Founding Principal

Founding Principal

Philadelphia, PA

The preferred application deadline is September 11, 2025. Please note that we do not guarantee review of applications received after this date.

Overview

Early College Charter School of Philadelphia (ECPHL) will begin its first year as a Philadelphia public charter school in 2026-27. Our mission is grounded in a deep care for and commitment to middle and high school students: To offer an inspiring 6th-12th grade education by fostering students’ sense of belonging and purpose, and empowering them with the competencies, connections, and credentials for fulfilling roles in high-demand industries, along with the tools to learn and thrive throughout their lives.

Our vision inspires us to bring our best selves to work on behalf of students and Philadelphia: To serve as a model for educational equity by combining an innovative and relevant program, strategic postsecondary and industry partnerships, and broad community investment to serve its students’ life pursuits and our city’s greatest needs.

We will welcome 112 sixth graders and 112 ninth graders in the fall of 2026, then add one sixth and one ninth grade class each year till the school is fully enrolled in year four. We’re building a founding team of educators - teachers, leaders and staff across all school positions - committed to their own continuous growth to provide the transformational education all students deserve.

Position

Summary

The ECPHL Founding Principal will ensure a safe and welcoming learning environment and cultivate strong relationships with, and act in service to, diverse stakeholders including families and communities. As the school’s academic and operational leader, the Principal will initiate our instructional program, promote high-quality instructional practices, oversee school performance and operations, and make structural, budgetary, and personnel decisions that promote the vision of ECPHL. The Principal should deeply enjoy working with children and believe that all students can achieve. As a member of the leadership team, the Principal will play a pivotal role in leading a high-performing community of teachers, staff, and administrators. The individual hired in this role will lead and facilitate the Instructional Leadership Team, serve on the School Leadership Team, and report to the CEO.

Responsibilities

Mission and Strategy

• Embody and lead implementation of ECPHL’s mission and vision.
• Develop and communicate strategic school systems to staff, students, and families.
• Effectively manage resources (including people and capital) and infrastructure within the school.
• Implement effective assessment systems to capture key performance metrics and use data to inform strategy and decision making.

Instructional Leadership

• Lead, supervise, develop, and evaluate a high-functioning team of educators.
• Hire academic staff with support of the HR Manager.
• Lead all aspects of curriculum development and assessment and ensure consistency within the school program and alignment with state and other rigorous standards institutions and industry leaders.
• Supervise instructional curriculum and methods, including evaluating lesson plans and ensuring the use of effective strategies that drive growth in student outcomes.
• Build out and supervise postsecondary pathways and partnerships.
• Ensure effective collection and analysis of student performance data to identify areas of success and growth.

School Culture and Engagement

• Build and lead a culture of belonging, inspiration, and commitment to the fulfillment of the ECPHL mission among the school community.
• Develop meaningful relationships with students, families, and teachers.
• Ensure regular communications and meetings with educators, students, and families to build engagement, knowledge, and awareness.
• Engage families, school partners, and other community members in meaningful activities to engender a partnership approach to support students’ learning and development.
• Hold students to high expectations for behavior that enables individual and community learning.

Operational Leadership

• Ensure the operational success (e.g., enrollment, facilities, systems, etc.) of school before and after launch.
• Create, manage, and evaluate operational processes to ensure consistency with the school’s values and goals.
• Establish and maintain effective systems for paperwork, policies, and procedures to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with organizational and legal standards.
• Maintain and monitor safety protocols to ensure school safety for students, faculty, and guests, including development of policies and implementation of regular maintenance of school building, grounds, equipment.
• Maintain compliance with state and federal safety protocols and training requirements.

Qualifications

• Deep commitment to the mission and vision of ECPHL and its role in educating Philadelphia middle and high school students and a belief that all students can achieve at high levels.
• Strong, demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Self awareness and humility; eagerness to give, take, and implement feedback and grow professionally.
• Excellent organizational and process management skills, with strong attention to detail, effective time management, and consistent follow-through in a fast-paced, multi-priority environment.
• Exceptional communication skills and demonstrated ability to collaborate successfully with various stakeholders (teachers, students, families, colleagues, external partners).
• Strong grasp of effective instructional and behavioral strategies for educating students from diverse racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Strong record of driving outstanding student results for holistic programming that integrates academics, transferable skills, and college- and career-learning.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and motivate others; prior success in managing and developing people, preferably in a school based setting.
• Strong problem solving and strategic thinking skills.
• Flexible attitude and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and rapidly-changing environment with urgency to high standards.
• At least 3 years of teaching experience and at least 2 years of experience as an instructional leader, Assistant Principal, Principal, Dean or equivalent leadership school-based leadership role. Prior experience with public education, charter schools, and early college strongly preferred.
• PA K-12 Principal certification (required); Master’s Degree (required) or Doctorate in Education Administration or related field (preferred).

Physical Requirements

• Perform essential job functions in an office setting, including using office equipment, accessing files, and communicating by phone or computer.
• Use a computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) for extended periods (up to two hours at a time).
• Travel to offsite meetings and engagements as needed.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform these essential functions.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for the Founding Principal position will be between $130,000-$150,000. ECPHL offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, dental, a 403b match up to 5%, PTO, and sick time.

Application

Interested and qualified applicants should apply here. Note: the application deadline for this position is September 11, 2025. We do not guarantee review of applications submitted after this date.

ECPHL is an equal-opportunity employer with excellent benefits and an entrepreneurial, results-oriented work culture. We are committed to hiring a diverse staff and encourage those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to apply.