Director El Camino, Elementary Schools

Director El Camino, Elementary Schools
Bronx, NY

Seton Education Partners seeks a mission-driven leader to coach and develop Seton Teaching Fellows, manage program logistics, and strengthen collaboration between El Camino, STF, and Brilla. The ideal candidate is highly organized, skilled in coaching educators, and committed to ensuring the mutual success of both programs

About Seton Education Partners

Co-founded in 2009 by KIPP pioneer Scott W. Hamilton and Teach for America alumna Stephanie Saroki de García, Seton Education Partners is a response to the dramatic decline of urban Catholic schools which have historically been the greatest equalizing factor for economically underserved children, families and communities in America for decades. 

Specifically, Seton expands opportunities for parents in underserved communities to choose an academically excellent, character-rich, and—for those who seek it—vibrantly Catholic education for their children. As a national non-profit, Seton partners with (arch)dioceses and others across the country to implement innovative and sustainable new models that bridge the best of Catholic education's rich tradition with new possibilities. Seton was born of the belief that a tremendous opportunity exists to revitalize urban Catholic schools in America and strengthen the education they provide. The challenges are significant, to be sure, but with an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, much can and should be done, not only to preserve this national treasure but also to build on its foundation for the benefit of thousands of children in America’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Seton has pioneered multiple innovative and high-impact solutions to the shuttering of Catholic schools in underserved communities. Seton is working to take these remarkable achievements to scale by managing a network of schools and programs that ensure that thousands of underserved children whose Catholic schools close—and other local children—have access to an academically excellent, character-building, and, for those who choose it, faith-nurturing education. Seton provides a national model for how other cities facing the shuttering of Catholic schools can continue to serve children and families with limited educational options. For more information on Seton Education Partners, please visit www.SetonPartners.org.

About the Brilla Schools Network

Brilla Public Charter Schools is a network of K-8th grade schools that currently serves nearly 1,600 students from Mott Haven, University Heights and other neighborhoods in the Bronx. The network plans to grow from a current four elementary and one middle school to five elementary and five middle schools educating some 4,000 students in the Bronx. Core to our mission is that our students become young men and women of good character and spirit and be prepared for excellence in high school, college, and beyond. Brilla combines a classical approach to education -- an emphasis on virtue formation, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and direct instruction of a content-rich curriculum that has stood the test of time -- with co-teaching practices and individualized online learning.* We approach the formation of our students holistically and also set high academic expectations. Ours is a joyful community that honors the dignity of each student, family member and staff. 

About El Camino Network

El Camino, which means “The Way” in Spanish, is an optional, privately-funded Catholic after-school faith formation program that is closely partnered with Brilla charter schools.  El Camino helps children, their families and their catechists to know, love and serve Christ and His Church; develop the habits, dispositions and beliefs that are indispensable to human flourishing and happiness; and live as disciples in this world and saints in the next. El Camino honors the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. In the last 10 years, over 230 children have been baptized through our program. 

El Camino currently serves approximately 40% of Brilla’s students for 90 minutes a day, Monday through Thursday. Children receive homework help from experienced teachers, a nutritious snack, and 30 minutes each of catechism and physical fitness. Additionally, children and families have opportunities for shared and personal prayer and character formation. This video provides a snapshot of El Camino. El Camino will grow to serve children through 8th grade, growing a grade level at a time each year.

About the job of the Director of El Camino

The Director of El Camino (DEC) is responsible for overseeing the successful implementation and growth of the El Camino (EC) program across multiple Brilla campuses. Reporting to the Senior Director of Programs, the DEC directly supervises El Camino Program Leaders (ECPLs) and ensures alignment with Seton Education Partners' mission and values. This role requires a strategic leader who can drive programmatic excellence, develop personnel, and foster strong partnerships with the Seton Teaching Fellows Program, Brilla Schools, and other key stakeholders.

Main Responsibilities

Instructional Leadership

• Supervise and develop El Camino Program Leaders (ECPLs) in their leadership and program management effectiveness.
• Oversee the implementation of the El Camino Catechesis Curriculum, ensuring a high-quality faith formation experience for students.
• Collaborate with the Seton Teaching Fellow (STF) Instructional Specialist to support STF instructional development and ensure effective coaching and feedback structures.

