Director of Drexel Catholic Teacher Academy

University of St Thomas•Minneapolis, MN

About The Position

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for the position Director of Drexel Catholic Teacher Academy within the School of Education. This is anticipated to be a four-year term appointment, with continuation dependent on performance, department needs, and funding availability. The University of St. Thomas is committed to belonging and equal opportunity, fostering an inclusive environment consistent with its mission to educate students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good. The Director will lead the design, launch, and implementation of the Catholic Teacher Pathway, an employment-based teacher preparation program for Catholic schools in the Twin Cities. This role is responsible for building and managing a sustainable pipeline of licensed elementary educators through program operations, candidate recruitment, school partnerships, and evaluation. Collaboration with university faculty and staff, Catholic school leaders, community college partners, and external stakeholders is key to program success and scalability. The Director will manage communications with stakeholders, oversee the unit budget, design program evaluation systems, and collaborate within the School of Education and the broader university for data management. Specific duties include oversight of candidate recruitment, program data collection and analysis, report writing, grant development, and post-program retention support. The position also involves meeting facilitation, event planning, and other assigned duties.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Education
5 years of experience working in or with Catholic Schools, preferably in Minnesota
Proficiency in project management

Nice To Haves

Education Specialist or Education-related doctorate
Prior experience with Drexel Mission Schools
An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may be substituted.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning, launch, and execution of the Catholic Teacher Pathway, including program design, timeline management, and ongoing refinement to ensure alignment with licensure requirements and program goals.
Develop and implement recruitment and marketing strategies to build program awareness and enroll/support three cohorts of candidates.
Build and maintain relationships with Catholic schools, community colleges, and other key partners to support candidate pathways, residency placements, and program success.
Coordinate and monitor high-quality residency placements, ensuring alignment between school-based experiences, mentor support, and university coursework.
Collaborate with university staff to support candidate success, including advising, onboarding, progress monitoring, and access to resources, and support retention systems post-program completion.
Lead program evaluation efforts by collecting and analyzing data on candidate performance, retention, and program outcomes, and prepare reports for stakeholders.
Monitor program budget and expenditures, ensuring alignment with grant requirements and effective resource use, and identify opportunities for program expansion and additional funding.
Perform additional duties as assigned by the Dean of the School of Education.