Interim Executive Director

Position Purpose

River Valley Charter School is seeking an Interim Executive Director for the 2026-27 school year. The Board is seeking a leader who can provide stability, strengthen systems, build trust, and position the school for long-term success. While the role is initially envisioned as a one-year appointment, future leadership decisions will be based on the needs of the school and the outcome of the transition year.

The Interim Executive Director serves as the Board's sole employee and provides stable executive leadership during a period of organizational transition. The Interim ED is responsible for maintaining operational continuity, ensuring strong academic and organizational performance, strengthening leadership systems, and positioning the school for a successful transition to permanent leadership. The Interim ED will assess organizational strengths and challenges, support implementation of Board priorities, and leave the school stronger, more stable, and better prepared for its next chapter.

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Assess organizational strengths, risks, and opportunities
• Provide recommendations to the Board regarding long-term strategic priorities
• Establish clear organizational priorities for the transition year
• Support the Board in preparing for a future permanent leadership transition
• Ensure alignment between vision, resources, and execution across the organization

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Provide stable leadership during a period of organizational transition
• Assess organizational systems, structures, and leadership capacity
• Identify and address urgent operational, financial, academic, and governance risks
• Build trust among staff, families, and stakeholders
• Document key systems, priorities, and recommendations for future leadership
• Partner with the Board to support a successful transition to permanent leadership
• Maintain organizational focus and avoid unnecessary disruption during the transition period

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Ensure the school maintains a strong and coherent vision of excellent instruction, aligned to Montessori principles and academic standards
• Supervise and coach the Director of Instruction to ensure high-quality teaching and learning, consistent implementation across classrooms, and measurable student progress
• Monitor academic performance and ensure accountability for student outcomes

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Champion a positive, consistent student experience and school culture
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with families and the broader community
• Serve as the primary external leader and spokesperson for the school
• Ensure proactive, transparent communication with families and stakeholders
• Strengthen partnerships with community organizations, municipalities, and educational partners

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Ensure financial stability and responsible stewardship of public funds
• Partner with the Director of Operations on budget development and monitoring, financial forecasting, and audits and compliance
• Align financial decisions to strategic priorities

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Ensure compliance with all charter, DESE, and regulatory requirements
• Oversee Annual Report and Accountability Plan preparation and submission
• Monitor organizational performance against accountability metrics
• Ensure systems are in place to meet all compliance obligations

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate the senior leadership team
• Provide ongoing coaching and development to Directors
• Build leadership capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of the leadership team
• Establish clear expectations, accountability, and alignment across leadership roles

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Maintain clear boundaries between governance and management
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Trustees
• Ensure timely escalation of risks and challenges
• Lead enterprise risk management and continuity planning

The Interim Executive Director will:

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board Chair and Executive Committee
• Co-develop Board meeting agendas focused on governance-level priorities
• Prepare and present materials, including dashboards, strategic updates, and recommendations
• Ensure accurate, timely communication of progress, risks, and organizational needs
• Maintain clear documentation and follow-through on Board decisions

The essential functions of the Interim Executive Director position include, but are not limited to:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership for the school in alignment with…