Pace School, established in 1967 and situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has evolved into a state-licensed approved private school and partial hospitalization program dedicated to serving children from school districts across Allegheny and surrounding counties.
The School’s primary focus is on empowering students to overcome educational and behavioral challenges, enabling them to lead safe, productive, and integrated lives. As one of only 33 approved private schools licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pace School specializes in providing a free appropriate special education program for students with severe disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, and/or autism spectrum disorder.
The School’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in its rigorous, high-quality curriculum tailored to individual student needs. Furthermore, Pace School integrates a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) into its offerings, providing intensive mental health and psychiatric support for students with corresponding needs. With a solid endowment of $18.5 million and a history of successful collaboration with school districts and the community, Pace School stands as a beacon of specialized education and support for students facing significant challenges.
The Opportunity
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pace School is the primary leader responsible for steering the organization towards its mission of providing specialized education and support to students facing severe disabilities, overseeing all functions of the program and reporting directly to the Pace School Board of Directors.
The CEO’s responsibilities range from crafting and executing short- and long-term strategic and business plans in collaboration with the Board and administration to aligning systems, structure, culture, technology, and the physical setting to focus on the daily execution of the strategic plan and organizational vision.
In addition to guiding Pace on its future strategic trajectory, the CEO’s leadership extends to fostering a healthy organizational culture, overseeing financial operations, managing human resources, and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. Additionally, the CEO plays a vital role in external relations, serving as the primary voice of the organization to stakeholders such as donors, legislators, and the broader community.
The ideal candidate should possess 10 years of professional experience in education or a related field, including five years in an administrative or executive role. They should be a strategic thinker, capable of envisioning the future direction of the organization, and be able to navigate the complexities of education funding at local, state, and federal levels to advance the organization’s mission and ensuring the success of students with severe disabilities.