Associate Director of Community Affairs

The Quad Preparatory School

Associate Director of Community Affairs

Immediate Opening

 

Classification: Full-time, Exempt 

Reports to: Chief Admissions & Enrollment Officer

Annual Salary Range: $90,000 - $120,000

 

At Quad Prep, we are on a mission — to transform thelives of neurodiverse, twice-exceptional people by redefining the experience of school. Through the collective, collaborative, and empathic work of our teachers and clinicians, we are empowering our students to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world.

Now in our 2nd decade, we are excited to welcome fellow innovators and collaborative colleagues to our team to be a part of this inspiring and impactful mission. At Quad Prep, a New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Accredited School, we are eager to create challenging and engaging learning experiences for our students, to seek diverse perspectives, and to work together to continuously refine and redefine best practices in neurodiverse education. Quad Prep  School actively seeks to advance diversity through its programs and hiring.

 

WHY WORK AT QUAD PREP ?

 

• ACCREDITED SCHOOL: Quad Prep  was recognized as an outstanding school when it received accreditation last year through NYSAIS.
• COMMUNITY: We are committed to building a joyful and inclusive culture where everybody is celebrated for who they are.   
• COLLEAGUES: Our colleagues are inspiring, consummate innovators and are at their happiest collaborating to create personalized solutions for each student.  
• STUDENTS We guarantee that you will learn something eye-opening every single day from our students — and have a lot of joy and laughter along the way!
• DEEP PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Quad Prep supports mission-driven educators and clinicians to grow their professional skills and influence in the neurodiversity educational space. Close collaboration with colleagues, coaching from supportive leaders, and thoughtful, in-depth professional learning programs keep us growing.
• GENEROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS
  • Health: Medical, Dental, Vision
  • Student Loan repayment 
  • Retirement Plan contribution
  • Group Life Plan
  • Disability Insurance
  • Generous Parental Leave
• WORK LIFE BALANCE:  In addition to vacation and sick time, there are approximately 21 scheduled school closure days throughout the calendar year, including a full week off during the first week of the December break. We also provide supervision each week to support your professional growth while limiting the number of after-work hours needed. Our goal is to help you live the life you want—both inside and outside of school.

 

Who We Are

(If Quad Prep  is for you, you'll read what's below and feel, "That's me!")

At Quad Prep , we are guided by values that we hold dear and we have developed an innovative set of practices to meet our mission. We are:

 

Groundbreaking: We ignite our talents and are passionate about their futures. You are:

• Passionate about our work and our mission
• Creative and excited about reaching each and every learner in new ways
• Excited to help create new, evidence-based best practices in this rapidly evolving field
• Able to set high expectations of yourself and discover ways to meet them

Collaborative:  We function with an exceedingly deep degree of collaboration. You:

• Communicate effectively with colleagues
• Seek to understand yourself and others in order to welcome new perspectives 
• Are generous of spirit and willing to give and receive feedback and input freely
• Are kind, welcoming, and inclusive

 

Trustworthy:  We are steadfast and are accountable to our students and each other. You:

• Can be counted on to do what you say you will do
• Have a high level of ownership for personal and team results
• Can purposefully develop skills to find success in your work and our learning community
• Ask for support when you need it
• Project an unflappable, firm, and kind presence 

 

Constantly Learning and Growing:  We value continued growth and learning. You:

• Seek opportunities to learn and grow in your professional practice
• Support colleagues by sharing best practices and nurturing their learning
• Help the organization grow and improve by developing and sharing new ideas and approaches

 

Resourceful:  At Quad Prep , we dig deep to meet our mission. You: 

• Are highly effective and dedicated 
• Show initiative
• Display good judgment and sensibility
• Excellent at supporting staff/student in technology needs

 

Flexible:  At Quad Prep , we never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.”   You are:

• Open to new ideas
• Nimble in fluid, changing environments
• Excited by growth, change, and innovation

 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The School is looking for an exceptional community builder to help lead parent engagement and community life at our NYC independent school for twice-exceptional (2e) learners. Our Associate Director of Community Affairs will develop close and meaningful relationships with parents, serve as a trusted point of contact for families navigating the school experience, and contribute significantly to the culture and community life of The School.

Reporting directly to the Chief Admissions Officer and working closely with the Associate Director of Admissions, this role will collaborate closely with other members of the school's ETEAM and school leadership on an ongoing basis. Prior experience within a school community setting, and an ability to establish meaningful relationships, is strongly preferred, along with a genuine understanding of and appreciation for 2e learners and their families.

