Harpeth Hall Nashville, Tennessee Director of Finance and Operations July 2017 harpethhall.org
The Position The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, Tennessee, one of the nation’s finest college preparatory girls’ schools, seeks a strategic and experienced Director of Finance and Operations. The next Director will oversee all aspects of the school’s finances and operations, working closely with Head of School, Stephanie Balmer, and Board members. A pioneer in the field of girls’ education with origins in the 1860s, Harpeth Hall offers an exceptional program that combines the best of tradition with forward-thinking, cutting-edge programs, outstanding facilities, supportive community, and a wealth of leadership and service opportunities.
Mission Statement Harpeth Hall is an independent college preparatory school for young women where each student realizes her highest intellectual ability in the sciences, the humanities, and the arts, and discovers her creative and athletic talents. Harpeth Hall develops responsible citizens who have global perspectives and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world. With a tradition of excellence and a commitment to lifelong learning, Harpeth Hall educates young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably.
Values Statement The Harpeth Hall community— students and faculty—has chosen respect, integrity, individuality, and trust to be its guiding principles. These values reflect reverence for expressing kindness toward and acceptance of others, commitment to diversity, forgiveness, and achieving one’s personal best, as well as dedication to the service of others.
The school’s motto, Mentem Spiritumque Tollamus – Let us lift up the mind and spirit – aptly describes life at Harpeth Hall. Bright and engaged students, passionate and dedicated faculty and staff members, and involved, supportive parents and alumnae characterize this healthy and vibrant school community. The next Director of Finance and Operations will find a strong, solid school poised for continued growth and success with an unwavering commitment to providing excellent educational opportunities for girls.
The School Harpeth Hall traces its roots to Ward Seminary for Young Ladies, founded in Nashville in 1865. Ward Seminary merged with Belmont College to become Ward-Belmont in 1913, and the closing of Ward-Belmont in 1951 engendered the creation of Harpeth Hall. Out of that same spirit and belief in the importance of educating young women, Harpeth Hall continues the legacy of educating young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably. The school educates a student body of 686 with 402 students in the upper school. Students arrive at Harpeth Hall from the greater metropolitan Nashville area and six adjacent counties in Middle Tennessee. A 7:1 student/ faculty ratio in the upper school ensures students have access to the opportunities and resources they need to reach their highest intellectual ability. Each year, Harpeth Hall graduates young women well prepared to attend highly selective colleges and universities from coast to coast and abroad. Their intellect, talent and will to achieve
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set them apart, and they become successful alumnae who distinguish themselves in virtually every environment. Today, there are over 5,000 alumnae spanning 49 states and 28 countries, many of whom are engaged and connected to the school and credit Harpeth Hall for sparking a passion in learning, providing a solid foundation, and creating life-long friendships. The faculty is one of Harpeth Hall’s greatest strengths and remains at the heart of its excellent educational outcomes. Recruited nationally, they are devoted to the mission of providing an education tailored to the needs and gifts of girls by implementing the best pedagogy in the classroom. The faculty’s role in the lives of students also extends beyond the classroom, with many faculty members serving as advisors, coaches, club sponsors and friends. The faculty is comprised of seasoned educators who bring an average of 10 years of teaching experience to the school. Eighty-one percent hold advanced degrees. Continually engaged in ongoing professional development, the teachers pursue knowledge and model life-long learning for students. Harpeth Hall is dually accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS), The College Board, the Council of Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE) and the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools (TAIS). The school is also a founding member of the Online School for Girls (now One Schoolhouse).
