Career Center

Headwaters School, a Pre-K through grade 12 independent day school serving 500 students across its three campuses in Austin, TX, is seeking a full-time Elementary Academic Coordinator for the 2022-2023 Academic Year.  This position reports directly to the Elementary School Director. The Elementary Academic Coordinator is a member of the administrative staff and works closely with the Advancement team, the Attainment team, faculty, staff, students, and parents. 

At Headwaters, our employees nurture a school culture that promotes a growth mindset, a collaborative spirit, a joyful environment, and the achievement of high expectations. Our faculty and staff ensure all members of our school community understand their role in advancing issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Headwaters School supports the professional growth of our school employees in order to contribute to their feelings of fulfillment, to provide a model of lifelong learning for our students, and to advance the strategic goals of the school.

Our employees are responsible for bringing our Purpose statement to life: to cultivate identity formation, foster empathy, and embrace diversity to bring more peace to the world. In addition, they guide our students to live authentically, think expansively, and create bravely. We invite our students, guides, staff, parents, and trustees to be Peacemakers, Advocates, Creators, and Thinkers.

Job Summary:

The Elementary Academic Coordinator is tasked with managing the daily programmatic and curricular operations of the Elementary campus, in collaboration with the Director of Elementary. The Academic Coordinator supports elementary students, faculty, and parents by providing proactive, creative, and attentive administrative support in the areas of calendars, budgets, communications, and event planning. 

The Academic Coordinator must be detail-oriented and have the ability to be flexible and multi-task in an ever-changing environment. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills are essential. Computer proficiency is required. 

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Programmatic Responsibilities:

• Provides direct assistance to the Elementary Director on projects, initiatives, and tasks needed to ensure the safe, efficient, and effective day-to-day operation of the division.
• Work closely with the Director of Elementary, guides, Campus Manager and Director of Communications to set and maintain campus calendars of events, both programmatic and social.
• Provide direct event support for all academic and curricular events, including Show-and-Tell, math night, winter and garden markets, field day, admission events, and others. 
• Serve as an editor and organizer for the Elementary Director’s written and verbal communications, including but not limited to, Creek Weekly Updates, emails, and letters
• In collaboration with the Director of Elementary and Senior Director of Finance, provide oversight of classroom, field trip and specials budgets for the Creek Campus. Work with the faculty to ensure timely and proper expense reporting.
• With Director and as needed, coordinate and manage logistics for campus professional development events and trainings.
• Support special projects as assigned by the Elementary Director.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Support the Elementary Director in managing their calendar, including scheduling and preparing for meetings. 
• Support the Elementary Director with preparation and set-up for all academic and programmatic events for both students and parents, as well as staff and administrative meetings. This includes support in agenda setting and distribution, as well as note-taking at all such meetings.
• Coordinate substitute teacher coverage and provide occasional classroom coverage.
• Provide front desk coverage as needed.
• Support the Elementary Director in the production of annual school-related documents, including weekly specials calendar, step-up notes and placement rosters, and progress report comments, among others. 
• Collaborate with the Admissions Office for roster updates throughout the year. Communicate changes to impacted programs (specials guides, after-care, etc.)
• In coordination with the Registrar, maintain student records and health forms. 
• Provide support during occasional weekend and evening events on the school calendar.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Adaptability and resilience a must
• High degree of integrity and discretion
• Keen organizational skills and experience with digital organizing tools
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable speaking to diverse audiences
• Professional in person and through online and telephone communications
• Passionate about education and children
• Proficient in using Excel and Google Suite, including Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and beyond

Primary Working Relationships

• With the Elementary Director
• With the Elementary guides, parents, and students

This is an exempt, salaried position. Normal office hours will be Monday - Friday, 7:45 am - 4:00 pm. Occasional nights and weekends will be required. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position and compensation is competitive for the greater Austin area. The School offers a wide-range of benefits including generous paid time off, 100% paid medical insurance for the employee, 401(k) retirement plan, on-going professional support and continuing education opportunities, and a unique working environment where you are able to share and receive ongoing feedback. This position reports to the Elementary School Director.

Working Conditions:

Some movement throughout the day is generally necessary (e.g., standing, walking, stooping, bending, sitting, and/or kneeling). Light lifting of materials and other objects associated within a school environment is required (e.g., boxes, products, up to approximately 20 lbs.). The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Interested applicants should email a resume, cover letter, and educational philosophy statement to Leslie Hirsch, Director of Human Resources at hr@headwaters.org to apply or go to the Headwaters School Employment website, https://www.headwaters.org/page/about/employment.  

Headwaters School welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. As a 501(c)3 non-profit school, Headwaters provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination law. The School’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, promotion, training, discipline, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. All Employees are responsible for complying with the School’s equal employment opportunity policy.