The Academy for Teachers (or ‘The Academy’), a not-for-profit organization that improves education by cultivating a culture of prestige and intellectual joy for teachers, seeks a visionary and results-oriented leader to serve as its next executive director. The Academy was founded in 2011 to honor and support teachers as respected professionals. Specifically, the Academy provides teachers from public, charter, and private schools in the New York City metro area with professional development of the highest quality; organizes special events and activities that bring public, charter, and private school teachers together in community; and supports new teachers with mentoring and workshops led by experienced veteran teachers who are “Fellows” of The Academy. As it approaches its fifteenth anniversary, The Academy is considered the gold standard in professional development in New York City and has built a growing, vibrant community of 3,200 of the city’s strongest teachers.
It is often said that teachers have the most important job in the world, but in fact, the profession is dangerously underserved and undervalued. Studies show that the tenure of more than fifty percent of teachers is five years or less, a rate of burnout that results in a staggering national annual cost of $8 billion. The Academy addresses the teacher retention crisis with meaningful results. An impact study published in a peer-reviewed journal found that teachers who participate in The Academy’s programs become four times more likely to continue teaching than teachers who don’t. The executive director, serving as an ambassador of The Academy to the world at large, will be tasked with increasing awareness of its work.
Partnerships with other organizations are key to The Academy’s success. The city’s leading universities and cultural institutions partner with The Academy through access to leading experts and artists and by hosting programs in their finest rooms, so that teachers feel dignified the moment they walk in the door. Although 75% of The Academy’s Fellows work in public or charter schools, private schools in the Academy’s Private Schools and Public Education Partnership make annual contributions to support The Academy’s ability to offer programs that bring private, charter, and public school teachers together.
The Academy is well-positioned to grow. It currently has 3,200 “Fellows” from 650 public, charter, and private schools in the metro area, but New York City alone has more than 100,000 teachers working in 2,500 schools, which leaves a lot of room for growth. While the executive director should work to deepen The Academy’s presence in the city, there are also significant possibilities for regional, national, and online growth. As the organization’s leader, it will be important for the executive director to think strategically about managing future growth, overseeing staff, creating new partnerships, and developing new revenue streams.
The Academy for Teachers currently operates within the Greater New York City area. Those who are interested in the position must currently live or be willing to relocate to New York, or be within a reasonable, regularly commutable distance. The anticipated salary for this role is $180,000 annually.
The Academy for Teachers has engaged Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this important search. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.
Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/academy-for-teachers/executive-director. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.
Katie Rockman, Partner
Jaime Morgen, Managing Associate
Alexis Ditaway, Associate
Harley Bartles, Senior Search Coordinator
Isaacson, Miller
Not sure you meet every requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Academy for Teachers is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this position.
