Director of Academics, Heartwood Community School

DIRECTOR OF ACADEMICS

THE OPPORTUNITY

Heartwood Community School  is a community-focused, tuition-free charter school serving Jasper, Beaufort, and Hampton Counties in South Carolina. They believe in educating the whole child nurturing each student academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Honoring every child's unique journey, Heartwood bridges home and school to foster a compassionate, empowering environment where students feel seen and valued.

Heartwood's mission goes beyond academics; they guide students to become resilient problem-solvers, compassionate community builders, globally minded citizens, emotionally intelligent leaders, and lifelong learners. Embracing mistakes as part of growth, the school equips students to thrive in school and life, ready to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

THE ROLE

Heartwood believes great teaching changes lives. The Director of Academics plays a critical role in building that excellence, serving as a lead coach and thought partner to our teaching team. They invest deeply in instructional quality, teacher development, and student learning outcomesdesigning systems that support both daily execution and long-term growth.

The Director of Academics is a visionary, systems-minded academic leader responsible for driving excellence across all instructional programs, K8. With deep content expertise and an unwavering belief in the potential of every child, the Director of Academics ensures that our academic model, grounded in high-quality, evidence-based curricula, is implemented with integrity, precision, and purpose.

Part coach, part strategist, part operator, the Director of Academics is a mission-aligned leader who builds strong teams, sets a high bar, and rolls up their sleeves to get the work done. They bring clarity, coherence, and compassion to all they do, embodying Heartwoods commitment to academic excellence, equity, and the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive.

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Heartwood is unapologetically committed to recruiting the best people in their field. They seek only those team members who set the highest standards for themselves and are passionate about making a lasting impact on the lives of children.

• Emotionally intelligent leader who brings humility, maturity, and the ability to navigate hard conversations with clarity and compassion.
• Relentless commitment to continuous improvement, open to feedback, and driven to learn, grow, and refine their practice.
• Deep belief in the mission of Heartwood and our whole-child model, with a commitment to equity, inclusion, and lasting impact.
• Deep instructional expertise in literacy and math, with a demonstrated ability to drive student achievement and teacher growth across content areas.
• Proven ability to build strong teams, manage complex projects, and lead through both structure and relationships.
• Strategic thinker with a bias toward actionable to set vision, build aligned systems, and execute with excellence.
• Strong coaching and facilitation skills; able to build trust, deliver clear and actionable feedback, and model best practices.
• High degree of personal organization, operational discipline, and attention to detail.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to influence and inspire others.

RESPONSIBILITIES

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND + EXPERIENCE

COMPENSATION

The salary for this role is $100,000 with eligibility for a relocation package. To uphold Heartwood's commitment to equitable and fair compensation, they offer a competitive salary and have a no-negotiation policy.

They are committed to building a best-in-class team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of their students. As an equal opportunity employer, Heartwood hires without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

Additionally, they offer a comprehensive benefits package, including and not limited to :

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

Heartwood Community School is an equal opportunity employer.