Mālamalama Waldorf School is seeking an experienced, organized, and compassionate School Administrator to provide leadership for the administrative, operational, and community life of the school. Working closely with the Board of Directors, Faculty Chair, Executive Team, and broader school community, this position plays a central role in supporting the school's mission, organizational health, and long-term sustainability.
The ideal candidate is a collaborative and self-directed leader with experience in nonprofit, educational, or mission-driven organizations who values clear communication, thoughtful stewardship, relationship-building, and a commitment to fostering a healthy and thriving school community.
Title: School Administrator
Classification: Full-Time (1.0FTE), Salaried / Exempt
Salary Range: $53,000 – $73,000 per year, commensurate with experience
Reports To: Board of Directors
Works in Partnership With: Faculty Chair and Executive Team
Supervises: Business Manager, Administrative Coordinator/Registrar, Facilities Manager,
Afterschool/Program Coordinator, and all other non-faculty staff
Purpose
The School Administrator serves the parents, the Board of Directors, faculty, and broader schoolcommunity of Mālamalama Waldorf School by providing steady, organized, and caring leadership of theschool's administrative and operational life. This role exists to create an unencumbered environment inwhich children can be educated and teachers can do their best work and in which the school as a wholecan fulfill its mission. The School Administrator acts as a bridge between the school's key constituencies,including the Board, faculty, staff, families, the broader local community and general public.
Core Competencies
● Deep commitment to Waldorf education and to supporting a healthy and thriving school community with warmth and care.
● Appreciation and respect for collaborative, non-hierarchical governance structures and the ability to operate effectively within shared leadership and decision-making systems.
● Strong organizational capacity with the ability to prioritize, track and complete complex and concurrent responsibilities with calmness and accuracy.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to speak and write with clarity, professionalism and appropriate tone for diverse audiences.
● Sound judgment in navigating sensitive or complex situations involving personnel, finance, compliance, and community dynamics.
● Ability to engage constructively in conflict resolution and support fair and consistent processes for addressing concerns.
● Capacity to maintain appropriate boundaries between administrative, pedagogical and governance functions with clarity and respect.
● High standards of personal integrity, discretion and confidentiality.
● Emotional intelligence and relational awareness in a community-based environment.
● Ability to maintain a consistent and welcoming presence and engagement in a school community setting.
Responsibilities
Governance and Whole-School Coordination
● Operate effectively within Mālamalama Waldorf School's collaborative governance structure, honoring and working across the administration (Board/legal/financial), pedagogy (Faculty), and community/parents (Parent Hui) realms.
● Serve on the Executive Team, acting as the administrative representative alongside faculty members, Board members, supporting coordinated leadership across the school.
● Support the implementation of Board-approved policies and directives, ensuring timely and effective operational execution.
● Support the development and implementation of the schoolʻs strategic planning processes.
● Facilitate and manage timely information flow between the Board, faculty, administration, and school community, ensuring clarity, consistency and appropriate confidentiality.
● Prepare and submit written monthly reports in advance to monthly Board meetings covering school operations, enrollment, finances, HR matters, significant community developments.
● Attend Board meetings, required committee meetings, and school gatherings as needed.
● Oversee and support the school's participation in AWSNA accreditation, peer review, and related institutional development processes.
Operations and Administration
● Oversee day-to-day school operations to ensure that all administrative systems, communications, and support structures function effectively and consistently.
● Manage core administrative platforms and systems, including FACTS, digital communications, data management, and technology coordination.
● Support the development and revision of school policies as operational needs arise.
● Oversee operational and regulatory compliance in coordination with the Business Manager, including all required reporting and filings.
● Ensure compliance with Hawaiʻi’s Harm to Students Registry requirements, including coordination of required employee, contractor, and volunteer background clearances.
● Serve as primary liaison with public and regulatory agencies (eg. HPP board, Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Department of Education, Child Protective Services, DOJ/FBI background check systems, and other applicable entities).
● Ensure immunization reporting requirements are met in coordination with the Enrollment Coordinator.
● Oversee emergency preparedness and response systems in partnership with the Facilities Manager and Board leadership.
● Oversee major facilities projects including construction, renovation, and capital improvements above policy thresholds, in coordination with the Facilities Manager and Board.
● Provide administrative oversight and support to the Facilities Manager, who holds primary responsibility for daily facilities operations, maintenance, safety inspections, and vendor coordination.
● Ensure compliance of all Kinderhale licensing, support and oversight
Staff Supervision and Human Resources
● Supervise all non-faculty staff, including Business Manager, Enrollment Coordinator, Facilities Manager and other administrative personnel.
● Conduct annual performance evaluations for all direct reports; support staff development and address performance matters with care, clarity and fairness.
● Lead recruiting, hiring, and (when necessary) dismissal processes for administrative and support staff.
● Oversee coordination of HR functions (through ProService or equivalent provider), including employee onboarding, records management, compliance, payroll oversight, benefits administration, leave tracking, and HR policy guidance.
