Director, School

The Company:  GIA is the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA is a global organization with headquarters located in Carlsbad, CA. GIA in Carlsbad boasts a 17-acre ocean view campus that accommodates approximately 800 of its 3,400 total employees worldwide. It offers many competitive health and commuter benefits that promote the well-being of its employees as well as that of the environment.

The Location: This position is located in Carlsbad, California at our corporate headquarters.

What to expect:

• We offer competitive medical, dental, vision and matching 401-K plans
• Paid vacation, sick and holidays, tuition assistance, commuter benefits

The Environment:

• On-site cafe - affordable custom breakfast and lunch meals and Starbucks drinks!
• Economic friendly services - electric vehicle charging stations on-site
• Ergonomic assessments offered on-site and virtually

About the Role

GIA is seeking an experienced and visionary Director, School to provide strategic and operational leadership for a campus location. This role is responsible for ensuring academic excellence, student success, enrollment performance, financial results, workforce effectiveness, and compliance with institutional, regulatory, and accreditation standards.

As the senior campus leader, the Director, School drives campus operations, develops faculty and staff, and partners across the organization to execute GIA’s education strategy. This position plays a critical role in strengthening operational performance, enhancing student experience, and advancing GIA’s reputation within the industry and broader community.

What You'll Do

Educational Leadership

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to faculty and school staff to ensure academic quality and positive student outcomes.
• Lead campus-wide student success initiatives focused on improving retention, persistence, graduation, and career placement outcomes.
• Drive enrollment performance and student achievement by partnering with Admissions, Marketing, Student Services, and Education teams.
• Promote a student-centered culture that ensures equitable treatment, exceptional experiences, and adherence to institutional standards.
• Oversee admissions, student services, financial services, and instructional delivery to ensure effective campus operations.
• Lead the resolution of complex student issues through cross-functional collaboration and sound judgment.
• Sponsor and lead process improvement initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness, student outcomes, and operational performance.
• Ensure campus practices, policies, and procedures align with GIA’s mission, ethics, and corporate standards.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Build and lead high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Develop annual course schedules that optimize instructor utilization, classroom capacity, and student demand.
• Ensure curriculum updates, policy changes, and procedural improvements are implemented effectively across the campus.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.

Community & Industry Engagement

• Serve as the primary representative of the school within the business, educational, and gemological communities.
• Build and maintain relationships with industry partners, employers, and community organizations.
• Promote awareness of GIA education programs among prospective students and external stakeholders.
• Evaluate market trends and emerging opportunities to recommend program expansion, modification, launch, or teach-out decisions.

Operational & Financial Leadership

• Manage the school's budget and financial performance, including revenue forecasting, expense management, and resource planning.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to enrollment, retention, attendance, placement, and operational effectiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement by evaluating and optimizing business processes, policies, and resource utilization.
• Lead emergency response planning, operational continuity efforts, and reputation management initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, environmental, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
• Promote and maintain a safe learning and working environment through proactive risk management and safety oversight.

What You Bring

Leadership & Business Acumen

• Demonstrated ability to lead change, inspire teams, and drive organizational success.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to balance long-term vision and day-to-day execution.
• Proven accountability for achieving operational, financial, and student success outcomes.

Talent Development

• Experience building, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong workforce planning and succession management capabilities.
• Ability to foster an inclusive, collaborative, and engaged workplace culture.

Results Orientation

• Track record of achieving measurable results through data-driven decision making.
• Ability to establish performance measures and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience managing complex operations and competing priorities.

Communication & Influence

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Skilled at building relationships, influencing stakeholders, and navigating complex organizational environments.
• Ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences, including students, faculty, staff, industry partners, and executive leadership.

Collaboration & Relationship Building

• Proven success working cross-functionally and building strong partnerships.
• Ability to gain trust through integrity, transparency, and authenticity.
• Strong negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate Gemologist (GG) diploma or bachelor’s degree in education, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience, including at least 7 years of experience leading, developing, and managing teams.
• Experience leading educational operations, campus administration, academic programs, or similarly complex business operations.
• Demonstrated success translating strategic objectives into operational plans that drive measurable business and student outcomes.
• Proven experience managing budgets, resource planning, financial performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Experience leading organizational changes, talent development, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within vocational, career-training, higher education, or industry-related educational environments.
• Knowledge of accreditation standards, educational regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience partnering with industry organizations and developing external stakeholder relationships.

Work Location & Travel

• This is an onsite leadership role requiring regular campus presence five days per week in Carlsbad, California.
• Occasional hybrid flexibility may be available based on business needs.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally for meetings, events, and organizational assignments as required.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a professional educational and office environment utilizing standard office equipment.
• Regular communication with students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders in both in-person and virtual settings.
• Ability to work onsite on a consistent basis and move throughout campus facilities as needed.

Pay Range: $140-$180K

An Equal Opportunity Employer
All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Disclaimer: This job description indicates in general terms, the type and level of work performed as well as the typical responsibilities of employees in this classification and it may be changed by management at any time. Other duties may also apply. Nothing in this job description changes the at-will employment relationship existing between the Company and its employees.