DRG Search Retained by Bronx Charter School to Find New Leader
November 4, 2019 – The economic strength of the non-profit field has increased in recent years and it is now the third largest employer in the U.S. Nearly two million non-profit organizations employ 10.7 million people and produce revenue in excess of $1.9 trillion. This has certainly kept search firms busy. Recently, DRG Search was selected to find the next executive director for The Bronx Charter School for Better Learning. Dara Klarfeld, the firm’s CEO, is leading the assignment along with search specialist Eboni Gates.
For more than a decade, The Bronx Charter School for Better Learning has been led by Kevin Brennan, who is retiring.
The Bronx School for Better Learning wants an extraordinary and seasoned leader who can drive success in a cross-cultural environment, said DRG Search. The individual will directly manage a team of academic, operations, programs and community engagement professionals; he or she will ultimately be responsible for all of the staff on campus. The executive director will work with the board of directors, principals, teachers, professional development specialists, guidance department, parent organization and community leaders to fulfill the mandate of the school’s charter.
The school wants a visionary leader and developer of diverse executive and academic leadership talent as well as a communicator and team builder who is always focused on fostering a trusting and collaborative culture.
DRG said that the executive director should have “experience developing and managing a budget with transparent financial accountability along with successful experience in building and developing a resource generation plan including stewarding donors, grants management and capital campaigns.” It is also important that the candidate have experience with charter school management and regulatory compliance. A history of effective decision-making driven by data and analytics is also desired.
The Bronx Charter School for Better Learning provides students with a solid foundation for academic success, through achievement that exceeds citywide averages and meets or exceeds New York State standards and national norms in all curriculum areas tested, especially in mathematics and language arts, said the school.
The school considers the diversity of its workforce to be vital to the organization’s success in meeting its mission. It strongly encourages applicants from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender and physical abilities to apply.
Non-Profit Recruiters
Founded in 1987, DRG Search specializes in recruiting for the non-profit sector. The New York City-based firm has placed more than 1,000 professionals in senior-level positions for over 800 clients nationwide. Some of its recent placements include the chief development officer for the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, chief executive officer at Project Renewal, and president and CEO of NYSID.
Ms. Klarfeld worked in the non-profit sector for more than a decade before joining DRG Search. In her search practice she helps non-profit clients to identify and resolve challenges by facilitating complex conversations and building consensus around organizational priorities, DRG said. Her broad and diverse networks have helped her to find and recruit professionals from diverse fields. Her executive search practice includes partnerships with the Elmer A. Henderson School, the Hearing Health Foundation, the Weber School, Prizmah, the JCC Association, the New Teacher Center and UJA-Federation of New York.
Ms. Gates assists consultants in all aspects of the search process and specializes in finding the right candidate for the client. Her previous experience in non-profit executive recruitment and in foundations give her “an insider’s” perspective on the issues currently facing the non-profit world.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
