Director of Fine Arts (2027-2028 SY)

Position Description (What you will do):

The Hockaday School seeks a visionary, collaborative, and student-centered Director of Fine Arts to provide strategic, curricular, and programmatic leadership for the School’s PK–12 Fine Arts program.

Creativity and collaboration are integral to a Hockaday education. Students explore their artistic passions across the arts program: Lower School musicals, Visual Art Shows, orchestras in all three divisions, film and photography programs, a nationally competitive debate program, and a largescale eighth-grade musical production. Through Hockaday’s broad and deep arts program, students develop their talents through advanced coursework and meaningful opportunities for self-expression across visual arts, music, drama, dance, and debate. A faculty of practicing artists, directors, and performers helps each student realize a personal artistic vision, and students participate in local festivals and competitions.

The Director of Fine Arts will serve as a unified voice for the Arts at Hockaday, providing leadership across the School’s visual and performing arts programs, including studio art, ceramics, photography, film and media arts, music, theatre, technical theatre, and dance, as well as debate, journalism and student publications, and other designated programs. Working closely with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, Division Heads, Fine Arts faculty and program leaders, and other members of School leadership, the Director will develop and advance a cohesive PK–12 vision for the Arts that reflects Hockaday’s mission, values, and commitment to educating girls for lives of purpose and impact. The Director will work collaboratively across Academics, Athletics, Auxiliary Programs, College Counseling, Admissions, Communications, Operations, and the Alumnae Office to ensure that Fine Arts is fully integrated into the broader student experience.

The Director will also remain connected to students and classroom practice and should have the willingness and ability to teach Fine Arts courses in an area of expertise as desired and/or as School and program needs are determined. Qualified candidates will be accomplished arts educators and thoughtful administrators who can honor the strengths and traditions of Hockaday’s existing programs while bringing the vision, organizational skill, and collaborative leadership necessary to strengthen Fine Arts across all three divisions.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you’ll...

• Develop and articulate a compelling PK–12 vision for Fine Arts that aligns with Hockaday’s mission, strategic priorities, and educational philosophy
• Serve as a visible and effective advocate for the Arts within the School community
• Provide leadership and oversight for PK–12 Fine Arts programs and the faculty and staff who support curricular and co-curricular arts programming
• Lead the continued development of a cohesive and developmentally appropriate PK–12 Fine Arts curriculum, with strong vertical and horizontal alignment across divisions and disciplines
• Evaluate course offerings, enrollment, student participation, staffing, and program data to ensure that Fine Arts resources and opportunities reflect student needs and institutional priorities
• Oversee Hockaday’s PK–12 private music lesson program, ensuring strong program coordination, appropriate staffing, effective operations, and alignment with the School’s broader Fine Arts program
• Identify opportunities for cross-divisional teaching, collaboration, and interdisciplinary learning
• Partner with the Assistant Head of School, Division Heads, and other School leaders in the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, professional growth, and evaluation of Fine Arts faculty and staff
• Foster a collaborative departmental culture that values the distinct expertise of individual disciplines while creating greater connection and shared purpose across the Arts
• Provide strategic oversight for performances, productions, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, competitions, publications, and other Fine Arts events and activities while empowering faculty and program leaders to lead within their areas of expertise
• Partner with Athletics and academic leadership to anticipate scheduling conflicts and support students who wish to participate in multiple areas of School life
• Develop and manage the PK–12 Fine Arts budget and steward resources strategically across programs and disciplines
• Provide strategic oversight of Fine Arts facilities, studios, performance spaces, equipment, instruments, technology, inventories, and long-range facility needs
• Establish effective systems for planning and communication surrounding rehearsals, performances, exhibitions, publications, competitions, technical needs, facilities, and School-wide events
• Partner with Communications to celebrate student and faculty accomplishments and ensure clear, timely, and consistent communication about Fine Arts programming
• Develop relationships with artists, arts organizations, universities, and other community partners to expand opportunities for students and faculty
• Partner with College Counseling to support students interested in arts-related college programs, auditions, portfolios, and careers
• Collaborate with the Alumnae Office to strengthen connections with alumnae working in the Arts and develop opportunities for alumnae engagement, mentorship, and partnership with current students and Fine Arts programs

We’re excited about you because you have...

