Assistant Superintendent Search Information: We are excited to invite you to apply to be part of an exciting future for Western New York’s Catholic Elementary Schools. Like other Dioceses across the country, we have faced many challenges; but, with the collaboration of hundreds of people passionate about Catholic education, we have developed a strategic plan to ensure a bright and strong future for our schools.
Our plan focuses on deepening our Catholic identity in a welcoming and inclusive environment, enhancing academic excellence and student well-being, providing a great place to work, and strengthening our operational and financial position to provide Catholic education for more families across our Diocese.
Catholic Education – It’s Everything You Value!
Our parents value a safe and nurturing community where their children can grow in faith, achieve academic excellence, and build lifelong character. Our educators find a mission-driven career that allows them to inspire young minds, share their faith, innovate new solutions, and create lasting impact. What matters most to you – faith, community, excellence, innovation, autonomy, values, and a brighter future – is at the heart of everything we do.
This is your opportunity to be part of something extraordinary. We currently have 30 preK- eighth grade schools with over 6,500 enrolled students. They are geographically distributed from Lewiston to Olean and from the West Side of Buffalo to Batavia. We are implementing new academic models and programs to support social, emotional, and behavioral well-being. We are also re-structuring our organization to create one school system and a shared services team to create a solid foundation for growth. Together, we teach, serve, and evangelize so our students, their families, and our dedicated team grow in faith, knowledge, and love.
Assistant Superintendent Primary Responsibilities: The Assistant Superintendent supervises and coordinates the activities of the principals, while implementing and achieving the goals of the Strategic Plan for Catholic Education at their designated schools. The Assistant Superintendent will provide leadership and guidance by driving measurable improvement in academic achievement and student well-being, while creating a great place to work through performance management, as well as organizational and professional development. The Assistant Superintendent will lead the implementation of approved curriculum to meet community needs, and lend expertise in specialty areas such a microschool development, inclusive learning for students of all ability levels, or virtual learning to further our strategic goals across the Diocese. The Assistant Superintendent will spend approximately 50-60% of their time in our schools, visiting schools on a rotating basis.
Leadership – Create a motivating and rewarding workplace that attracts, develops, and retains top talent while helping our team members find Christ, meaning, and joy in their work. Under the direction of the Superintendent and in concert with the Catholic Education Human Resources function, hire, supervise, evaluate, and manage all aspects of the employment of school principals and support the principals in performing the same functions for their school teams. Support principals in their efforts to build relationships with Parish Pastors, School Advisory Councils, Home School Associations, and other community members. Implement new leadership models among schools. Follow a structured performance management process to set expectations, coach team members, and ensure school goals are achieved. Deliver professional development and mentoring for principals and school teams to build defined competencies, behaviors, and successors for the future, while ensuring that faculty achieve their professional and personal goals. Lead with a style that promotes high levels of trust, collaboration, teamwork, spirit, and synergy.
Catholic Identity – Ensure designated schools reflect a strong Catholic identity and builds a values-based environment. Lead efforts to foster the spiritual atmosphere of the schools and spiritual development of administrators and staff. Facilitate collaborative relationships between school and Faith Formation teams to ensure quality religious instruction in compliance with the Diocesan curriculum and standards.
Change Management – Actively participate in the merger of our elementary schools into one school system in preparation for the 2025/2026 school year. This might include but not be limited to creating academic and operational practices, employment policies and practices, communication mechanisms, and other processes to ensure a smooth transition. Develop Professional Learning Communities to create collaborative approaches to the transformation and strengthening school improvement efforts and processes in the long-term.
Relationship Management and Trust Building – Effectively engage and collaborate with staff, school families, community influencers, and other stakeholders. Undertake intentional efforts to restore and build trust of our schools, among our schools, between schools and Faith Formation, and of the Diocese as a whole.
Academic Achievement – Implement policies and procedures associated with Middle States Accreditation for all schools, high academic standards, and high performing programs to support students’ and families’ emotional, behavioral, and social needs. Design, develop, and implement data-driven instructional techniques and systems, educational models, curriculum pathways, instructional techniques, and Safe Environment programs that make an impact in each school community. Ensure all curriculum distributed to the educational staff satisfied New York State educational standards, USCCB standards, and local school district requirements. Implement assessment processes and train schools to implement, analyze, and utilize academic and other data. Implement virtual learning and other technical solutions to deliver robust student experiences and manage costs.
