Executive Director
Position Overview
Recognized as the leader of the school, the Executive Director oversees the fulfillment of the school’s mission, including all spiritual, formation, academic, athletic, administrative, and business functions. The Executive Director is appointed by and accountable to the school’s Board of Directors of both the Clear Water Academy Foundation and the Clear Water Academy Property Foundation.
Clear Water Academy is a true beacon of life and hope as it strives to live its mission as a Regnum Christi School. The new Executive Director will inherit a financially sound school with a growing campus that is embarking on a $15M expansion and renovation, a dedicated and talented leadership team, and a healthy enrollment management program. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime leadership opportunity for a strong servant leader who desires to do God’s work.
Opportunities & Challenges
The current Executive Director has grown the school community and established Clear Water Academy as a top tier academic institution in Calgary. The school’s next Executive Director will have the opportunity to build on that legacy and continue to explore ways to expand on opportunities for the students. The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to:
- Hire and mentor the highest quality educational leaders and be focused at supporting the growth of faculty within our community.
- Foster a vibrant community by welcoming families who share the school’s mission and are committed to nurturing their children’s and family’s faith formation.
- Inspire continuous learning and improvement, and secure the resources needed through impactful fundraising.
Qualities & Personal Attributes
The new Executive Director will be a transformational Catholic leader who can safeguard the heart of the mission while boldly leading the school to new levels of excellence and vitality. In order to be successful, the new Executive Director will need to possess:
1. Mission-Driven Catholic Leadership
- Deeply committed to the Catholic faith and fully aligned with the spirituality of Regnum Christi.
- Able to articulate and embody the mission of forming Christian leaders through a personal relationship with Christ.
- Demonstrates a strong moral compass, virtue, and witness to Gospel values.
- Understands the role of integral formation—academic, spiritual, apostolic, and human.
2. Strategic and Visionary Thinking
- Capable of casting vision for the future—academically, culturally, and spiritually—and inspiring others to follow.
- Brings strategic planning experience: setting measurable goals, assessing outcomes, and leading organizational growth.
- Understands how to balance stability with innovation, preserving the school’s strengths while driving continuous improvement.
3. Academic Leadership and Commitment to Excellence
- Strong advocate for academic excellence rooted in Catholic intellectual tradition.
- Able to lead and support curriculum development, instructional improvement, and professional development for faculty.
- Knowledgeable about 21st-century learning, technology integration, and how to maintain high academic standards while preserving faith-based education.
4. Culture Building and Stewardship of Community
- Recognizes that school culture shapes formation and is intentional about creating a culture of joy, virtue, respect, and belonging.
- Skilled in building unity among faculty, staff, parents, and students.
- Understands the importance of Catholic identity, traditions, liturgy, and service in shaping the overall school environment.
5. Operational, Financial, and Enrollment Management
- Brings strong business acumen: financial management, fundraising, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Understands how to grow and sustain enrollment through marketing, admissions strategy, and parent engagement.
- Has the leadership maturity to navigate challenges, parent concerns, and changing demographics.
6. Relational, Pastoral, and Communication Skills
- Exceptional relationship-builder: approachable, empathetic, and pastorally sensitive to the needs of all stakeholders.
- Strong communication skills: able to relate with diverse audiences—teachers, parents, donors, Church leaders—clearly, persuasively, and faithfully.
- A servant-leader who leads with humility but is not afraid to make difficult decisions when necessary.
7. Commitment to Formation of Others
- Sees the formation of faculty, staff, and parents as key to the school’s success—not just the formation of students.
- Able to provide or facilitate spiritual formation, leadership development, and professional growth for all adults in the school community.
Additionally, candidates should have the following qualifications:
- Master’s degree in education, administration, or a related field
- Significant leadership experience, preferably in Catholic education
Full Position Summary
To Apply
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Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants at Carney Sandoe & Associates in confidence. Candidates are encouraged to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents as soon as possible:
Karen Neitzel. Ed.D.
Senior Consultant
Barbara Daush
Senior Consultant and Catholic Schools Practice Leader
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How to Apply
To apply, please send the requested documents to the consultants at Carney Sandoe & Associates:
Karen Neitzel. Ed.D.
Senior Consultant
Barbara Daush
Senior Consultant and Catholic Schools Practice Leader
About CWA
Clear Water Academy is a dynamic authentically Catholic school community with engaged students, supportive parents, and faculty who want to meet the high academic and character formation expectations cherished by our school. As a university preparatory school, our students are committed to their learning. We seek dedicated, talented, and qualified faculty who embrace this commitment, view teaching as a vocation, are motivated to be part of a rich educational environment, and are committed to implementing our educational model of Integral Formation®.
