Head of School

About the role

Brooklyn Waldorf School is seeking an experienced, visionary, and community-centered Head of School to begin in July 2027. Located in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, Brooklyn Waldorf School is an independent school serving more than 190 students from age three through eighth grade. The school provides a developmentally responsive Waldorf education that engages students through their "hands, hearts, and heads" while fostering creativity, resilience, curiosity, and self-determination.

Key Responsibilities

• Articulate and advance a clear, inclusive vision for Waldorf education at Brooklyn Waldorf School
• Provide leadership for the school's academic program, faculty, culture, finances, enrollment, and operations
• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as central elements of the school's educational approach
• Partner with the Board of Trustees and Finance Director to develop and maintain sustainable budgets and long-term financial strategies
• Strengthen enrollment, advancement, community outreach, and the school's visibility throughout Brooklyn
• Build a collaborative faculty culture with clear expectations, accountability, professional development, and opportunities for adult learning
• Strengthen governance practices and support the continued development of the Board of Trustees
• Develop meaningful relationships with students, employees, families, alumni, prospective families, and community partners
• Establish clear organizational structures, responsibilities, communication practices, and systems
• Represent Brooklyn Waldorf School as a visible, accessible, and outward-facing leader

Required Qualifications

• Meaningful experience in school leadership
• Demonstrated success strengthening organizational culture, improving systems, and leading through complexity and change
• Strong financial literacy and experience developing, managing, or overseeing organizational budgets
• Demonstrated experience leading diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives within a school or educational environment
• Experience working in or with urban communities
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and public-facing communication skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively with a Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, families, and community partners
• Strong organizational, strategic planning, and systems-thinking skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with the New York City educational landscape
• Experience leading an independent school or mission-driven educational organization
• Knowledge of Waldorf education or a strong interest in learning about Waldorf education and its application within the Brooklyn Waldorf School community
• Experience supporting faculty development, enrollment growth, advancement, governance, or community outreach

Desired Leadership Qualities

The successful candidate will be:

• A visionary and inclusive leader who can communicate a clear and compelling mission
• A thoughtful listener who seeks to understand the school and its community before implementing change
• A collaborative bridge builder who can unite individuals with different perspectives and experiences
• A visible and engaged leader who builds meaningful relationships across the school community
• A calm and grounded presence who can navigate challenging conversations with honesty and care
• An organized leader who can establish clear structures and accountability while preserving the school's warm and relational culture
• A consistent, timely, and transparent communicator
• A resilient leader who can balance the varied responsibilities of school leadership while modeling a healthy and sustainable approach to work

Application Requirements

Qualified candidates should be prepared to submit:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in the Head of School position at Brooklyn Waldorf School
• A current résumé
• A list of five professional references, including each reference's name, relationship to the candidate, telephone number, and email address. References will not be contacted without the candidate's permission

Pay

• Salary range: $275,000–$315,000 annually
• Starting salary determined based on factors including the selected candidate's education, experience, qualifications, and expertise

Schedule

• Start Date: July 2027
• Position Type: Full-time