southwest Florida. The school community currently serves over 300 scholars in Pre-K through 8th grades. It is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools, National Council for Private Schools, National Junior Honor Society, and Florida Catholic Conference.

From its humble beginnings, the school celebrated a significant milestone in 2016 by opening its first permanent building-a remarkable 15,000-square-foot multi-purpose gymnasium. This achievement was a testament to the collaborative spirit and generosity of the school community. As it looks towards its exciting and promising future, RPA recently launched a capital campaign that will fund campus expansions encompassing spaces dedicated to classrooms, athletics, the arts, and administration. Additionally, families benefit from Florida's School Choice program, which offers tuition scholarships up to nearly $9,000 per student. The combination of these elements, bolstered by a nurturing and compassionate community, has significantly contributed to the continual growth in enrollment at RPA.

THE OPPORTUNITY
In this inaugural role, the Director of Strategic Initiatives position offers a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to partner with and support the Head of School and executive administrative team in coalescing its efforts to bring together a large and engaged group of constituents and stakeholders to support the mission of the institution further.

Overview of Position Responsibilities

Head of School Support
-Manage the Head of School's calendar, scheduling appointments, meetings, and travel arrangements.
-Handle email correspondence on behalf of the Head of School, prioritizing messages and drafting responses as needed.
-Assist with meeting preparations, including agenda development, document preparation, and participant coordination.
-Serve as a liaison between the Head of School and internal/external stakeholders, conveying messages and requests effectively.
-Coordinate event planning and logistics, ensuring smooth execution and timely follow-up.
-Support board relations, including scheduling meetings, preparing materials, and recording minutes.
-Conduct research and analysis on various topics, providing summaries and recommendations as requested.

CFO/COO Support and School Events Coordination
-Develop and distribute the weekly schedule, ensuring clear communication of events and deadlines.
-Manage student and staff apparel order logistics, including tracking sizes and distribution.
-Assist with organizing special events such as the 8th-grade breakfast and 1st-day-of-school preparations.
-Establish procedures for coordinating back-to-school nights, capital campaign meetings, and other events requiring childcare services.

Strategic Initiatives and Advancement Support
-Provide leadership, stewardship, and support to the Head of School and Director of Advancement in support of Capital and Strategic Initiatives.
-Manage Raisers Edge Donor Database, including data entry, reporting, and donor acknowledgment processes.
-Record gifts, generate acknowledgment letters, and oversee mailing processes.

Strategic Communications
-Provide critical support for strategic communications channels, such as weekly newsletters, social media, and letters from the head of the school.
-Manage the monthly calendar, ensuring accuracy and timely updates.
-Coordinate creating and distributing an Alumni Newsletter (stretch goal).
-Assist with developing and distributing an Athletic Newsletter (stretch goal).

THE CANDIDATES WE SEEK
As a public face of the Royal Palm Academy, candidates must have an understanding and passion for advancing its mission of Catholic education, especially when representing the Head of School and the RPA community to the general public. We aim to secure energetic and high-performing candidates committed to the school's mission and exude drive, joy, initiative, dependability, and the ability to work productively under multiple deadlines.

Candidates are expected to possess, at a minimum, a Bachelor's Degree in a related field. Familiarity with marketing and branding principles and proficiency in Microsoft Office, Blackbaud Suite including Raiser's Edge, Adobe Suite, and Social Media Platforms expected. In addition, candidates must possess excellent writing, editorial, and proofreading skills and be skilled at providing a high standard of customer service and follow-through. In this high-level support role, candidates must embrace and honor the highest degree of professional and personal integrity with the ability to maintain confidentiality. Strong organizational and time management skills and a willingness to complete other duties as assigned are essential.

Candidates with at least five years of experience in communications, marketing, public relations, admissions or advancement, or other leadership positions in a Catholic educational setting are preferred. This newly created position also presents a unique and ideal opportunity for an aspiring Head of School who wants to further develop their executive suite skillsets. Salary and benefits are competitive with the local Catholic education market and commensurate with experience and education. Moving assistance is available for relocating candidates.

Do not delay. This search is on a fast track.

WHY NAPLES?

-Top 12 Best Places to Live (US News & World Report)
-#1 in Safest Places to Live
-#2 in Best Places to Live
-#4 in Best Places to Live for Quality of Life
-Daytrip access to Tampa, Miami, and Orlando
-Home to miles of pristine beaches on the Gulf of Mexico
-Abundance of wildlife and nature preserves
-"Golf Capital of the World" with over 90 golf courses

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The Head of School is on a fast track to identify and secure the ideal leader for this inaugural role. All inquiries and applications will be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality and the greatest respect. The successful candidate will assume the responsibilities of the position in July 2024.

To apply, please submit the following documents, confidentially and as separate PDF attachments, to Michael Furey, Partner, at mikefurey@partnersinmission.com.

-Letter of Interest that aligns your experiences and skill sets with the school's current needs as you understand them.
-Current resume with all appropriate dates included.
-List five references with names, your relationship, phone numbers, and email addresses. References will not be contacted without your knowledge and approval.
-Please include "Royal Palm Academy" in the subject field.

CONTACT
Michael Furey, Partner
mikefurey@partnersinmission.com
Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC
(570) 730-2655
www.partnersinmissionslss.com

About the Employer

Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions is the retained search division of Partners in Mission, the nation's leading full-service consulting firm focused exclusively on developing excellence in Catholic school advancement and leadership. As partners among ourselves and with our clients' missions, we value, understand, and embrace the importance of Catholic education in our personal and professional lives - and remain committed to ensuring its strength and vitality for years to come. Engaged by religious and school communities, boards and dioceses, our team of dedicated search consultants have identified and secured mission-driven professionals to serve in a myriad of diverse Catholic school and diocesan leadership positions from Massachusetts to Hawaii.