People Management & Leadership

• Hire, onboard, and develop El Camino Program Leaders (ECPLs) at each campus to ensure effective program management.
• Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins (O3s) with ECPLs to review performance, address challenges, and foster leadership growth.
• Maintain a positive, mission-aligned workplace culture, ensuring accountability, professionalism, and team cohesion.
• Act as the primary liaison between ECPLs, and Brilla Schools Network Leaders.
• Lead team-wide professional development and formation to build capacity and engagement across the EC team.

Program Oversight & Strategic Execution

• Serve as the primary liaison between El Camino and Network Leaders to ensure mission-aligned collaboration.
• Guide ECPLs in event planning, communication strategies, and program-wide initiatives to uphold program integrity.
• Manage budget planning and resource allocation to ensure program sustainability.
• Strengthen communication structures to align ECPLs, STF leadership, and Brilla leadership for seamless program execution.
• Ensure Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are implemented with fidelity, maintaining strong partnerships and adherence to agreements.

Operations & Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure effective collaboration between El Camino, Brilla Schools, and Seton leadership to uphold shared goals and objectives.
• Oversee program logistics and administrative functions to support smooth daily operations.
• Provide strategic support in planning and executing initiatives that enhance program impact.
• Ensure compliance with all operational policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements to uphold program integrity and alignment with organizational and legal standards.

Qualifications and Desired Characteristics

Candidates for the position must possess the following personal characteristics:

• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to Seton’s mission and values
• Personal responsibility with humility
• A relentless drive for excellence
• A strong belief that all children can achieve both moral and academic excellence
• An unwavering determination to be better today than you were yesterday
• A strong belief that all children can achieve both moral and academic excellence

The ideal candidate will bring experience, skills, and beliefs in the following areas:

• Deep commitment to Catholic education and faith formation, with a strong desire to cultivate virtue and character in students.
• A practicing Catholic with an understanding of and dedication to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• Passion for working in an entrepreneurial, mission-driven, and fast-paced environment.
• 5+ years of experience in education, program leadership, or instructional coaching.
• 2+ years of experience in people management, with a proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong background in program operations, administration, and event planning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with family and community engagement strategies to support holistic student development.
• Strong organizational and strategic planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• B.S. / B.A. or equivalent 
• Ability to arrange for light travel throughout the year

Preferred skills:

• Bilingual (English and Spanish).
• Experience with a social media strategy to enhance program visibility and outreach.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Excel, and qualitative data analysis tools.
• Familiarity with Catholic education models, faith formation programs, and catechesis curriculum.

Diversity & Inclusivity

We are building an organization in which talented individuals from all walks of life and past work experiences can join our team and make significant contributions. We are particularly committed to attracting and developing individuals who share the life experiences or backgrounds of the students we will serve.

*At Brilla, education in the classical tradition is understood to require the education of the whole person - mind, body and spirit - in the service of human flourishing. Cognitive development and character formation are interdependent: People flourish by living out the virtues. A time proven way of learning how to live out the virtues is to learn about, contemplate and discuss how these virtues have been expressed in literature and history and represented in time-tested works. 

Secondarily, a classical education is pedagogically consistent with modern cognitive science. Many current pedagogies are not fully consistent with what we know today about brain development. In contrast, classical pedagogy  (referred to as the Trivium) perfectly corresponds to how the brain develops. It emphasizes patterns, routines, and facts that young brains crave (Grammar stage); it leverages the brain’s orientation to asking “why” in the middle years (Logic stage); and it focuses on communication and persuasion in the high school years (Rhetoric stage).

To Apply

Initial application materials include: a cover letter, contact information for three references, and a resume that includes information on your background and leadership experience.

Resumes without cover letters will not be reviewed.

Seton Education Partners provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.

The salary range for this position is  $85,000 - $87,500 per year, and the comprehensive benefits package includes medical, financial, and other benefits. New hires will typically start at the lower end of this range, depending on their relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and internal equity considerations. Compensation is determined based on our salary scales.