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Physical Campus Harpeth Hall is situated on an arboretum and beautifully landscaped campus of 44 acres in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville. The school’s expansive academic and co-curricular facilities are state-of-the-art. The two most recent additions are an Athletic and Wellness Center completed in 2014 and a Design Den completed in 2015. The Design Den maker space in the Ann Scott Carell Library is equipped with technology tools including MakerBot 3-D printers, a computer-controlled laser cutter, power tools, programming components and a variety of raw materials. The mission of the Design Den is to broaden the critical thinking and creative process of students and teachers alike. The 60,000-square-foot Athletic and Wellness Center includes two competition gyms, a 3,500-square-foot fitness facility, locker rooms, two multi-purpose classrooms, a concessions kitchen and athletic staff offices. Elsewhere on campus, the 20,000-square-foot Ann Scott Carell Library houses 27,000 volume collection and serves as the information and technology hub of the school. The Patton Visual Arts Center is a visually inspiring facility featuring three art studios, a photography lab and darkroom, a videography lab, a media lab and an art history room. The McMurry Center for Arts and Athletics houses a 700-plus theatre, two theatre classrooms, a choir room, an orchestra room and two dance studios plus a gymnasium. Outdoor athletic facilities include the Dugan Davis Track and Soccer Complex, which includes an artificial turf field for soccer and lacrosse, tennis courts and softball fields. Adjacent to the campus is Kirkman House, originally the family home of Patricia Kirkman Colton, Class of 1948, which serves as the Head of School’s residence.
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Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, and Metropolitan-Davidson County are superb areas in which to settle, thrive and remain for a lifetime. Nicknamed “Music City, U.S.A.”, Nashville is the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and many major record labels. In earlier times it was called the “Athens of the South”, for its educational institutions and classical architecture. The city is home to such distinguished universities and colleges as Vanderbilt University, Fisk University, Tennessee State University, Belmont University, Lipscomb University and Meharry Medical College. Currently, 20 colleges and universities are in the area. Located on the Cumberland River, Nashville is a lively, historic town. Known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with the music and entertainment industries, Nashville lures a vibrant “creative class” that helps make the region an exciting place to live, work, and do business. The city is also a major hub for the health care, insurance, banking and publishing industries. Those who enjoy the outdoors will find more than 10,000 acres of park land with 99 parks and greenways. For those inspired by the fine arts, there is a performing arts center, a world-renowned symphony, nationally recognized art museums, and a botanical garden. Sports enthusiasts will cheer on the Tennessee Titans, a National Football League team, the Nashville Predators, a National Hockey League team, and a host of Division I and Division II college sports teams. The population of Nashville is over 600,000, and that of the Metropolitan area is 1.8 million. The median age of residents is 34. In 2015, Nashville was rated No. 5 on Forbes.com’s list of cities Americans are “flocking to;” it rated No. 7 on PricewaterhouseCoopers and Urban Land Institute’s annual “Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2016” report; ranked fourth-best city to be a millennial entrepreneur; and ranked sixth by Inc.com as the best place in the U.S. to start a business.
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Opportunities and Challenges Harpeth Hall is an exceptional school with many strengths, possessing a passionate sense of school community and mission. Its talented faculty is dedicated to educating girls in a positive, empowering environment. There is a culture of high expectations for all and respect for individual talents and differences. The school’s attractive campus and outstanding facilities reside in a lovely neighborhood of a dynamic city. The new Director of Finance and Operations will oversee an operating budget of $25 million buttressed by a $42 million endowment and relatively little debt. S/he will succeed Anne King, who is retiring next June after 27 years of service to Harpeth Hall. Anne receives praise from colleagues, direct reports, and Board members for being approachable, appreciative, and accommodating. A hard worker and good listener, Anne also accumulated a good deal of institutional knowledge that made her a true school person in every sense of the word. The new Director must have the selfconfidence and personable touch to move into this senior role, knowing, too, that the financial health of the school is robust, the academic and extracurricular programs are aspirational, and the physical plant is first-class. As is true at any institution that strives for excellence, Harpeth Hall is continually faced with fresh challenges. Taking precautions and making the necessary decisions to ensure the safety and security of members of the school community remain a constant priority. Routing traffic in and around campus and providing ample parking affects facility planning, which in the immediate future is likely to include renovated and/or new spaces for the performing arts and upper school math and science. Additionally, the school is inclined to begin exploring better ways to organize—and supervise centrally—the human resources function. As a member of the senior administrative team, the new Director must also forge strong relationships with the Head of School, Board members, and faculty and staff, including assessing roles and abilities of those in the Business Office and identifying any gaps in service to the mission of the school.
