The Opportunity

The Chief Operating Officer will be an executive of exceptional skill, impeccable ethics, extraordinary experience, inspirational leadership and will be responsible for planning, coordinating and overseeing the daily operational activities of our school. Gulliver has entered an exciting period of growth, including the expansion of our physical campuses, allowing the new Chief Operating Officer to make a significant impact on our infrastructure, policies and plans over the coming years, bringing best practices to one of the largest PreK-12 schools in the country. The Chief Operating Officer will be immersed in all aspects of our strategic plans and will work closely on initiatives related to the school’s aspirations for enhanced and expanded facilities, continued financial growth and stability, and increased community connections. Gulliver is financially very strong with an annual operating budget in excess of $80 million and full enrollment.

Gulliver

Established in 1926 by Arthur Gulliver in Coconut Grove, Gulliver was likened to the prestigious academies of the northeast and initially attracted families who wintered in Florida.

In late 1953, Marian Krutulis purchased the school. A pioneer in education, Mrs. Krutulis envisioned Gulliver as a grand home where both students and teachers would feel part of a caring, inspiring family of learners. Over the course of 25 years, she relocated the school to Coral Gables, built an upper school for high school students in Pinecrest and achieved ‘Blue Ribbon School of Excellence’ designation by the US Department of Education.

In 2000 Gulliver became a non-profit. Today, Gulliver Preparatory School serves approximately 2,240 students in Grades PreK3 – 12 on three campuses. Despite its significant growth over the last 60 years, Gulliver still upholds Marian Krutulis’ vision to maintain the physical and social-emotional health of its students and trains them to become people of integrity in everything they say and do.

Gulliver encompasses 40 lush, tropical acres in Miami-Dade County, with four campuses all located within a three-mile radius. Originally envisioned as a “grand school home,” the warm, familial environment blends with updated, modern amenities.

Small classes enable teachers to meet students’ individual needs, and expansive course offerings both nurture and challenge students. Opportunities to build upon foundational learning are abundant; students can choose from myriad signature programs, including engineering, biomedical sciences, international business, architecture, and marine sciences field studies, as well as honors, AP, IB courses. Gulliver prepares students with the skills and knowledge to become inspired leaders. Extracurricular activities are virtually limitless; community service organizations and interest groups thrive on all campuses; and Gulliver’s athletic program has achieved success at all levels of competition. In fact, Gulliver features more athletic teams, student activities and clubs than any other independent school in South Florida.

The Chief Operating Officer

The Chief Operating Officer is an outstanding opportunity for a seasoned professional to partner with leadership at a pivotal time in the school’s history as it makes significant progress for its next phase of growth. Resounding support from board members and community leaders, an accomplished staff, as well as a collaborative work culture, create an environment destined for success for the experienced leader who brings a passion for education. The Chief Operating Officer will be able to think strategically to envision, plan, execute, and achieve results in a complex educational environment. Gulliver is searching for a goal-oriented leader who will embrace the culture and values of our school and will respect the operational pace of innovation with high standards and expectations.

The Chief Operating Officer will serve as a member of the President’s Council and Administrative Leadership Team. The position, reporting directly to the President and working closely with key Board leadership, will be responsible for supporting the overall strategic direction of our school. Additionally, he or she will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of activities and services related to the continued expansion of our campuses along with the next phase of ambitious construction projects. The Chief Operating Officer will oversee our Chief Technology Officer; Director of Construction Management; Director of Construction, Project Management and Preventative Maintenance and Director Of Operations and Risk Management.

Areas of Emphasis

Leadership

• Provide leadership and vision for the overall operations and construction teams of the school;
• Provide appropriate support to Board Committees and trustee efforts;
• Work closely with our Administrative Leadership Team to execute our strategic plan;
• Collaborate with our Vice President for Institutional Advancement to ensure our vision is properly illustrated to support necessary campaign objectives;
• Work closely with our Chief Technology Officer to identify areas of efficiencies and continuous improvement opportunities, system enhancements and investment requirements for our current and future technology utilization;
• Possess strong project management capabilities including reporting status, progress updates, and identifying areas that require corrective actions when necessary;
• Possess strong communication skills;
• Support a customer service oriented culture;
• Create strong connections with constituents throughout the school community;
• Collaborate with all levels of management, faculty, staff and relevant agencies to ensure the physical, safety and people infrastructure and operations in support of our school’s mission, vision and values;
• Draw on both technical expertise and intellectual capacity to envision, develop and communicate ways in which our physical space, facilities and systems can support and help drive the execution of our strategic plans;
• Possess strong advocacy skills and is a collaborative team leader who promotes transparency and encourages the development and execution of new ideas;
• Provide effective oversight in setting clear goals, expectations and clear methods of accountability;
• Serve as the primary contact for the Building and Grounds Committee facilitating and driving the work of the committee in support of our facilities projects;
• Provide oversight of our external vendors, including contract initiation and negotiation.

Personal Attributes

• A person who will commit wholeheartedly to the mission and vision of Gulliver and is excited about becoming a part of the daily life of the community;
• A person with an understanding of and commitment to working collaboratively across school areas;
• A proactive self-starter who thinks broadly and sees the “big picture;”
• A person who has an aptitude for working with a multi-cultural, diverse international school community;
• An engaging individual who develops rapport quickly and builds relationships with ease.

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree, with an advanced degree preferred;
• Ten or more years of executive leadership and project management experience, construction and educational experience preferred, though individuals with strong operational, financial and leadership experience are welcome;
• Proven record of accomplishment designing, implementing and managing large-scale organizational change;
• Ability to supervise, manage and delegate multiple functions and activities;
• Demonstrated success as a leader and manager of people with an empowering leadership style that optimizes the contributions of everyone around him or her.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Criminal Background Check, Level II Fingerprint Screening(s), and Drug screen.

Gulliver is deeply committed to the principles of equity and diversity and seeks to create an inclusive community for all faculty and staff. Gulliver is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and a Drug Free Workplace.