Lead one of New Mexico's most distinctive educational and cultural enterprises into its next generation of impact.
Escuela del Sol Montessori + Harwood Art Center seeks an exceptional Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. Rooted in its mission to inspire a passion for lifelong learning, this is an extraordinary opportunity for a collaborative, mission-driven leader to guide New Mexico's oldest Montessori school and the state's first fully accredited Montessori school while also stewarding Harwood Art Center, a respected community arts organization that has enriched Albuquerque's creative community for decades.
Together, Escuela del Sol Montessori + Harwood Art Center share a vibrant, historic downtown Albuquerque campus where education, artistic expression, and community engagement come together in a truly distinctive learning environment.
Serving approximately 175 students from toddler through Junior High, supported by a team of approximately 45 faculty and staff and operating with an annual budget of $3-$4 million, Escuela del Sol has inspired curiosity, independence, creativity, and social responsibility for nearly 60 years. Together, Escuela del Sol + Harwood Art Center create a one-of-a-kind educational and cultural enterprise where Montessori education, artistic expression, and community engagement intersect.
Our next Executive Director will join Escuela del Sol at a pivotal moment in its history. Working in partnership with an engaged and committed Board of Directors, this leader will have the opportunity to envision the organization's future, strengthen its long-term sustainability, build organizational capacity, and thoughtfully guide its next chapter while preserving the mission, values, and community that have defined Escuela del Sol for almost six decades.
Our Ideal Candidate
We are seeking a visionary yet grounded chief executive with exceptional business acumen, demonstrated financial leadership, operational expertise, and a passion for mission-driven organizations.
This is an opportunity for a leader who enjoys building organizations—not simply managing them.
The successful candidate will possess the strategic judgment and financial discipline to strengthen organizational sustainability through sound fiscal management, transparent governance, effective business systems, and thoughtful resource stewardship. They will be equally comfortable partnering with the Board on strategy and governance as they are engaging faculty, families, donors, staff, and community partners.
An authentic relationship builder, the ideal candidate leads with integrity, collaboration, accountability, and emotional intelligence. They communicate openly, navigate complexity with confidence, and inspire trust while leading thoughtful organizational change.
Prior Montessori experience is not required. We seek a leader who values child-centered education and is excited to learn about and champion the Montessori philosophy as an essential part of leading the Escuela del Sol community.
The Executive Director will also have the unique opportunity to continue the strategic planning process already under way with the Board to examine the future vision and business model for Escuela del Sol and Harwood Art Center. They will steward the evolution of two complementary missions—exceptional Montessori education and meaningful community arts engagement—ensuring that both Escuela del Sol + Harwood Art Center continue to thrive together in ways that strengthen their shared impact on the Albuquerque community.
The Opportunity
Reporting to an engaged and committed Board of Directors, the Executive Director serves as the chief executive of the organization and is responsible for its overall leadership and performance, including strategic planning, financial management, fundraising and advancement, human resources, campus operations, communications, governance support, and community partnerships.
The Executive Director will lead a unique educational and cultural enterprise that includes an exceptional Montessori school, a respected community arts center, and a historic downtown campus. The next leader will have the opportunity to build upon the organization's strong foundation by strengthening business systems, organizational capacity, financial sustainability, and long-term strategic impact.
The Successful Candidate Will Bring Demonstrated Experience In
- Executive leadership within a nonprofit, independent school, Montessori, or similarly mission-driven organization.
- Financial leadership, including budgeting, long-range financial planning, cash flow management, financial reporting, internal controls, risk management, and organizational sustainability.
- Strengthening organizational infrastructure by improving business systems, operational processes, financial reporting, technology, and administrative capacity to support long-term organizational success.
- Leading thoughtful organizational change while preserving institutional culture, strengthening community trust, and aligning organizational structure, people, and resources with mission and long-term sustainability.
- Fundraising and organizational development, including major gifts, grant writing, donor cultivation, capital campaigns, strategic partnerships, and building sustainable development capacity that diversifies revenue and strengthens organizational resilience.
- Strategic planning, organizational development, and enterprise leadership.
- Building high-performing, collaborative organizational cultures grounded in transparency, accountability, continuous learning, and inclusion.
- Partnering effectively with Boards of Directors to support governance, fiduciary oversight, strategic decision-making, and long-term organizational vision.
- Managing historic or complex facilities, including capital planning, deferred maintenance, and stewardship of significant community assets.
- Cultivating partnerships across education, arts, philanthropy, business, government, and the broader community to advance organizational mission and deepen community impact.
- A deep appreciation for child-centered learning and educational excellence. Experience in Montessori education or independent schools is preferred, but not required.
- A demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning and to Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist (ABAR) education and practices that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the organization.
Why Escuela del Sol?
Escuela del Sol offers the opportunity to lead an institution with a remarkable legacy, an engaged and forward-thinking Board of Directors, a passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, an active community of families and alumni, and a unique partnership with Harwood Art Center that enriches both the school and the broader Albuquerque community.
For the right leader, this is a rare opportunity to strengthen one of New Mexico's most distinctive educational and cultural organizations while helping shape the next generation of Montessori education, community arts, and organizational excellence.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, with an anticipated range of $120,000-$140,000/per annum. The total compensation package includes rich health care benefits, three weeks of paid time off; a relocation stipend, along with professional relocation and housing guidance if needed; executive coaching and integration support during the first year of employment; and ongoing professional development benefits to be approved by the Board, and tuition remission for dependent children, if needed. This is a full-time exempt position. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2027.
To Apply
Please submit a cover letter describing your interest in the position and your leadership philosophy, along with a current résumé/CV. Applications should be submitted to:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To learn more about Escuela del Sol Montessori + Harwood Art Center, please visit: www.escueladelsol.org
No phone calls please.
EOE: Escuela del Sol Montessori, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes candidates whose experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to the strength and diversity of our community.
Acknowledgement: At Escuela del Sol Montessori, we acknowledge that all of us are living on stolen and occupied indigenous land. Our school is located closest to the Pueblos of Sandia, Santa Ana, and Isleta. These tribes all speak Tiwa, a Pueblo language, so we say we are living on Tiwa Territory to honor the language spoken which is intimately linked to the land. We honor the 19 Pueblos, Navajo Nation and two Apache Nations that also call New Mexico home. These tribal communities are the original stewards of the land and watersheds. Prior to the onslaught of Settler Colonialism, there were hundreds of tribes living on the land we now refer to as New Mexico, as well as many vibrant ecosystems and a watershed that nourished the river valley. It is with the humility and consciousness of this shared history that we acknowledge the wealth that land represents, the wealth that its theft conferred on the occupiers, and the many repercussions that linger for the indigenous peoples from whom it was taken and the benefits for those who have colonized—and recolonized—this land and its water.
*This acknowledgement was written collaboratively by the Jr High students of Escuela del Sol Montessori in consultation with folks at Keres Children's Learning Center.
Pay: $120,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
Application Question(s):
- Why Escuela + Harwood and why now?
- 2. Every leader leaves fingerprints. Looking back over your career to date, what is the organizational accomplishment you are most proud of—and why?
- 3. What kind of organizational culture helps you do your very best work?
- 4. Successful nonprofit leaders build both relationships and sustainable fundraising systems. Describe a development initiative you personally led that produced measurable results. What was your role, what strategies did you employ, and what were the outcomes?
- 5. Tell us about a time you led an organization through a significant financial or operational challenge. How did you assess the situation, determine your priorities, make difficult decisions, and communicate those decisions? What was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience?
Ability to Relocate:
- Albuquerque, NM 87112: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
