Interim Head of Upper School

Interim Head of Cranbrook Upper School

The Interim Head of the Upper School will be responsible for the smooth operation of the Upper School for the 2026-2027 academic year, which includes: the oversight of curriculum and program; the continued implementation of major strategic priorities (both division-specific and whole-schools in orientation); and providing leadership and mission-aligned guidance to faculty, staff, campus-specific administrators, parents, students, and other Schools constituents. The Interim Head of Upper School works in close and effective collaboration with whole-school administrators and through robust partnerships with peer leaders from the lower and middle schools.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Administer the operations of the Upper School within Director of Schools-approved objectives, programmatic directions, and budgetary guidelines and expectations.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, develop, evaluate, and retain exceptional, mission-aligned faculty and staff to attain the forward-focused objectives of the Upper School specifically and of Cranbrook Schools more broadly.
• Supervise the work of and collaborate successfully with the Academic Deans and the Deans of Students, ensuring that Upper School students and families are well-cared-for and provided with all of the resources they need.
• Supervise the work of and successfully collaborate with the Dean of Faculty to ensure that current and future Upper School faculty are provided with the resources they need to thrive in their respective roles.
• Supervise the work of Upper School department chairs and other senior leaders to ensure that the Upper School continues to deliver a program and curriculum that is research-informed, leading-edge, and best-practices-based.
• Develop new and help evolve existing policies, objectives, programs, and budgets for all Upper School activities.
• Work collaboratively with whole-school programmatic administrators/peers to provide students, families, faculty, and staff, PreK-12, with the resources they need to thrive in a manner that emphasizes the whole-school nature of many of Cranbrook's programs and student-facing and faculty-facing services.
• With both the Upper School Leadership Team and in partnership with the All-Schools Core Leadership Team engage in collaborative, long-range strategic planning of programs, staffing, and facilities for Cranbrook Schools, and for the Upper School in particular.
• Participate cooperatively, constructively, and creatively within the Pre-12 Cranbrook Schools and the Cranbrook Educational Community more broadly to help further the Schools' and the Community's strategic priorities as well as its contemporary mission, vision, and values.
• Foster a sense of belonging and inclusion for all Upper School students, families, faculty, and staff, in alignment with all-school goals and priorities.
• Represent and serve as spokesperson for the Upper School within the Cranbrook Educational Community and to the broader public.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Responsible for the supervision of all faculty and staff at the Upper School.

Expectations for Collaboration: Expected to work closely and partner successfully with administrators across the multiple units that make up Cranbrook Schools.

Requirements:

• Requires a Master's degree in education, administration, or another academic discipline.
• A minimum of eight years of successful school administrative experience demonstrating progressive leadership and responsibility, with significant and specific experience as either an Upper School Head or a Head of School.
• Demonstrated ability for strategic planning, and successful curricular and programmatic development.
• A proven track record of work at schools in the areas of student social-emotional wellbeing, supporting students with learning differences, and familiarity with contemporary residential programming.
• Proven fiscal and personnel management skills.
• Superior communication and leadership skills with the ability to nurture a diverse student and faculty population.
• A commitment to the goals and objectives of Cranbrook Schools and the Cranbrook Educational Community.
• Requires a valid Michigan driver's license with satisfactory driving record.

For consideration, interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae or resume.