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Organization Overview

Lionheart partners with local churches to launch and operate full-time child care academies in partnership in their facilities. These academies offer world-class, Christinfused pre-school, after school and summer programs designed to reach unchurched working families, serve them well and integrate them into the church. Lionheart opened its first academy in 2014 and currently stewards over 500 employees, a virtual national office, an annual budget of over $30M, and a bursting pipeline of interested churches nationwide.

Organization and Culture Overview

PARENT PARTNERSHIP

Lionheart partners with parents as they love and raise their children. For us, that is a sacred trust. We desire to cultivate real relationships of love and support for our parents in the daily hustle and bustle of life. We communicate with parents regularly to update them on all aspects of their child’s progress, so they can reinforce learning at home.

CHRISTIAN STAFF

We strive to hire only the best and most committed staff at Lionheart. As a Christian ministry, we can restrict our hiring to those who fully agree with our statement of faith and agree to abide by our Guidelines for Biblical Living. We seek to provide a great work environment, as evidenced by our eight Best Christian Workplace awards, and benefits that attract the best people. Love God wholeheartedly, love others and serve like Jesus

CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS

Lionheart operates as a front porch to young working families living within three miles of the church. We are colaborers with the church to reach their neighbors and draw them into The Kingdom. In our world, the church is the client and we are the operator.

FUN

A child’s day should be full of fun and laughter. At Lionheart, we take fun seriously, understanding that children learn and grow through play and fun more than any other education medium. We strive to create an environment throughout the academy where kids not only learn but have a FUNtastic time doing it. You will see this message reflected throughout the program – through ourdistinctive buses, daily activity plans, and team culture.

EDUCATION

Lionheart is passionate about early education. Children who receive a quality preschool education are better prepared to succeed in school and life. We are committed to providing the highest quality education for our children to prepare them for school, but more importantly, for a lifetime of learning. Lionheart’s innovative curriculum focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Our hands-on program is designed to give preschoolers a huge head start on learning core scientific concepts.

NURTURING THE WHOLE CHILD

While education is vitally important, life is not all about what you know. Well-rounded, healthy children also develop physically, educationally, emotionally, and spiritually. We emphasize physical activity and structured play while also teaching and practicing healthy eating. Most importantly, we want every child to know that they are loved unconditionally by their parents, by Lionheart, and by God. Lionheart Children’s Academy seeks to affirm children and celebrate their individual gifts. Children are taught Bible stories and encouraged to memorize Bible passages that affirm God’s love and plan for them. We believe it is critical to build a good spiritual foundation in the lives of children in order for them to grow spiritually and morally throughout their lives, giving them ballast for good decisions.

Position Overview

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lionheart Children’s Academy will function in a ministerial capacity to set the strategy, lead the team, and cultivate the culture to realize the vision for the organization. Reporting to the Board of Directors, this person will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Lionheart Children’s Academy. The role will lead with the greater purpose of sharing the gospel to children and their families. He/She will provide day-today leadership to the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief People Officer, EVP of Development and the EVP of Church Relations. The CEO will work with the Board Chairs to set meeting agendas and review the ministry’s “double bottom line”, operations, financials, and key risks. The person will be responsible for casting a compelling vision and inspiring spiritual passion through the organization and to external stakeholders. The CEO will be dedicated to protecting the culture and allowing it to grow in alignment with the organization’s core values. He/She will provide leadership and direct involvement in fundraising and capital financing to encourage the ministry to grow aggressively. The person in this role will provide coaching and mentoring with the clear intention to ready the next generation of leadership.

  • A strong alignment with Lionheart Children’s Academy mission, vision and essential core values.
  • BS in business (or related field); MBA strongly preferred; Seminary degree (or comparable education) is an asset.
  • 15+ years of successful experience leading at executive level in a faith-based nonprofit or business with similar scope of vision. Distributed, multi-site locations with a leader and lots of employees is a plus.
  • Lead teams with focus on strategy, operations, mission, vision, and financials. A bias toward innovation and rapid growth, while yielding strong parent, church and staff net promoter scores and delivering excellent financial results.
  • Commands the confidence and respect of stakeholders
  • Demonstrates a track record of promoting diversity and an ability to build collaboration with the community at large
  • Experienced in or across multiple sectors, including nonprofit, public and corporate environments desired
  • Develops partnerships, building teams and conflict management
  • Cultivates capital relationships/fundraising
  • Demonstrates a high level of intelligence and intellectual curiosity and a desire to explore new ideas and innovative approaches to solving problems

Organizational and Cultural Leadership Skills

teacher teaching a kid

SPIRITUAL MATURITY: A deep and mature relationship with Jesus Christ and passion to see the Gospel advanced. Should be firmly planted in a local church. A demonstrated track record in church and nonprofit volunteer leadership.

PASSION FOR REACHING KIDS: A soul connection to the Gospel Shot Clock and imperative to reach more kids (and young families). Prior executive and trade association leadership within early childhood education would be highly desired.

CHURCH COMMITMENT: A commitment to the local church and her role in Gospel advancement.

VISION CASTER: Proven ability to cast a compelling vision (internally and externally). A natural “promoter” with a winsome personality, drawing people and building trust, enabling them to represent the organization across all.

COMMUNICATOR: Strong and effective communications skill both written and verbal in English at all levels within the organization and externally.

THOUGHT LEADER: Sees the future and how Lionheart needs to adapt to changing environments, enabling growth and innovation which prioritize new opportunities to achieve the vision.

ORGANIZATION/PEOPLE BUILDER: Grows organization and people to achieve high growth goals. Combines vision/strategy with execution.

BUSINESSTRY: Drawn to integrating business and ministry. Either a proven business leader with a passion for ministry or a proven ministry leader with a passion/aptitude for business.

PROVEN EXECUTIVE LEADER: Leads from the heart, building high performing teams with a track record of enhancing culture and achieving success.

PLAYER/COACH: Rolls up their sleeves and helps out. A hands-on leader that “gets” the need to be in thefield where the mission

Compensation and Contact Information

The position will provide a highly attractive compensation package commensurate with the organization’s current size and its aggressive growth objectives. This includes a competitive base salary, bonus, and long-term compensation components awarded based on performance; comprehensive benefits & relocation/moving assistance are also included.

POSITION LOCATION: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Leapfrog Executive Search has been exclusively retained to complete this search.