Manager, Accreditation

Job Summary

ACCREDITATION MANAGER

Reports to the Vice President, Chesterton Schools Network

The Chesterton Society is seeking an Accreditation Manager to oversee continuous improvement, accreditation and re-accreditation for Chesterton Schools Network member schools, ensuring fidelity to the Network’s Standards of Excellence.

The Accreditation Manager leads site-visit processes; trains accreditation teams; evaluates school performance against Network standards; and holds schools accountable to remediation plans when required. This role functions as both assessor and coach, maintaining high standards while supporting schools toward institutional excellence and sustainability.

Responsibilities

Apostolic Identity

• Help ensure all aspects of member schools support convey an authentic Catholic identity and embody our vibrant charism for evangelization through education.
• Exhibit faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Church in accord with our canonical status as a private association of the Christian faithful.
• Personally exercise and encourage in others an imitation of Christ in the model of G.K. Chesterton’s joy and spirituality.
  
  

Accreditation Oversight & Standards Compliance

• Administer the full accreditation lifecycle for Network schools (initial full accreditation, renewal, probationary status, and revocation when necessary).
• Evaluate schools against the Chesterton Schools Network Standards of Excellence (Joy of Faith, Culture of Life, Family Engagement, Student Formation, Faithful Governance, Operational Vitality, Network Solidarity, Chesterton Brand).
• Review and report status of submitted documentation, self-studies, financial reports, board materials, and academic data.
• Issue formal accreditation recommendations to Network Accreditation Team.
• Maintain accreditation records and compliance tracking systems.
  
  

Site Visit Leadership & Team Development

• Design and manage the site visit process (pre-visit review, on-site evaluation, post-visit reporting).
• Recruit, vet, train, and deploy accreditation visit teams.
• Create yearly visit schedule and inform and communicate with schools in the academic year prior to the site visit
• In conjunction with leadership, operations and curriculum teams develop clear rubrics and evaluation instruments for consistency across schools.
• Serve as lead evaluator during visits when necessary.
• Ensure visit teams reflect expertise in all areas related to the standards of excellence.
• Standardize visit team training modules and reporting templates.
  
  

Remediation & Accountability for At-Risk Schools

• Identify schools falling below Network standards.
• Assist schools develop structured remediation plans with measurable benchmarks and timelines, and with assigned success managers hold regular meetings with their teams to get them back on track.
• Monitor progress through scheduled reporting and follow-up site visits.
• Hold school leadership and boards accountable to corrective actions.
• Coordinate with Network personnel and Deans to provide strategic coaching in areas such as governance reform, leadership restructuring, financial stabilization, and mission alignment.
• Recommend escalation steps when required.
• In coordination with assigned success managers, provide support and resources to schools for localized accreditation Issues.
• Work with curriculum and operational teams to coordinate needs for schools and suggest improvements in areas of concern.
  
  

State Support, NCPSA and Government Relations

• Work with State Authorities to get approved as an accreditor in key choice states.
• Attend NCPSA conferences, implement best practices and fill out annual report for continued membership in NCPSA.
• Understand which states need accreditation approval and advise the Network on states’ regulatory climates.
  
  

Reporting & Communication

• Provide KPI and written accreditation reports to the Vice President, Chesterton Schools Network.
• Prepare executive summaries for senior leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Maintain dashboards tracking accreditation status across the Network.
• Present findings and recommendations with clarity and professional judgment.
• Speak at the Chesterton Schools Network Summit on accreditation and best practices.
  
  

Continuous Improvements & Systems Development

• Refine accreditation rubrics and standards based on lessons learned and Network growth and maturity.
• Develop training materials for schools preparing for accreditation.
• Hold at least three accreditation standards orientation meetings throughout the year.
• Analyze trends across schools to identify systemic strengths and weaknesses.
• Collaborate with school leaders to gather insights and ensure accreditation strategies align with Chesterton School Network goals.
  
  

Qualifications

Knowledge and Skills You Bring to the Organization

• 5 years of experience in Catholic education leadership (head of school, academic leadership, accreditation organizations or network leadership).
• Demonstrated knowledge of classical education and Catholic mission fidelity.
• Experience with accreditation processes (regional or national accrediting bodies preferred).
• Strong governance literacy (nonprofit boards, bylaws, fiduciary oversight).
• Ability to evaluate financial statements and operational sustainability indicators.
• Willingness and ability to travel nationally (30–50%).
• Experience leading school turnarounds or remediation efforts.
• Background in network-level school oversight.
• Ability to follow a designed program that is tried and true while exercising judgment in suggesting changes when necessary.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks and performance benchmarking.
• Experience training evaluators or building assessment systems.
  
  

Core Competencies

• Institutional assessment & strategic analysis
• Governance and nonprofit compliance
• Conflict navigation and professional accountability
• Mission fidelity discernment
• Executive-level written reporting
• Structured problem solving
• Coaching with clarity and firmness