Midland School
Los Olivos, CA

Head of School
Start Date: July 1, 2024

Midland School, located on a 2,860-acre ranch in Santa Barbara County, is the leader in place-based, experiential education. A college-preparatory boarding school serving grades 9-12, Midland enrolls 85 students with 40 faculty and staff supporting the student experience across the School’s academic program, athletics, horse program, farm, and ranch. With an eye toward building on Midland’s 90 year history of mission-driven leadership, Midland welcomes nominations and applications for an innovative, thoughtful, and inspiring leader to serve as its next Head of School beginning July 1, 2024.

Midland is an intentionally small and intensive college-preparatory school. Students gain an appreciation for the environment that surrounds them, choosing to live simply with few conveniences and discovering firsthand the value of doing so through hands-on learning and living. Through study, work, community, and outdoor experience, students learn the values of scholarship, initiative, simplicity, and environmental stewardship, which together instill a sense of responsibility to self, to others, and to the world.

Midland sits in Los Olivos, California, just north of Santa Barbara. Most of the School’s acreage remains relatively untouched and is protected by a conservation easement. Los Olivos is a small town with a population of just over 1,000 and is an ideal location for outdoor enthusiasts and visitors alike, boasting vistas of the valley’s beautiful countryside, multiple vineyards, and horse ranches. The town is known for its appreciation of the arts, eclectic shopping, and delicious wine and food culture. Other towns and recreational and cultural opportunities abound in the area, ranging from small towns just minutes away to the larger cities of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, an hour and two hours away, respectively.

Midland’s Head of School serves as chief executive officer overseeing all aspects of Midland’s programs and operational functions. The Head of School is appointed by and reports to the Board of Trustees. The Head of School lives on Midland’s residential campus, in community with students, faculty, and staff. The Head of School leads a senior administrative leadership team of five: Dean of Academics, Dean of Experiential Learning, Dean of Students & Athletic Director, Director of Admissions & Advancement, and Director of Finance & Operations.

Compensation and benefits are competitive for this role, which are detailed below:

• Annual salary of $220,000 - $240,000 (dependent on experience)
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• 403(b) retirement plan with 6% employer match (increases based on years of service)
• 4+ weeks of vacation per year
• On-campus housing in Head of School house (condition of employment)

The ideal candidate for Midland’s next Head of School will be a highly engaged and collaborative leader with a deep understanding and appreciation for independent school education and experiential, place-based learning communities. This position requires a leader with a high level of emotional intelligence; a person who is confident and competent, with strong skills in management and leadership; and, one who understands the subtleties of motivating and directing a diverse group of individuals. The next Head of School will be committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that foster an environment that equally welcomes, respects, and values all members of the community. Additionally, they will display the highest level of integrity, confidence, courage, and conviction in leading Midland.

The search committee for Midland’s next Head of School will begin accepting nominations and reviewing applications immediately. Requested application materials at this stage include a letter of interest and current resume. For best consideration, application materials should be received no later than July 31, 2023. Candidate materials should be sent to the following email address: MidlandHOS@storbecksearch.com

To learn more about this opportunity, please review the position profile https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/19580-midland-school-head-of-school/

Midland is being assisted in this search by Storbeck Search https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/our-brands/storbeck-search/ For additional information, please contact:

Lois Mufuka Martin, Managing Director
Staci Williams Seeley, Managing Director
Christopher Bernard, Search Associate
MidlandHOS@storbecksearch.com

For more information about Midland School, please visit Midland's website https://midland-school.org/

Midland School is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among our employees.