● Ensure compliance with applicable State of Hawaiʻi and federal employment and labor laws, in consultation with external HR experts as appropriate.
● Support the maintenance and periodic review of the Employee Handbook in partnership with Proservice Hawaiʻi and the Board.
● Foster healthy and sustainable staffing structures and workloads that support staff effectiveness and prevent chronic overload.
● Maintain strict confidentiality and professional integrity in all personnel matters.
Financial Oversight
● Collaborate with the Business Manager and Finance Committee to develop, monitor, and report on the annual operating budget.
● Ensure expenditures align with the Board-approved budget and the school's strategic priorities.
● Partner with the Board Treasurer and Finance Committee on long-term financial planning, cash flow management, and budget forecasting.
● Oversee grant development, donor cultivation, and fundraising efforts in coordination with the Development Committee.
● Communicate significant financial developments, variances, or concerns to the Board in a timely manner.
Enrollment, Outreach and Development
● Provide administrative leadership for the enrollment operations, working with the Board todevelop and implement strategies for maintaining and growing enrollment.
● Oversee outreach and community engagement efforts, helping to build and sustain relationships with prospective families, feeder programs, community partners, and organizations across Puna, Hawaiʻi Island, the State of Hawaiʻi, and the AWSNA network.
● Oversee planning and execution of the school's annual development and fundraising activities,including the Annual Give campaign, community events, fairs, and related initiatives.
● Cultivate and maintain relationships and partnerships with external stakeholders, including educational organizations, nonprofits, cultural institutions, community leaders, government agencies, and donor partners.
● Serve as a public representative of the school as appropriate.
● Work closely with the Board president in the recruitment, onboarding, retention, and support of the Board of directors.
Parent and Community Relations
● Serve as the primary administrative contact for school-wide parent communication and concerns escalated beyond the classroom level.
● Maintain clear, consistent and welcoming communication with the school community, including newsletters, announcements, and other written updates.
● Support the timely and fair resolution of parent concerns in partnership with the Faculty Chair and Board as appropriate, including serving as a school representative during formal resolution processes.
● Attend and support key Parent Hui meetings relevant to school operations and community life.
● Foster and nurture a welcoming, inclusive and transparent community culture that supports students, families, faculty and staff.
Required Meetings
● Executive Team (administrative representative - weekly)
● Administrative Staff (Chair – weekly)
● Faculty meeting (weekly)
● Board of Directors (monthly)
● Finance Committee (monthly)
● Development/Outreach Committee (as needed)
● Site/Facilities Committee (as needed)
● Parent Hui (every other month minimum)
● AWSNA Accreditation Working Group (as applicable)
● Employee Orientation (ongoing)
● Board/Staff Retreat (annual)
Education and Experience
Required:
● Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, education administration, organizational leadership, or a related field; or commensurate experience with a demonstrated track record of organizational leadership. Masterʻs degree preferred.
● Minimum of three (3) years of administrative leadership experience in a nonprofit, independent school, or mission-driven organization, with direct responsibility for operations, staff supervision, and budget oversight.
● Minimum of two (2) years of supervisory or management experience, including performance evaluations and personnel management.
● Completion of or willingness to complete a Waldorf Administrative, Leadership and School Development certification.
● Experience working with a Board of Directors or comparable governing body, including reporting, committee support, and maintaining productive Board-staff coordination.
● Demonstrated experience managing organizational budgets and collaborating with financial staff and committees.
● Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, with comfort using cloud-based administrative tools.
● Working knowledge of nonprofit governance, HR practices, and employment compliance, with the ability to coordinate effectively with external HR partners (e.g. Proservice Hawaiʻi or equivalent).
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred:
● Familiarity with Waldorf education, Waldorf administrative philosophy, three-fold governance, and/or AWSNA accreditation processes, or a demonstrated genuine desire to learn and grow within this framework and community.
● Experience with enrollment management, community outreach, and/or fundraising and development in a small independent school or nonprofit organization.
● Strong understanding and appreciation of Puna and East Hawaiʻi, including its unique cultural fabric, geographic realities, and community networks.
● Appreciation for and commitment to engaging with and supporting Native Hawaiian knowledge systems and cultural practices.
● Experience with Proservice Hawaii or a comparable HR and payroll coordination platform.
● Familiarity with regulatory requirements for Hawaiʻi schools: HIDOE, Department of Health immunization requirements, DOJ/FBI Live Scan processing.
Accountability
The School Administrator is accountable to the Board of Directors and is evaluated annually through a formal performance review process conducted by the Board, in consultation with the Faculty Chair. The School Administrator maintains regular, open communication with the Board President, Board Treasurer, and Faculty Chair to ensure the school's administrative, financial, and community well-being.
Compensation and Benefits
● Classification: Full-Time (1.0FTE), Salaried / Exempt
● Salary Range: $53,000 – $73,000 per year, commensurate with experience
● Benefits: Medical (individual) insurance, tuition remission
● Salary is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors as part of the performance evaluation
process
Pay: $53,000.00 - $73,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
Education:
Work Location: In person
