Interim Executive Director (2026-2027)

Position Title: Interim Executive Director (2026-2027) Reports To: Board of Trustees (Board’s sole employee) FLSA Status: Exempt Position Purpose: River Valley Charter School is seeking an Interim Executive Director for the 2026-27 school year. The Board is seeking a leader who can provide stability, strengthen systems, build trust, and position the school for long-term success. While the role is initially envisioned as a one-year appointment, future leadership decisions will be based on the needs of the school and the outcome of the transition year. The Interim Executive Director serves as the Board's sole employee and provides stable executive leadership during a period of organizational transition. The Interim ED is responsible for maintaining operational continuity, ensuring strong academic and organizational performance, strengthening leadership systems, and positioning the school for a successful transition to permanent leadership. The Interim ED will assess organizational strengths and challenges, support implementation of Board priorities, and leave the school stronger, more stable, and better prepared for its next chapter. Core Responsibilities: Vision, Strategy, and Organizational Leadership: The Interim Executive Director will: * Vision, Strategy, and Organizational Leadership: The Interim Executive Director will: * Assess organizational strengths, risks, and opportunities * Provide recommendations to the Board regarding long-term strategic priorities * Establish clear organizational priorities for the transition year * Support the Board in preparing for a future permanent leadership transition * Ensure alignment between vision, resources, and execution across the organization Transition Leadership and Organizational Stabilization The Interim Executive Director will: * Provide stable leadership during a period of organizational transition * Assess organizational systems, structures, and leadership capacity * Identify and address urgent operational, financial, academic, and governance risks * Build trust among staff, families, and stakeholders * Document key systems, priorities, and recommendations for future leadership * Partner with the Board to support a successful transition to permanent leadership * Maintain organizational focus and avoid unnecessary disruption during the transition period Instructional Vision and Academic Outcomes: The Interim Executive Director will: * Ensure the school maintains a strong and coherent vision of excellent instruction, aligned to Montessori principles and academic standards * Supervise and coach the Director of Instruction to ensure high-quality teaching and learning, consistent implementation across classrooms, and measurable student progress * Monitor academic performance and ensure accountability for student outcomes Student Experience, Family and Community Leadership: The Interim Executive Director will: * Champion a positive, consistent student experience and school culture * Build strong, trust-based relationships with families and the broader community * Serve as the primary external leader and spokesperson for the school * Ensure proactive, transparent communication with families and stakeholders * Strengthen partnerships with community organizations, municipalities, and educational partners Financial Sustainability and Resource Stewardship: The Interim Executive Director will: * Ensure financial stability and responsible stewardship of public funds * Partner with the Director of Operations on budget development and monitoring, financial forecasting, and audits and compliance * Align financial decisions to strategic prioritie Charter Accountability and Compliance Oversight: The Interim Executive Director will: * Ensure compliance with all charter, DESE, and regulatory requirements * Oversee Annual Report and Accountability Plan preparation and submission * Monitor organizational performance against accountability metrics * Ensure systems are in place to meet all compliance obligations Leadership Development and Team Management: The Interim Executive Director will: * Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate the senior leadership team * Provide ongoing coaching and development to Directors * Build leadership capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of the leadership team * Establish clear expectations, accountability, and alignment across leadership roles Governance and Risk Management: The Interim Executive Director will: * Maintain clear boundaries between governance and management * Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Trustees * Ensure timely escalation of risks and challenges * Lead enterprise risk management and continuity planning Board and Committee Interface Responsibilities: The Interim Executive Director will: * Serve as the primary liaison to the Board Chair and Executive Committee * Co-develop Board meeting agendas focused on governance-level priorities * Prepare and present materials, including dashboards, strategic updates, and recommendations * Ensure accurate, timely communication of progress, risks, and organizational needs * Maintain clear documentation and follow-through on Board decisions Essential Functions: The essential functions of the Interim Executive Director position include, but are not limited to: * Providing strategic and operational leadership for the school in alignment with the Board-approved mission, charter, and strategic priorities * Leading organizational decision-making related to academic performance, operations, finance, staffing, compliance, and school culture * Supervising, coaching, evaluating, and developing members of the leadership team * Ensuring compliance with all applicable charter, DESE, state, federal, and regulatory requirements * Developing, monitoring, and stewarding organizational budgets, resources, and long-term financial sustainability * Preparing and presenting reports, recommendations, dashboards, and other materials to the Board of Trustees and external stakeholders * Communicating clearly and effectively with staff, families, trustees, community partners, and public agencies * Managing multiple priorities, timelines, and organizational needs in a dynamic school environment * Exercising sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality regarding personnel, student, organizational, and governance matters * Participating in meetings, events, public presentations, and school activities, including those occurring outside the regular school day * Performing duties that require frequent movement throughout the school building and active engagement with staff, students, families, and community stakeholders * Regular and reliable attendance Performance Expectations: Performance will be evaluated based on: Vision and Strategic Progress: * Clear direction and alignment across the organization * Progress toward Board-approved priorities for the transition year Academic Outcomes and Instructional Quality: * Student achievement and growth * Strength and consistency of instructional systems Student Experience and Family Trust * Positive, consistent school culture * Strong family relationships and satisfaction Financial Health and Sustainability * Balanced budgets and strong financial planning * Alignment of resources to priorities Compliance and Risk Management * Strong accountability performance * Effective management of risk and compliance Leadership Team Effectiveness * Strong performance of leadership team * Evidence of coaching, development, and retention Success Measures for the Interim Year: * School operations remain stable and effective * Leadership team roles and responsibilities are clearly defined * Family and staff confidence improves * Financial and compliance obligations are successfully met * A clear assessment of organizational strengths, risks, and opportunities is provided to the Board * The school is positioned for a successful transition to permanent leadership Required Qualifications: * Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred (education, leadership, public administration, or related field). * Demonstrated PK–12 school leadership experience (charter, district, independent, or equivalent). * Demonstrated ability to lead academic and organizational improvement * Demonstrated ability to steward budgets, oversee compliance obligations, and lead through complexity and change. * Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present to boards and diverse stakeholders. * High integrity, excellent judgment, and a student-centered leadership approach. * Ability to pass required background checks (CORI and fingerprinting as applicable). Preferred Qualifications: * Experience in Massachusetts public schools and/or charter accountability environments. * Experience with fundraising, development, and partnership-building. * Familiarity with Montessori philosophy and/or experience protecting specialized school models. * Experience leading organizations through periods of transition, turnaround, restructuring, or executive leadership change. Key Competencies: * Strategic leadership and organizational stabilization * Instructional judgment and commitment to academic excellence * Leadership development and team management * Strong decision-making and organizational leadership * Relationship-building and communication skills * Systems thinking and operational alignment * Resilience and ability to lead through change * Family and community leadership * Governance and board partnership