Operational and Financial Excellence – Eliminate redundant and unnecessary operational tasks at the school level. Collaborate with other Diocesan leaders and the Catholic Education Shared Services Office to implement policies and procedures associated with Human Resources, Finance, Facilities, Marketing, and Communications throughout designated schools to build best practices, compliance with appropriate regulations, and allows principals to dedicate their time to leadership, Catholic identity, education, enrollment, fundraising, and community building. Utilize and draw insight from school-related data to measure progress and recommend improvements for the future. Support the budgeting process, particularly in regards to the development of instructional development and staffing budgets. Ensure designated schools achieve annual operating and capital budgets.
Marketing, Communications, and Enrollment – Ensure designated schools actively promote themselves to drive a positive image of our Diocese, Catholic Education, and our Church; celebrate their team members, students, and families; and grow enrollment. Establish formal communication protocols and serve as a two-way conduit for communication between the Diocesan Education Department and the school community. Ensure each designated school has a defined action plan for achieving and maintaining enrollment targets.
Compliance – Develop, maintain, and communicate an accurate and in-depth understanding of laws, regulations, and guidelines mandated for schools and Faith Formation programs. Ensure schools proactively prepare for and meet substantial equivalency requirements. Support record-keeping practices for legal compliance, government contracts, administration of donations/grants/gifts, personnel files, and budgetary accountability. Conduct annual audits at each designated school to ensure spiritual, academic, workplace, financial, and other goals are achieved.
Key Competencies
Mission-Minded – Possesses a strong Catholic identity, a true passion for Catholic education, and an inherent desire to teach, serve, and evangelize in order to make a significant impact on each school community.
Trust Builder – Exceptional reputation and credibility among educators, with an ability to build and re-build trust in a community.
Collaborator and Coalition Builder – Outgoing and extroverted leader who can energize audiences and inspire them to act. Demonstrated ability to work well with both internal and external stakeholders. Extensive connections with peers and active participant in activities with other school systems, Dioceses, district leaders, BOCES from across our Diocese, and New York State and regulatory/accrediting agencies.
Team Development – Experience hiring, developing, and mentoring team members to quickly and effectively drive higher levels of performance. Established systems of accountability and a great place to work culture.
Emotional Intelligence – Inspires the confidence and respect of staff, board members, parish leaders and school families by actions and leadership. Strong listening skills, political savvy, and an ability to negotiate win-win solutions to conflict.
Strategic, Creative, and Critical Thinking – Able to define community needs and implement programs to make an impact. A keen ability to synthesize information quickly and turn it into insight, sound project plans, and action.
Business and Financial Acumen – The ability to combine a mission and business focus, while leading with a growth mindset. Experience building processes, systems, and communications to drive educational and operational performance.
Communicator – An excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing, and presenter. We are seeking someone who is personable, humble, approachable, and often sought out by their peers and others for advice and guidance.
Composure – Professional and positive manner, particularly in environments where emotions can run high and difficult decisions are necessary (e.g., changes in schools). Must demonstrate capacity for staying steady under pressure while maintaining perspective. Must be self-motivated toward success with a strong work ethic. Takes ownership of actions and responsibilities.
Qualifications:
• Professional Administrator’s License/Certification required
• 5+ years in a principal’s role with a track record of increased enrollment, strong or improved academic performance, and high employee retention
• 10+ years teaching experience with deep knowledge and experience implementing new and best-practice curricula, teaching methods, and technologies
• Experience achieving and maintaining Middle States Accreditation or other endorsements
• Extensive knowledge and experience implementing Multi-Tiered System of Supports, inclusive or experiential learning, virtual learning, microschools, shared leadership, or other progressive educational models preferred
Reporting Structure:
• Appointed by the Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo
• Reports to the Superintendent
• Responsible for supervision of principals or senior principals at 10-12 schools
• Collaborates regularly with other Assistant Superintendents and Directors for Finance, Human Resources, Government Programming and Advancement, Enrollment and Data Management, Athletics and Extra-Curriculars
• Collaborates regularly with Pastors and Parish-based team members, such as Directors of Religious Education and Business Managers
Salary Information: $60,000 – $70,000 annually
To Apply: Email resume to Nancy DiBerardino at ndiberardino@buffalodiocese.org
