Hawken School Cleveland, Ohio Chief Financial Officer July 1, 2017 www.hawken.edu
The Position Hawken School, an independent, college preparatory school of 1,265 students ages Pre- Kindergarten through grade 12, seeks a Chief Financial Officer to support this vibrant institution during an exciting time in its history. With an endowment valued at nearly $55 million and the largest tuition reduction budget of any private school in the state of Ohio, this is an opportunity for a highly experienced individual to work with a strong school as it expands its offerings and facilities, adding two new campuses to its three pre-existing locations in Cleveland and the eastern suburbs. Hawken has twice been named one of the city’s top workplaces, and in recent years the school has worked to leverage its location in Cleveland, a place that Forbes argues is becoming “America’s hottest city.” In the past decade, Hawken has added an urban extension learning center and implemented an entrepreneurship program that connects students to Cleveland-area professionals, gaining notice from several major media organizations, including The Wall Street Journal and The Huffington Post. A new academic building on the Upper School campus opened this fall, the culmination of a $26.5 million development project.
Our Purpose Forward-focused preparation for the real world though the development of character and intellect.
Our Promise Hawken School prepares students to navigate a complex and dynamic world with self-confidence and determination; embrace challenges with disciplined analysis and creativity; and engage others with empathy and integrity.
Our Principles 1. We truly know our students as learners and individuals.
2. We pay purposeful attention to the development of character, helping students understand Hawken's motto of "fair play," and its founder's call to find their "better selves."
3. We consider developing the intellect to be a critical part of developing character and, as such, we expect the highest levels of academic excellence from our students.
4. We orient our program with a primacy toward the development of essential skills beyond the acquisition of specific knowledge.
5. We use classroom methods that place the student at the center of learning. We teach children to make choices, manage their time, think critically and creatively, and develop ownership for their learning.
6. We believe students find energy and passion through engagement, and we expect them to participate and contribute meaningfully in an array of activities outside of the classroom.
7. We believe in the power of community, and foster connections through teamwork, partnerships, and shared experiences.
8. We appreciate difference and individuality, and embrace diversity in our community.
9. We believe students need authentic experience in the real world to make meaning from knowledge. Nature, Cleveland, and the global community are extensions of our classrooms.
10. We believe that to provide the most relevant education possible, our faculty and administrators must be learning continually about educational best practices, advances in technology, and developments in the world.
The School Hawken was founded in 1915 as a progressive boys’ school under the leadership of James A. Hawken, whose mission was “That the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life.” In the last 100 years, Hawken has grown exponentially, adding an Upper School on a new campus in Gates Mills in the early 1960s and admitting its first class of girls in 1973. The past 25 years have seen the addition of an early childhood program, the opening of the Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning in University Circle in 2010, and this fall’s merger with Birchwood School, which serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 8. Throughout these decades of change, Hawken has stayed firm in its commitment to its founder’s principles of betterment and “fair play,” even as the school has grown to serve a diverse population of students and implement the best practices of 21st century education.
Today, Hawken works “to instill in students the virtues of honesty, kindness, self-respect, tolerance, and the fundamental skills of working together as a community.” This community is a diverse one: 36% identify as students of color and $7.8 million of financial aid was awarded to 42% of the student body for the 2016-17 school year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of eight-to- one and ample opportunities for specialized study, a Hawken education means that students learn to ask questions, appreciate the intrinsic value of learning, and implement the skills they learn in practical, real-life environments. As Hawken students, young people develop creative and critical thinking skills that prepare them not only for college, but also for a lifetime of working toward the common good.
Academics Throughout grade levels, Hawken’s program of intellectual inquiry and student-centered learning is shaped by the unique developmental needs of each age group. Early childhood teachers create safe and nurturing environments in which students can grow academically and socially; in the Lower School, students pursue interdisciplinary projects and develop a love of learning even as they practice communication skills and critical thinking. Middle School at Hawken ushers students through a time of immense developmental change in an environment that values both their individuality and roles in the community. As students grow their capacity for abstract and
higher-order thinking, they are invited to ponder guiding questions about character, perspective, and community that prepare them for citizenship in an increasingly complex and diverse world.
In Hawken’s Upper School, a distinctive curriculum allows students to build a schedule of core courses and electives, drawing on the school’s plentiful opportunities for experiential learning and independent research. Rigorous college preparatory learning is enhanced by a unique course structure, with three-week “intensives” that allow students to pursue interdisciplinary interests with exceptional depth. The lauded entrepreneurship program offers an honors-level study of business, which culminates in students planning their own start-ups. In every aspect of the Hawken experience, students learn to value inquiry for its own sake, cultivating the self- knowledge and skills necessary to become “citizens of substance and character.”
Technology is seamlessly integrated into Hawken’s program from early childhood onward, allowing students to apply their learning in hands-on applications and take an active role in creating knowledge. Beginning in grade 6, the one-to-one tablet program allows technology to permeate every aspect of the curriculum, and in the Upper School, students may take classes through the Global Online Academy, a worldwide consortium of independent schools committed to building 21st century skills through online learning.