Our Associate Director of Community Affairs:

• Embodies, promotes, and communicates the school's mission and core values, making them the center of all decisions and actions.
• Represents the school as a positive force within our parent community.
• Models an exemplary, collaborative, and rigorous work ethic.
• Understands and promotes the standards and policies of the school, providing stewardship as standards and policies evolve.
• Respects, affirms, and protects the dignity and worth of each member of the community and exhibits moral and ethical behavior.
• Takes an active part in the full life of the school.
• Fosters a partnership between staff and families to create a positive environment for students' academic and social-emotional learning, with particular sensitivity to the needs of 2e learners.
• Sets professional boundaries, collaborating with constituents within those boundaries.
• Is a life-long learner who enhances his/her skills, using state-of-the-art technologies to maintain high standards of performance to efficiently and effectively produce work products.

Responsibilities and tasks of the position:

• Be actively involved in building and sustaining relationships with our parent community.
• Act as an administrative liaison between the school and our parent community.
• Work with the parent community to plan and execute events that promote healthy, positive relationships among our families and with the school.
• Ensure a consistently high quality of parent experience in communications with school administration. 
• Work closely with the Parent Association President and volunteers on events and help organize and support events for our parent community throughout the school year.
• Participate in welcoming events for new families and support education programs that help families transition successfully into the life of the school.
• Serve as an advocate for The School, representing its mission and culture in all communications.
• Communicate confidently and effectively across a range of settings, from individual meetings with families to public speaking at school events.
• Support the Chief Admissions & Enrollment Officer, ETEAM, and Associate Director of Admissions in identifying and responding to community needs, with attention to the unique dynamics of 2e families.

 

Required Skills, Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree a plus.
• Prior experience in a community affairs, family engagement, events-focused, or related role at a NYC independent school (minimum 5 years experience).
• Understanding of and appreciation for the NYC independent school community.
• Familiarity with and genuine interest in supporting a gifted, twice-exceptional (2e)  neurodiverse, or learning differences population and their families.
• Exceptional writing talent.
• Exceptional verbal communication skills and ability.
• Appreciation for and desire to work in a highly relational and values-centered environment; excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and diplomacy skills.
• A personal communication style that is accessible, approachable, optimistic, and welcoming.
• Strong personal values of compassion, patience, and integrity.
• Honed ability to manage confidential situations with confidentiality, discretion, respect, and sensitivity.
• Ability to flexibly adjust to demands in a fast-paced and young organizational environment.
• Superb attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organizational and executive functioning skills.
• Experience engaging a diverse range of personas and needs within an organization.
• Proven track record of handling multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Capability of being a strong decision-maker, able to use independent judgment with limited supervision.
• Superb organizational and computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides).
• Familiarity and engagement with various social media platforms.

 

Work Environment: 

 

This job operates in a school setting. The Lower School is located on the 4th floor of one building and the Upper School is located on the 1st, 5th and 6th floors of another building, administrative suite in a separate location; all buildings have elevators. This role requires regular walking to various locations around the school and occasionally traveling back and forth between campuses located approximately two blocks away. 

Physical Demands:

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. This position is active and involves continuous standing, walking, and climbing stairs.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items under 10 pounds. Typing is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

 

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work: 

 

This is a full-time exempt position in an educational facility which is open eight hours a day. Administrative staff work year-round, including summer. Workloads and demands ebb and flow with seasons and situations, and it is expected that work outside of work hours will be required to manage surges and busy times of year. Evening and weekend events will occur throughout the year. In general, though, hours are Monday-Friday 8am - 4pm. 

 

Compensation and Benefits: 

 

Compensation is dependent upon experience and degree obtained. 

 

At Quad Prep full-time (or over 30 hours per week) employees will have access to a full range of benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), pre-tax transit, and dependent care (DC FSA) accounts; a 401K match, and student loan repayment contributions (after one year of employment); and a range of professional development opportunities, including our First Year Support Program for all new faculty and staff, our Leadership Development Institute for those interested in gaining supervisory experience, and our Administrative Retreat held at the start of each school year.

 

Application

Please be sure to submit a detailed cover letter along with your resume.

Want to learn more about Quad Prep? Connect with us!

***Note that currently, all employees are requested to be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19. In the event of an outbreak of COVID-19 or any other communicable or infectious disease, or any public-health condition designated by the New York State Commissioner of Health, that in the School's sole discretion requires operational changes, the School reserves the right to establish and modify health and safety protocols, including requiring vaccination and/or vaccine boosters, testing, or other health requirements and requests for proof of compliance. ***

ADA/AAP/EEO Statement: The Quad Preparatory School is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. We take steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People and Culture department at [email protected].

The Quad Preparatory School is based on an inclusive philosophy that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital status, creed, sexual orientation, familial status, citizenship, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law in its hiring procedures and policies.