Associate Head of School – Finance and Operations in Huntersville, North Carolina at SouthLake Christian Academy Inc

SouthLake Christian Academy seeks an Associate Head of School – Finance and Operations (AHS) who enthusiastically embraces and champions the school’s mission of providing an outstanding educational program rooted in the Christian faith. This is a senior leadership role for a person of deep Christian conviction who understands that operational excellence at a Christian school is itself a form of ministry — that well-run systems, a safe and welcoming campus, sound stewardship of resources, and a cared-for staff all serve the larger mission of proclaiming the gospel and discipling the whole person.

Reporting directly to the Head of School (HoS) and serving as second-in-command, the AHS provides strategic leadership and day-to-day oversight of all operational functions of the institution, ensuring that the school’s infrastructure, resources, and systems support an exceptional, Christ-centered educational environment. This individual combines visionary leadership with practical management expertise to build a culture of excellence, efficiency, and care across all operational areas.

Organizational Context
The school operates under a senior leadership structure in which the HoS provides overall institutional vision and leadership. The AHS holds primary leadership responsibility across two categories of direct reports:

Direct Lead — Business Office
The AHS serves as the primary operational leader of the Business Office, with direct responsibility for all finance and business policy as well as any and all related functions including, but not limited to, budgeting, financial reporting, payroll, purchasing and procurement, accounts payable/receivable, and long-range financial planning.

Oversight of Directors
The AHS provides strategic oversight and supervisory leadership to the following directors, each of whom manages their respective department:
• Director of Facilities
• Director of Human Resources
• Director of Information Technology (IT)
• Director of Transportation

Additional Direct Reports
The following personnel report directly to the AHS:
• Student Information Systems (SIS) Coordinator
• School Counselor
• School Nurse
• School Resource Officer (SRO)
• Lunchroom Managers

The HoS retains direct oversight of Principals, Academics, Advancement (Admissions, Development, and Communications), and Extra-Curricular Programs (Athletics, Fine Arts and Enrichment).

Responsibilities
Strategic and Institutional Leadership
• Serve as a trusted partner to the HoS, contributing to institutional planning, decision-making, and school-wide initiatives.
• Represent the HoS internally and externally as needed, exercising full decision-making authority over operational matters.
• Participate as an active member of the senior leadership team; contribute to strategic planning, board presentations, and accreditation processes.
• Foster a school culture grounded in mission, integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement across all operational divisions.
• Lead institutional risk management efforts, assessing enterprise-wide risk, developing a risk mitigation playbook, reporting to HoS and Board about institutional risk profile.
• Lead, mentor, and develop directors and operational staff; build a high-performing, mission-aligned operations team.
• Crisis leadership/Emergency succession/act as HoS in planned or unforeseen unavailability.

Finance and Business Office Leadership
• Serve as the primary leader of the Business Office, with hands-on responsibility for the development, management, and monitoring of the school’s annual operating and capital budgets.
• Ensure sound financial controls, accurate reporting, and compliance with applicable regulations and audit requirements.
• Oversee accounts payable/receivable, payroll, purchasing, and long-range financial forecasting.
• Advise the HoS and Board of Trustees on financial matters, fiscal sustainability, and resource allocation.
• Maintain strong relationships with the school’s auditors, banking partners, and relevant regulatory agencies.

Oversight of Operational Directors
• Provide strategic direction, supervisory support, and performance leadership to the Facilities, HR, IT, Transportation, and SIS.
• Hold directors accountable for department goals, budgets, staffing, and operational excellence within their areas.
• Facilitate cross-departmental coordination to ensure cohesive, efficient operations across all areas.
• Support directors in long-range planning, capital projects, vendor management, and policy development.

Facilities and Campus Management
• Partner with the Director of Facilities to ensure the campus is maintained to the highest standards of safety, functionality, and aesthetic quality.
• Provide oversight for long-range campus and facility planning, including, maintenance, renovation, and capital construction projects in coordination with the Head of School and board.
• Ensure competitive bidding and fiscal responsibility in all facilities-related expenditures.

Human Resources
• Partner with the Director of HR to ensure best practices in recruitment, onboarding, compensation, benefits, and employee relations in a Christian school environment.
• Ensure compliance with employment law and all applicable HR regulations; oversee the employee handbook and personnel policies; incorporating Christian virtues and principles in stewarding our talent community.
• Collaborate with school leadership on workforce planning, staffing structures, and organizational development.

Safety, Health and Lunchroom Operations
• Provide leadership and direct supervision to the School Counselor, School Nurse, and School Resource Officer (SRO), fostering a coordinated, student-centered approach to health, safety, and wellness.
• Oversee the Lunchroom Managers and all food service operations, ensuring a safe, efficient, and welcoming dining environment for students and staff.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, and regulatory requirements across campus operations.
• Lead threat assessment team, emergency preparedness planning, crisis response protocols, and coordination with local emergency management, law enforcement, and public health agencies.
• Serve as the school’s primary point of leadership for safety audits, drills, and incident response.

Information Technology and Student Information Systems
• Partner with the Director of IT and SIS Coordinator to ensure technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital systems support teaching, learning, and administration.
• Oversee the selection, implementation, and optimization of the Student Information System and other administrative platforms.
• Ensure reliable, secure, and current technology systems and platforms that responsibly steward the institution’s resources and serve all its stakeholders with excellence.
• Support the development of an Artificial Intelligence Adoption Strategy for SouthLake with the priority of identifying and resolving campus use cases that advance and accelerate the mission, vision, and strategy of SouthLake.

Transportation
• Provide oversight to the Director of Transportation for all transportation operations including bus services, routing, scheduling, driver management, fleet management, and vehicle maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with all state and local transportation regulations and safety standards.
• Evaluate opportunities for increasing responsible stewardship, efficiency, and service improvement within the transportation program.

Qualifications
Faith and Character
• A committed Christian with a personal, active faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and a clear sense of calling to serve in a Christian school environment.
• Give evidence of a biblical worldview and a personal spiritual commitment that is visible in professional conduct, leadership style, and relationships with colleagues, students, and families.
• Be committed to and in full agreement with the philosophy, mission, vision, and objectives of SouthLake Christian Academy, including its affiliation with SouthLake Presbyterian (PCA) Church.
• Reflect the school’s core values of respect, kindness, integrity, and joy in all aspects of the role.

Required
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business administration, educational leadership, finance, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience in school administration, nonprofit management, or a comparable operational leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets and financial operations, including direct leadership of a business or finance function.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire diverse teams including both direct staff and department directors.
• Strong understanding of HR practices, facilities management, and organizational systems.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Unquestioned integrity, discretion, and professional judgment.

Preferred
• Experience in an independent school or mission-driven educational setting.
• Familiarity with student information systems and school technology platforms.
• Experience with accreditation processes and board relations.
• Knowledge of school safety regulations, emergency management, and student wellness programs.
• Experience managing transportation programs, food service operations, or other ancillary services.

Compensation and Benefits
The school offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including comprehensive benefits. Specific details will be discussed with candidates during the search process.

Only interest submitted via the online job portal will be considered. Resumes will not be accepted via email.

For questions about this opportunity contact the Head of School, Scott Dillon, at sdillon@southlakechristian.org. For application support contact Jennifer Ramos in Human Resources at jramos@southlakechristian.org or (704) 949-2228.