Director of Community and Belonging

Stevenson School is a PK-12 co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school with enrollment of 770 students on two campuses in beautiful Central Coast California. The Upper Division campus (Grades 9-12) is located in Pebble Beach. The Lower/Middle Divisions Campus (Grades PK-8) is in nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea. 

It is well understood in education that a meaningful sense of belonging within a school community is key to enabling students to attain their highest academic and personal potential, and must be an area of focus if we are to realize our mission of preparing students for life at school and life beyond school, fostering a healthy relationship with learning and achievement, and helping all students shape a joyful life. As a school that brings together students from 21 countries and 17 states, with a commitment to accessibility through significant investment in financial aid, a healthy school culture relies on teaching students to live and work alongside peers from a wide array of cultures, beliefs and life experiences, guided by expert teachers and united by a common set of well-understood shared values. It is also known that employee recruitment and retention is enhanced if there is a strong sense of connection and agency that promotes in faculty and staff a feeling of being valued and included in shaping the school’s future.

Stevenson School is seeking a Director of Community and Belonging to start July 1, 2025. Reporting to the School President, the Director of Community and  Belonging (DCB) will be an integral member of the executive committee of Stevenson School’s Leadership Council. Working at the strategic level, the DCB will lead the stewardship of institutional initiatives to promote and sustain belonging for a range of constituent groups: students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni. They will develop and maintain ongoing assessment of the health of the school’s culture using carefully developed metrics to define and determine success. Outside of the school, the DCB will partner with other senior leaders in the school to cultivate and nurture relationships within the broader community of the Monterey Peninsula and greater Bay Area.

Working in partnership with the President, the Board of Trustees and the Stevenson Leadership Council, the development of a clearly articulated strategic vision that will contribute to the School’s strategic plan will be an early indicator of success. Employing a diplomatic and tactical approach, the DCB will create a bridge for educators and administrators to embrace individual and shared accountability in cultivating sustainable efforts to nourish belonging in a complex world. The DCB will be a trusted resource with whom all adults in the community can connect to ensure their voices are heard and represented in decision making.

Supervising two direct reports; a director of inclusion and belonging for the Pebble Beach campus (grades 9-12) and a director of inclusion and belonging for the Carmel campus (grades PK - 8), the DCB will support programmatic, curricular, co-curricular, and policy development. 

Along with a wealth of meaningful experience in a related role at the senior leadership level, the successful candidate will present a positive, open-minded, and helpful attitude, understand organizational and/or independent school culture, and be a skilled communicator with a demonstrated history of impeccable judgment, discipline, and collegiality in managing complicated situations with varied constituencies. Experience working with students and faculty/staff from historically under-represented populations and other countries is especially welcome. This is a full-time, 12-month/year position based at Stevenson’s Pebble Beach campus. 

In keeping with Stevenson’s core values, we seek candidates with a proven track record of commitment to and leadership of equity and inclusion work. The Director of Community and Belonging will be responsible for keeping the “joyful lives” aspect of the mission statement at the core of equity and inclusion work.

Responsibilities Include:

• Conduct a comprehensive initial audit of the School’s current equity and inclusion efforts to identify opportunities to develop new initiatives and enhance existing efforts
• In partnership with a broad coalition of schoolwide leaders, develop a strategic vision of inclusion, belonging, and community engagement that promotes the values of the School, including a review of the school’s core values
• Collaborate with division heads and intra-divisional leadership teams to work towards a cohesive approach to promote inclusion, connection and relationship-building in the Stevenson community, through:
  • ongoing professional development for faculty and staff
  • a regular cycle of curriculum review
  • ongoing development of social-emotional support for all students
  • parent education and family engagement initiatives
• Provide means to collect meaningful data and develop mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of efforts
• Collaborate as a trusted thought partner with admissions, advancement, communications and human resources to develop and support best practices relating to outreach, recruitment, retention and engagement

• Support the admissions process on both campuses through attendance at key admissions events to act as an expert source of information relating to inclusion and belonging in the Stevenson community, and supporting outreach efforts during the admissions process
• Partner with the human resources team and hiring managers to regularly review and cultivate best practices with regard to ensuring effective outreach, engagement, and accessible and equitable talent recruitment and retention practice

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Oversee and support E&I divisional directors’ efforts to:
  • Develop and cultivate programs to support the social and emotional well-being of all students
  • Guide and support opportunities for students to celebrate and find community with others who share similar backgrounds or identities
  • Provide a supportive, empathetic, and safe space for students to share and receive support and mentorship
  • Work with student leaders, residential life, and advisory programs to ensure students feel a sense of agency and connection to their peers and mentors
  • Ensure that significant cultural celebrations, holidays, and awareness events are recognized and celebrated on each campus
  • Plan and organize student participation in leadership conferences and other external opportunities focused on equity, inclusion and belonging
  • Manage the budget associated with community programming and cultural celebrations to ensure resources are appropriately allocated to support this work

General

• There may be an opportunity to teach or team-teach an elective class in an area of expertise/particular interest, or join an athletic coaching team at the discretion of the president and relevant division head
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a related area (education, social sciences, organizational leadership)
• Prior experience in a senior leadership role with a successful track record of developing and delivering on a strategic approach to inclusion and belonging
• Significant experience working with children and adolescents
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and build trust
• Highest level of professionalism, discretion and ethical leadership
• Demonstrated commitment to culturally competent practice, serving the needs of a diverse and inclusive community with diplomacy and tact

Preferred Qualifications:

• Evidence of continued professional development in equity, inclusion and belonging work
• Prior experience working in a residential community and/or with international students and families
• Fluency in multiple languages

The estimated salary for this position is $120,000 - $150,000, annually, based on experience.

In addition to competitive salary, Stevenson offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a menu of Anthem health plan options, generous retirement plan contributions, life insurance, and professional development opportunities. Meals in the School’s dining facilities are included daily for all employees when school is in session. Housing and fuel stipends are provided for eligible employees who commute to campus.

Stevenson is pleased to offer transportation support and accommodations, as needed, along with an introduction to the local area, for those candidates who travel from outside of the region for on-campus employment interviews. 

Stevenson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Interested candidates are invited to use the link provided to submit a cover letter and resume to Susan Fahey Khanna, Director of Human Resources