Position Description:

The Hockaday School is looking for an experienced, inventive, and energetic candidate to serve as the Director of Social Impact. This position will lead the Dr. William B. Dean Institute for Social Impact and oversee a social impact program for PreK through 12th graders.

The Dr. William B. Dean Institute for Social Impact at The Hockaday School represents a distinctive and innovative approach among K-12 schools, using the power of engaged, hands-on learning to prepare students for leadership in their communities, workplaces, and society. Through new and longstanding partnerships with Dallas-area organizations, the Institute allows students to engage with diverse partners, learn from civic leaders, tackle projects with community impact, and put their creative ideas into action for lasting social benefit.

The Dr. William B. Dean Institute for Social Impact, launched in 2018, was created to bring greater purpose and alignment to Hockaday’s community engagement efforts. Since its founding by Laura Day, the Institute has become a nationally recognized leader in social impact education, with an approach that stands out among independent schools. At its core, the Institute gives students from Pre-K through Upper School opportunities to connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world. Through hands-on projects and meaningful partnerships, they learn to tackle complex challenges, collaborate with others, build empathy, and begin to discover their purpose. Leading the Institute is never the same day twice. It’s a fast-paced, people-centered role that blends teaching, mentoring, and community-building. The Director works closely with students, faculty, staff, and local partners to bring Hockaday’s mission to life—helping young women grow into compassionate leaders ready to lead lives of purpose and impact.

Essential Functions:

• Run daily programs Pre-K-12 involving community service, community engagement and service learning
• Work with division liaisons, parents, and alumni to build more ownership, involvement and knowledge of the program.
• Develop and implement an experiential engagement strategy that drives towards Institute objectives.
• Identify key needs, opportunities and potential partnerships to inform program strategy
• Serve as an Institute ambassador to cultivate relationships and secure partnerships with NGOs, foundations, community leaders, and others who support the programmatic impact initiatives.
• Lead Institute programs by setting and managing day-to-day execution against a clear vision of success and deliverables in conjunction with the Director of Innovation and Collaboration.
• Conduct research to develop subject matter expertise on issues related to social impact programs.
• Track and report key program outcomes.
• Work cross-functionally to identify, cultivate and secure Institute relationships, both locally and nationally
• Develop and implement a cohesive social and promotional strategy that incorporates compelling content and storytelling to improve engagement across platforms
• Leverage programmatic and digital analytical data to improve Institute planning, growth, and efficiency
• Abide by Hockaday’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.
• Commit to the ideals expressed in Hockaday’s Tenets of Faculty Excellence.
• Other duties as assigned by the School.

Qualifications/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience with community outreach and strong interest in social impact issues.
• Outstanding writing and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to establish authentic relationships, organize programs, cross-functionally collaborate, and lead multi-faceted projects in a fast-paced dynamic environment
• Experience with design thinking and curriculum development strongly preferred.
• A proven ability to organize complicated information and projects, and to accurately set, manage and meet deadlines
• A growth mindset and a sense of curiosity
• Experience and interest in developing innovative uses of technology in the classroom as well as comfort with its administrative use
• Ability to teach students both in the classroom and online, as needed
• Commitment to being a supportive, respectful, and energetic colleague and mentor
• Must have 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.

Training:

• 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 periodically 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.