College Matriculation The following is a partial list of schools to which members of the Class of 2016 matriculated:
Amherst College Boston College Brown University Case Western Reserve University Colby College College for Creative Studies College of William and Mary Colorado College Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College DePaul University Dickinson College Elon University Emory University George Washington University Gettysburg College Imperial College London Indiana University at Bloomington Kent State University Miami University, Oxford New York University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University
Pratt Institute Princeton University Purdue University Seattle University The Ohio State University Tulane University University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Miami University of Michigan University of Notre Dame Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Yale University
Arts and Athletics From Pre-Kindergarten on, Hawken students are encouraged to express themselves through the arts, developing creativity and practicing original thought through a variety of media. In the visual arts, students experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, pottery, weaving, and printmaking beginning in the Lower School. Middle School students benefit from the presence of a visiting artist each year, and Upper Schoolers elect courses in line with their artistic interests: from photography to art history and more. In the realm of the performing arts, Hawken students develop as actors, dancers, singers, and musicians, with numerous opportunities for study and performance. Upper Schoolers may pursue independent studies in areas such as directing and composing. In all areas of the arts, students explore the connections between creativity, culture, and history, gaining an understanding of the world around them through the lens of art.
Similarly, the athletics department at Hawken flourishes in an environment of both passion and rigor, with student-athletes living out Hawken’s principles of “fair play,” character development, leadership, and teamwork. Excellent athletic facilities on both the Lyndhurst and Gates Mills campuses provide students with places to practice and play. At the Middle and Upper School level, a myriad of team sports allow students to stay active, hone skills, and compete at a high level: in its history, the school had earned 33 state championships and ranks fifth on the all-time OHSAA championship title list.
School Life Life at Hawken is shaped by a spirit of community that permeates every aspect of the school’s culture, from Lower School Morning Meetings to the House System in the Upper School. In Middle School, each student gives a Chapel Talk, a Hawken tradition in which eighth graders present nine-minute original speeches to their peers and families. This rite of passage, vividly remembered by so many Hawken alumni, is demonstrative of the emphasis placed on the role each individual plays in the Hawken community. Students grow into confident, disciplined, and empathetic learners and people through their experiences at Hawken School.
Even beyond the traditional school day, Hawken offers numerous opportunities for students to grow and participate, with after-school enrichment beginning in early childhood and a full slate of extracurricular options for older students. The Upper School features over thirty student-led clubs and activities, including a nationally recognized speech and debate program. In past years, Hawken has been the recipient of Two Debate School of Excellence Awards and numerous National Championships.
Physical Campuses Hawken School’s multiple campuses mean that students learn and grow in an environment suited to their developmental needs. On the Lyndhurst campus, students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 8 enjoy 45 acres in the midst of a quiet residential area, with ample facilities including an Eco garden, climbing wall, and swimming pool, alongside new and newly renovated academic spaces.
The Upper School resides on the 325-acre Gates Mills campus, which features a 650-seat auditorium, expansive athletic facilities, and art studios. With the school’s centenary celebrations during the 2014-2015 school year, Hawken undertook its most significant capital expansion in nearly 50 years, the building of Stirn Hall, a new academic building that opened in the fall of this year. In addition to updated classrooms and common spaces, Stirn also contains a high-tech fabrication lab, a media production studio, and a writing center, among other amenities.
Recent renovations and expansions were made to the historic White House, the location of the school dining hall and a focal point of the Gates Mills campus. The school is not done growing: its merger with Birchwood School added another campus to the Hawken ranks, and plans are currently underway for a new Early Childhood facility in Gordon Square, which will meet the needs of young families in one of Cleveland’s fastest-growing areas.
Finally, Hawken’s students benefit from the existence of the Sally & Bob Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning in University Circle, a building in Cleveland that supports service learning, the Upper School entrepreneurship program, and more.
Cleveland, Ohio The Greater Cleveland area is a thriving region that is well-served by entertainment, health care, and recreation. This Midwestern city boasts three professional sports teams, a world-class orchestra, a marvelous art museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the renowned Cleveland Clinic. The Greater Cleveland community has long had the benefit of a concerned citizenry, actively involved in and supportive of the area’s fine cultural institutions. Among them are The Cleveland Playhouse, the revitalized downtown Playhouse Square, the Great Lakes Theater Festival, and Severance Hall, home of the world-class Cleveland Orchestra.
Founded in 1796 by General Moses Cleveland, the city was originally a frontier village that grew into a manufacturing, business, and medical center for Northern Ohio. Over the course of the last decade, the City of Cleveland has been honored by numerous national and international top 10 rankings. Poised as the leading center of commerce between New York City and Chicago, Cleveland was named the “Most Livable City” in the United States by the Economist Intelligence Unit. From Fortune magazine, which identified the city as one of the 10 best for
business in North America, to Travel and Leisure’s naming it one of the top 50 international visitor hotspots (alongside such places as Bali, the Great Barrier Reef, and Milan), Cleveland is a city that has come into its own.