• An advanced degree in an Arts field, in education, or a related field is required
• Significant successful teaching experience in at least one Fine Arts discipline; experience across multiple artistic disciplines is desirable
• Demonstrated leadership experience in an arts department, school, educational institution, or comparable arts organization
• Prior administrative or program leadership experience is highly preferred.
• A broad understanding and appreciation of the visual and performing arts and the ability to advocate equitably for disciplines outside your own area of expertise
• Demonstrated experience with curriculum development, program evaluation, and curricular alignment
• Experience mentoring, developing, and supporting faculty and building collaborative professional cultures
• Experience managing budgets, resources, complex programs, and multiple simultaneous projects
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, particularly related to performances, productions, exhibitions, competitions, publications, and major events
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• The ability to build productive relationships with students, faculty, staff, administrators, families, alumnae, and community partners
• The ability to balance long-term strategic vision with the day-to-day operational needs of a complex and highly visible Fine Arts program
• A student-centered approach to decision-making and a demonstrated ability to navigate competing priorities collaboratively
• A genuine appreciation for children and adolescents across the PK–12 developmental continuum
• A commitment to being an approachable, thoughtful, supportive, and energetic colleague and mentor
• Willingness and ability to teach Fine Arts courses within your area of expertise as appropriate
• Willingness to attend performances, productions, exhibitions, competitions, and other School events that may occur during evenings and weekends
• The ability to work in a school environment through satisfactory completion of all legally required and School-required background and screening checks and verifications, including criminal and sex offender background checks

Why you'll love working at Hockaday...

• You’ll join a mission-driven, joyful community that believes deeply in the limitless potential of girls
• We are a community grounded in the Hockaday Cornerstones—Character, Courtesy, Scholarship, and Athletics—and you’ll bring these values to life in your daily work
• We are energized by meaningful challenges, embrace a growth mindset, and seek creative solutions that positively impact our students
• We honor our rich traditions while embracing innovation across all areas of the School.
• We value diverse perspectives and cultivate an environment where every voice is respected and every community member feels they belong
• We work collaboratively, support one another, and take pride in the strong professional relationships that define our community
• We offer competitive compensation and insurance packages, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and long-term disability benefits
• Lunch is provided daily during the school year
• We value professional development and offer extensive opportunities for you to grow, including networking with colleagues, conducting research with college professors, and even traveling the world!

In this role, you will...

• Serve as an example to colleagues in manners of classroom management, teaching methods, and school procedures
• Participate in all requisite School trainings prior to the start of the school and throughout the School year
• Attend required staff development and training sessions throughout the year
• Attend periodic in-service meetings
• Acknowledge receipt of the current Employee Handbook and are responsible for reviewing the contents and abiding by rules, policies and procedures stated in the Handbook or otherwise by the School
• Abide by Hockaday’s Code of Ethics and Conduct
• Commit to the ideals expressed in Hockaday’s Tenets of Faculty Excellence

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Regularly works in standard office or classroom conditions and climate
• Regularly uses close and distance vision, including working at a computer screen for extended periods of time; ability to observe students from various distances
• Frequently required to move around the office/classroom; works at a desk for extended periods of time
• Ability to occasionally move items weighing up to 30lbs. across the campus/classroom/office
• Ability to regularly support before and after-school or weekend events
• Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries with students, fellow staff and community members

About The Hockaday School:

The Hockaday School is an independent, college preparatory school for girls of strong potential and diverse backgrounds who may be expected to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a rapidly changing world. With an enrollment of more than 1,100 students, The Hockaday School is the nation’s largest prekindergarten through grade 12 independent girls’ school. Ranked among the country’s finest college preparatory schools, it was founded over a century ago and continues today to build on its original Four Cornerstones: Character, Courtesy, Scholarship, and Athletics.

Hockaday’s faculty are recognized as experienced leaders in their field and students in every grade benefit from outstanding faculty and access to unmatched resources. Families who choose Hockaday care deeply about providing their daughters with a comprehensive and rigorous education, both inside and outside the classroom. Hockaday’s student body reflects the diversity that is deeply valued by the School.

Limitations and Disclaimer:

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. This job description reflects administration’s assignment of essential functions; and nothing in this herein restricts administration’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

The Hockaday School is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy not to discriminate, and to comply with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, or other applicable protected classification.