Chief Executive Officer

Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools (www.freedomprep.org) is a network of PreK-12 free public charter schools serving students in Memphis, TN, and Birmingham, AL. Our mission is to prepare all students in grades PreK-12 to excel in college and in life. Since our founding in 2009, we have grown from a class of 96 sixth grade students to now serving over 1950 students across multiple campuses. In 2024, we expanded into Birmingham, AL, starting with grades K-1, with plans to grow to a K-5 campus.

At Freedom Prep, we are committed to transforming education for students across the South, ensuring they have access to high-quality educational opportunities that empower them to thrive. Over the past 15 years, our students have consistently exceeded both local and state averages in math and have surpassed local benchmarks in English Language Arts on state assessments. Our mission is guided by three core beliefs: every child deserves the right to a high-quality public education, character development is essential to student success, and exposure to diverse opportunities builds the confidence and skills needed to excel in college and in life.

At Freedom Prep, we cultivate a structured, academically rigorous environment that fosters excellence in core subjects, promotes advanced academic skills, and encourages students to embody the core values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Excellence, and Community.

With the upcoming transition of Freedom Prep’s founder and current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Roblin Webb, the National Board of Directors seeks a strategic, visionary, experienced, and inspirational leader who will build on FPA’s history and legacy and lead the organization into its next chapter. The CEO will work closely with the Board, staff, families, students, and the communities FPA serves to ensure the network is successful in achieving its mission and vision. The CEO will enter Freedom Prep with the opportunity to build on its outstanding foundations, deepen its impact, elevate the quality of the organization in Tennessee and Alabama, and develop the infrastructure, systems, and resources to support future growth across the South. The CEO will work closely with the school community and the Board to refine and implement a multi-year strategic plan, manage organizational resources, and lead Freedom Prep to achieve ambitious student outcomes. The CEO will articulate and define a compelling vision for Freedom Prep’s future, as the organization continues to transform education for students across the South. The CEO will also ensure that all community members and stakeholders are invested in this vision and work in close partnership to achieve it. The ideal candidate is a strong culture builder, communicator, coach, community advocate, active listener, and will maintain a high standard of excellence for the organization. The CEO reports to the National Board of Directors and directly manages the executive leadership team, including the Chief People Officer, Chief Academic Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief of Staff, the Executive Directors of the Tennessee and Alabama regions, and an Executive Assistant.

● Achieving organizational and financial stability, including meeting ambitious fundraising goals;

● Building trusting relationships with key stakeholders and deeply understanding FPA’s organizational history and program model;

● Maintaining a cohesive culture that retains and develops high-performing leaders, teachers, and staff;

● Continuing to improve academic outcomes for FPA students in Tennessee and Alabama;

● Clarifying the path forward and building the internal conditions to support FPA’s growth across the South.

● Refine and implement a multi-year strategic vision and plan for the network in alignment with the Board, that strengthens the organization and outcomes for students and families;

● Ensure accountability by setting clear academic, operational, talent, advancement, and financial goals and priorities aligned with the strategic plan;

● Drive continuous improvement efforts, ensuring high-quality educational outcomes for students and families FPA serves;

● Build the staff, systems, and infrastructure necessary for scale and complexity as Freedom Prep potentially expands to new regions in the South;

● Further define the organization’s growth strategy, balancing the delivery of a quality program in current regions with opportunities in new states/regions to ensure that FPA continues to transform education for students and families across the South.

● Develop, coach, support, and retain a high-performing leadership team and manage them towards ambitious goals;

● Continue to clarify the national and regional model and organizational structure, including team and individual roles and responsibilities;

● Foster a positive, cohesive, and collaborative organizational culture that reflects core Freedom Prep values while maintaining responsiveness to local communities; ensure equal access to educational opportunities for all FPA students;

● Provide leadership and professional development opportunities to staff, contributing to an environment that emphasizes learning and growth, and retains top talent.

● Externally champion the mission, goals, and values of Freedom Prep, including speaking publicly, and communicating widely about the accomplishments of the organization;

● Create and execute strategies to increase student enrollment and improve school facilities;

● Ensure that Freedom Prep has a viable and sustainable short and long-term financial plan; steward the organizational budget of approximately $37 MM;

● Lead fundraising efforts to meet ambitious annual development goals (approximately $4 MM) by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting public, individual, and foundation sources of giving; ensure that schools/regions are maximizing all public revenue sources;

● Build and expand community partnerships, including with key local leaders, government officials, philanthropic organizations, and community-based organizations to enhance the network’s programs and resources;

● Interact regularly with charter authorizers and ensure compliance with all laws, regulations, and charter requirements for FPA schools.