Sports aficionados will appreciate the five Metroparks golf courses and the opportunity to cheer for the city’s three major professional sports teams: the Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns. Outdoor enthusiasts can avail themselves of the Lake Erie shoreline, the famed Emerald Necklace —a chain of 22,000 acres of parks and waterways for hiking, biking, fishing, and more, as well as the lush Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which spans the Cuyahoga River from Cleveland to Akron. The Greater Cleveland area is home to 21 colleges and universities, in addition to internationally acclaimed medical and health care institutions, multiple ethnic neighborhoods, a fabulous and ever-growing dining scene, and affordable housing.
Opportunities and Challenges The new Chief Financial Officer will join a thriving school community that is alive with ambitious ideas and crackling with energy from a high-functioning administrative staff under the leadership of Head of School, Scott Looney. The School recently completed a large building project to modernize its Upper School facilities on their Gates Mills campus and the resulting Stirn Hall opened this past fall to universal acclaim. This year also marked the merger of Hawken with the Birchwood School, a highly-respected PK-8 school on the west side of Cleveland. Hawken is also in the process of planning an Early Childhood Center in Gordon Square to provide quality pre-school education to the downtown Cleveland area. With five campuses including Birchwood (PS-8), Gordon Square (PS), Lyndhurst (PS-8), Gates Mills (9- 12), and University Circle Extension Center, the next CFO will need to hit the ground running to address the needs of a growing, complex environment.
Hawken School owns the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins (LESD), the premier swim club in northeast Ohio. LESD is accounted for as a separate legal entity that is a subsidiary of Hawken School and consolidated into Hawken School’s financial reporting. The Hawken business office also handles the bookkeeping and billing for the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a separate legal entity whose results are not consolidated with Hawken School’s financial results.
Hawken School has used tax exempt bond financing for several major construction projects and currently has $19 million outstanding on a tax-exempt non-bank qualified direct purchase bond financing. By June 30, 2017, it is likely that at least a portion of the variable rate bond outstanding will be hedge to a fixed rate.
Key to this role will be forging a strong relationship with the Head of School and Board. Scott Looney is a dynamic presence and big thinker. He has created an administrative environment that challenges everyone to think about how (s)he can improve the school, community, and the world. The new CFO will need to be flexible and provide options for how to advance initiatives. As such, proactive project management skills will be important for the next CFO, who must demonstrate the ability to take ideas and see them to fruition. This position also requires the ability to think strategically about new and existing initiatives, the ability to communicate effectively, and the confidence to thrive in an environment of smart people examining,
improving, and implementing. While the CFO works closely with Board members, and specifically the Finance Committee Chair, s/he will report exclusively to the Head of School.
In addition to embracing Hawken’s mission, supporting its Head and leadership, and representing the school at professional and public forums, the new CFO has a number of primary responsibilities:
• Oversee all financial reporting, including the development and approval of the annual operating budget, periodic reports of operating results compared to the budget, and bank covenant compliance. Audiences for financial information include the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee, the Head of School, other administrators and internal departments, lenders, and other authorities. • 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 School operations including personnel, maintenance, and food service. • Serve as chief staff liaison to the Finance, Audit, Investment, and Retirement Plan committees of the Board of Trustees, working closely with Committee chairs and organizing agendas and meeting materials and presenting at meetings. • Negotiate with lenders when necessary to ensure that funding is secured for new construction or other needs of the school and ensure compliance with loan terms. • Ensure that the School is in compliance with all local and state reporting requirements. • Build and/or maintain the School’s short- and long-term strategic financial models. • Coordinate with the Director of Facilities the oversight of the physical plant, grounds, and construction functions; help plan and direct all replacements and renewals of the physical plant. • Publicly represent the School in a positive and proactive way, collaborating with other School administrators, neighbors, and public 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, along with the HR Director, 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. • Oversee the annual financial and 403b plan audits and filings of tax returns. • Provide transparent financial reporting and planning that builds trust among administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and trustees.
Qualifications and Qualities of the Next Chief Financial Officer 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. • 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. • Experience in human resource management, employee benefits (including pension plans), and payroll procedures.
In addition, the school hopes to find candidates who embody the following personal qualities:
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment • Ability to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to new ideas and initiatives • Ability to self-manage, and manage complex projects • Ability to think strategically about both finances and larger school concerns • Ability to balance and prioritize the needs of the School • Ability to manage and mentor staff • Superb communication skills; excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills • A confident team player • Committed to equity and inclusion practices • Evident integrity
To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:
• A cover letter expressing interest in this particular position • A current résumé • A list of five (5) professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each to:
Greg Britton Search Consultant [email protected]
John Clark Practice Group Leader, Development and Finance [email protected]