Head of School

Saint Mary’s School, a 9-12 girls’ boarding and day school, is seeking a Head of School for July 2024. Since 1842, Saint Mary’s has been educating girls for a lifetime of learning and achievement in an Episcopal community of academic excellence. Over the course of their time at Saint Mary’s, students grow academically, socially, and spiritually. They are accepted and empowered in their learning; recognized for their unique talents, passions and interests; and develop the confidence to amplify their voices and discover who they want to become. Joyful traditions and a tight-knit community support bonds that last for decades.

Located in the heart of Raleigh, NC, which is a thriving center for healthcare, technology, education, finance, and government, the Saint Mary’s campus is a 23-acre green oasis with historic buildings as well as modern facilities and campus housing, including a recently renovated Head of School home. The Raleigh area boasts one of the fastest growing economies in the country and is home to several colleges and universities that make the region an exciting place to live and work.

With a newly developed, forward-looking strategic plan; an accomplished faculty; and engaged, thoughtful trustees, Saint Mary’s is well poised to move its mission forward. This is an incredible opportunity for a leader with exceptional experience, character, and vision to champion the core values of the school while also strategically leading the School’s forward momentum.
Opportunities and Challenges
The next Head of School will inherit a school characterized by a 180-year history of excellence in educating girls; engaged and thoughtful trustees; an accomplished faculty and devoted alumnae base; and a forward-looking strategic plan and optimism for the future.

The challenges and opportunities for the next Head of School include:
• Leveraging the momentum of the current strategic plan, financial and enrollment health, and ongoing capital campaign to propel Saint Mary’s forward and further establish its reputation for excellence;
• Growing the enrollment, programmatic strength, and desirability of the boarding program;
• Building and stewarding authentic relationships with and among students, parents, employees, and alumnae;
• Establishing and nurturing effective communications systems that serve internal and external audiences and provide efficiency, clarity, and transparency;
• Retaining (and, as necessary, recruiting) an exceptional faculty, staff, and senior administrative team and supporting them in order to make full use of their talents;
• Developing and nurturing a common culture and sense of belonging for every member of the community to feel heard, respected, and supported;
• Building relationships and partnerships with non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and businesses in Raleigh, that nurture students’ connections to the city and support the mission of the school; and
• Carefully balancing respect for nearly two centuries of history and tradition with a commitment to best practices and openness to new ideas.

Desired Qualifications and Qualities
Saint Mary’s is seeking in its next Head of School an experienced and inspiring educational leader who fully embraces the school’s mission and vision and who is eager to make a long-term commitment to the position. The strongest candidates will offer most or all of the following qualifications and qualities:

Professional Qualifications
• A thorough and demonstrated understanding of and affection for working with Upper School girls with great energy, warmth, humor, and commitment to their intellectual and social emotional development, particularly in a boarding environment;
• Understanding of the many dimensions of an independent boarding and day school, including business, operations, academics, advancement, enrollment management, and residential life;
• Significant experience leading and managing adults;
• Experience recruiting, hiring, supporting, and retaining talented, broadly diverse, and mission-aligned faculty;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with inspiration and clarity; and
• The ability to articulate vision and strategy and the tactical skills necessary to manage the systems and processes necessary to implement strategy.

Interested candidates are asked to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
• A cover letter expressing his or her interest in this particular position.
• A current résumé

As the process moves forward, selected candidates may be asked to submit:
• Writing samples specific to this search
• A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission)

Contact Information