● Continue to develop an engaged and active Board in close partnership with the Board Chair;

● Continue to clarify the roles, responsibilities, and governance structures of the regional and national boards;

● Update and strategize with the Board of Directors regularly regarding the academic state of the network, policy review, board directives, and fiscal matters;

● Continue to recruit new board members and ensure board members bring different perspectives, experiences, community ties, and areas of expertise to bear in their roles;

● Receive and incorporate board feedback on performance annually;

● Partner with the board on fundraising and capital campaign efforts.

Qualifications

The ideal CEO candidate will bring the following experiences, knowledge, skills, and mindset/values:

Required Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

● At least 10 years of professional leadership experience with increasing responsibility, including successful management of a complex educational organization, school network, or non-profit organization with ambitious goals;

● Experience successfully building, managing, developing, and supporting high-performing leadership teams; ● Experience leading, investing, and motivating stakeholders in a shared vision for an organization, and defining strategies to operationalize that vision;

● Ability to create a strategic plan with clear metrics for success, and lead a team to execute the plan;

● Strong financial management skills and acumen;

● Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills;

● Executive presence, political savvy, and superior relationship management and communications skills; the ability to engage, inspire, and energize a variety of stakeholders;

● Experience creating, improving, and scaling organizational systems and infrastructure;

● Demonstrated ability to foster a positive work environment defined by a culture of collaboration, high expectations, accountability, and continuous improvement;

● Proven ability to lead an organization through a period of change/transition while providing stability;

● Experience building and stewarding external partnerships and serving as the external face of an organization;

● A bachelor’s degree from an accredited, four-year university.

● Experience teaching and leading at a high-performing charter or district elementary, middle, and/or high school with a student population similar to the communities FPA serves;

● Proven fundraising/development experience;

● Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a large organizational budget equal to or greater than $10 MM; ● Connection to and/or understanding of the educational landscape in the South;

● Experience successfully working with (ideally reporting to) boards;

● Knowledge of charter school laws, regulations, and compliance requirements;

● An advanced degree in Education or a related field.

● Alignment with the mission and vision of Freedom Prep and an appreciation for the organization’s history and legacy in the South;

● Belief in the importance of engaging with and investing in students, families, and the communities Freedom Prep serves;

● A deep-seated commitment to leading with authenticity, integrity, and transparency;

● Future-oriented; promotes innovation to continue to improve supports and programs for the students and families Freedom Prep serves;

● Evidence of well-developed emotional intelligence, humility, growth mindset, and receptiveness to feedback.

Compensation and Application The salary range for the CEO role starts at $225,000 and is commensurate with experience. Freedom Prep offers a comprehensive benefits package and will offer relocation assistance to anyone relocating for the position. The CEO will also be eligible for an annual performance-based bonus (up to 10% of their annual salary) tied to specific organizational and academic outcomes, to be determined by the National Board. This position requires travel, including between Tennessee and Alabama, and beyond, to sustain Freedom Prep’s operations, local and national partnerships, and for continued expansion efforts across the South. Freedom Prep understands that there are many paths to acquiring experience and that lived experience can provide important skills and abilities. Therefore, Freedom Prep welcomes candidates from non-traditional backgrounds for this role, including those who have demonstrated transferable skills to carry out the major duties outlined in this job description.

We are excited that you are inspired or called to learn more about our mission, values, and potential opportunities. We’d encourage you to explore a few additional resources about us, the recent investment for what’s possible, and why you should consider our community as a place for you to become a part of. We are one of the few networks that centers the whole person and their needs to thrive and support themselves and their families in the South.

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION: At Freedom Prep, we prioritize transparency in everything we do. We believe that open communication fosters trust and collaboration. As part of this commitment, we make our salary scales available online for you to view, ensuring clarity and fairness in our compensation practices. You can view our compensation scales on our website. Please click HERE to be redirected.

Check out some of the unique and rare benefits here, including but not limited to:

-Paying higher, scaffolded teacher salaries from Year 1 to retirement stage

-Zero dollar monthly premium options, including holistic options such as chiropractic or acupuncture care (TN ONLY)

-Focus on staff well-being and collective care through our Adult Social-Emotional Learning

-Support in obtaining licensure

OUR COMMITMENT: Freedom Preparatory Academy is actively seeking to build an experienced team of educators. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are an equal opportunity employer.