In the classroom, on the athletic field, within its clubs and organizations, on the stage or in the community, the Serra community teaches boys to become responsible, resilient young men and honorable leaders—prepared to successfully navigate the complex world that they will inherit. 

Its rich and rigorous academic curriculum, wide range of engaging extracurricular activities, and environment of compassion and mutual respect are all hallmarks of Serra. Classmates become brothers, students find a community where they are known and belong, and teachers become role models in an environment that nurtures and challenges students to grow. Padres join an inclusive peer group that lasts a lifetime.

In partnership with parents and guided by our Catholic faith, Serra provides a transformational high school experience that offers boys a vision of faith, hope, love, mercy and justice. Its legacy spans nearly 80 years of excellence in Catholic education and includes more than 13,000 alumni.

For more information regarding the school community, visit its website here.

This leadership transition will occur at a favorable time for the community as Serra is well positioned for tremendous success moving forward. Over the past five years, the leadership completed the Strategic Plan, Transforming Lives, that outlines a bold vision for the future. This work was incorporated into Serra’s Educational Improvement Plan and was affirmed by the WCEA-WASC accreditation visiting team who awarded the school the highest level of excellence in all measured categories. Serra is also heading toward completion of the Always Forward Capital Campaign, the most successful campaign in the history of Serra. To date, Always Forward has raised more than $34 million toward a $38 million goal, remaining on tract to close out the campaign by summer 2024. 

These funds have helped Serra invest $25 million in the physical plant over the past four years, including The Pereira Center for Robotics and Engineering, renovated classrooms, HVAC systems, and the Stinson Center for Learning and Innovation. Serra also expanded student support through a new Wellness Counselor and a Director for Design Led Innovation. Looking toward the future, Serra is engaged in a comprehensive master planning process that will be completed in the spring 2024 and will provide clear guidance for future development at the school.

With a faculty second to none, incredible families and students, solid enrollment, an energized alumni community, a master plan for development, and a strategic plan to guide future decisions, Serra has never been stronger. The next President will come into a vibrant school with a clear vision for continuing its growth moving forward. Serra’s future is bright.

The ideal candidate will have significant executive leadership experience, expertise in financial and business management, possess exemplary communication and relationship building, and be skilled at engaging and inspiring constituents and stakeholders to further support its mission. He or she must be experienced with strategic planning and have the requisite executive-level experience to lead a school community. With a visible presence inside and outside of the school community, the President will be the catalyst in advancing the strategic marketing and advancement initiatives of this distinguished Catholic school community.

While the President must have a demonstrated capacity for broad institutional leadership, candidates could have attained this experience through various career paths, including primary, secondary, or higher education, non-profit management, or work in the corporate or public sector. Regardless of the career path, the successful candidate will have expert a proven record of building upon a strong community culture and identifying, cultivating, and developing strategic partnerships to ensure continued accessibility, success, and sustainability.

Applicants are expected to be faith-filled practicing Catholics in good standing with the Church and possess an advanced degree in a business, education, or related field. Salary and benefits are competitive with the local Catholic education market and commensurate with experience.

The search team is on a fast-track to identify and secure the school’s next President. Our team will be visiting the school community in mid-December. While the position description and our search prospectus are finalized, interested candidates can begin exploring this exciting opportunity by contacting our team immediately. All inquiries and applications will be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality and the greatest respect.

Candidates are expected to be available to assume the responsibilities of the position in July 2024 or sooner.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To apply, please submit the following four documents, confidentially, and as separate PDF attachments:

• Letter of Interest that articulates your passion for leading this prestigious Catholic school community. Include how your experiences and skill sets align with the current needs of this school as you understand them.
• Statement of Catholic educational philosophy.
• Current resume with all appropriate dates included.
• List of five references with names, relationships, phone numbers and email addresses. No references will be contacted without your knowledge and approval. 
• Please include Junípero Serra High School 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