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Primary Responsibilities In addition to embracing Harpeth Hall’s mission, supporting its Head and leadership, and representing the school at professional and public forums, the new Director has a number of primary responsibilities: • Oversee the development, administration, and reporting of the operating and long-term budget to the Head of School; the school’s Board of Trustees; Finance Committee; auditors; federal, state, and local authorities; lenders; donors; and various School administrative offices. • Oversee the administration of the school’s endowment; execute endowment and investment policy; implement investment decisions of the Investment Committee; and coordinate with the endowment consultants, investment managers, and custodians, ensuring effective endowment allocations, performance, and reporting. • Oversee all school operations including personnel, maintenance, dining services, campus security, neighborhood relations, etc. • Building and/or maintaining the school’s short- and long-term strategic financial models. • Serve as chief staff liaison to the Finance, Audit, Investment, and Building and Grounds committees of the Board of Trustees, working closely with Committee chairs and organizing agendas and meeting materials. • Collaborate with the school’s counsel and insurance agents regarding all legal and risk management matters. • Ensure that the school is in compliance with all local, state, and federal reporting requirements. • Oversee the physical plant, grounds, and construction functions with the Facilities Manager; help plan and direct all replacements and renewals of the physical plant. • Represent the school in a positive and proactive way, collaborating with other school administrators, neighbors, and Nashville officials. • Provide sound and consistent employment policies, adequate staffing levels, compensation, and appropriate benefits programs for all facets of school operations. • Help implement and administer all employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, life insurance, and other related plans. • Collaborate with the Head of School and other senior administrators on providing leadership regarding employee hiring, termination, compensation, and management. • Serve as administrator of all benefit plans and oversee the annual financial and 403b plan audits and filings of tax returns. • Serve as a member of the Financial Aid Committee. • Provide transparent financial reporting and planning that builds trust among administrators, faculty and staff, students and alumni, parents, and trustees. • Negotiate with local lenders when necessary to ensure that funding is secured for new construction or other extraordinary needs of the school and ensure compliance with loan terms.
Qualifications and Qualities The school is most interested in candidates who demonstrate the following qualities and qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred. • 10-plus years of financial and business leadership in a non-profit or for-profit organization(s). • Experience on senior administrative teams and working with non-profit boards; independent school experience a plus. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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• Experience in human resource management, employee benefits (including pension plans), and payroll procedures. • Demonstrated experience in measuring and improving organization-wide productivity. • Demonstrated experience in the development of analysis for strategic decision-making, such as key cost drivers, competitive analysis, market analysis, organizational strengths and weaknesses, etc. • Demonstrated ability to take complex subjects, distill them, and then communicate them to varied audiences. In addition, the school hopes to find candidates who embody the following personal qualities: • • • • • • • • • • • •
High energy—brings a sense of urgency to the organization Strategic thinker who sees the larger picture Ability to understand and embrace Harpeth Hall’s mission Ability to balance and prioritize the needs of the school Ability to manage and mentor staff Process-oriented Superb people skills; compassionate and empathetic A strong, team player Fair, but firm; a willingness and ability to say “no” Committed to equity and inclusion practices Excellent written and verbal communications skills Evident integrity
To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically, in one email, the following materials to Greg Britton and John G. Clark: • Cover letter expressing your match with the position and school including the specific values and needs of Harpeth Hall • Current résumé • List of five references with name, phone number, and email address to: Greg Britton Search Associate greg.britton@carneysandoe.com John G. Clark Practice Group Leader, Development & Finance john.clark@carneysandoe.com Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 www.carneysandoe.com
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