Senior Director of School Accreditation and Teacher Education Affiliation (at Not for Profit Association)

Company Description

About the American Montessori Society 

The American Montessori Society (AMS) is the foremost advocate for quality Montessori education. AMS sets the high professional standards that inform Montessori education as practiced in AMS-accredited schools and taught in AMS-affiliated teacher education programs. AMS provides an information center for its members, the media, and the public; a voice in the public policy arena; and a mobilizing force for the global Montessori community, through support services, research, and professional development events. Thousands enjoy AMS membership globally and attend AMS's premier conference for professional Montessori educators, The Montessori Event, in person and online. AMS comprises over 20,000 members, including 1,300 private and public schools.

AMS is classified as a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.

Reports to: Executive Director

Supervises: Director of Accreditation and Director of Teacher Education

Classification: Full-time FTE (1.0), Regular, Exempt

Designation: Remote working in the Eastern Time Zone. Position involves work-related travel in the United States approximately once a month to conferences, leadership meetings and site visits. 

Employee must reside in one of the following states: Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, and Texas 

To Apply: Only applications complete with a resume and cover letter will be considered.

Note to the applicant:  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.  No calls please. Must be eligible to work in the United States.

Job Description

The Senior Director of Accreditation and Affiliation provides visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational excellence to AMS’s school accreditation and teacher education program (TEP) affiliation processes. This role focuses on enhancing quality assurance, streamlining operational efficiency, and driving growth in accredited AMS schools and AMS-affiliated TEPs. This position supervises the Director of School Accreditation and the Director of Teacher Education, ensuring alignment between these critical areas of AMS’s mission. Working collaboratively across departments and commissions, the Senior Director ensures consistency, quality, and a best-in-class experience for AMS members, contributing to AMS’s global reputation and strategic growth objectives.

Strategic Leadership

• Guide the strategic direction for AMS school accreditation and teacher education program affiliation, ensuring alignment with AMS’s mission and strategic goals.

• Develop and execute a growth plan to increase the number of accredited schools and adult learners in AMS-affiliated TEPs, with a focus on state advocacy, strategy and global expansion.

• Align efforts with the Senior Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives to uphold high standards and ensure consistency.

• Represent AMS as a thought leader and advocate for Montessori education at conferences, public forums, and stakeholder engagements.

Operational Excellence

• Understand the complexities of accreditation and affiliation processes. Lead the ongoing evaluation, improvement, and efficiency of accreditation and affiliation processes, ensuring clear communication, timely support, and transparency for schools, programs, and members.

• Identify antiquated practices, recommend solutions and implement new technologies, systems, and AI tools to enhance departmental efficiency. Innovate processes to make school accreditation and teacher education program affiliation seamless, joyful, efficient, and timely.

• Oversee operations, staffing, and resources for the Director of Teacher Education and Director of School Accreditation, ensuring accountability and operational efficiency.

• Manage the review and resolution of complex accreditation, affiliation, and ethical matters involving AMS schools and TEPs, ensuring a comprehensive and collaborative process that includes internal assessments and evaluations by the Commissions.

• Facilitate communication and collaboration between the Directors to create synergies between teacher education and school accreditation initiatives.

• Develop clear workflows, timelines, and tools to streamline processes, reduce friction for members, and maintain rigorous standards.

• Monitor and assess data and trends to identify areas of