About Hopkins School and Pathfinder
Founded in 1660 by the nation’s first charitable trust, Hopkins School is a traditional, independent, gender-inclusive day school of 710 students in grades 7–12. Located on a 108-acre campus overlooking New Haven, the School takes pride in its distinguished faculty and a dedicated staff. We define ourselves as a community of civility and learning, one that educates students from diverse backgrounds to a full measure of their talents and humanity.
Since its founding in 1993, Pathfinder has been a signature program of Hopkins School with a dual mission to provide educational opportunities for local students from traditionally underserved communities while serving as a workshop in education for young people interested in careers in teaching. Known successively as Summerbridge New Haven (1993-2005), Breakthrough New Haven (2006-2016), and Pathfinder Hopkins School (2017 to present), this award-winning academic enrichment program provides a rigorous after-school and summer program to motivated middle school students in grades 5-8 who attend New Haven-area schools.
Pathfinder students engage in a comprehensive, 5-week summer school at Hopkins that includes classes in English literature, history and social studies, dramatics, mathematics, and science. During the spring semester, they come to Hopkins once a week for after-school enrichment classes in mathematics, literature, creative writing, and science. Most classes at Pathfinder are taught by professional teachers from area public and private schools with the aid of trained high school-aged volunteers and Teaching Fellows who are in high school and college. In addition to academic enrichment, Pathfinder helps students and their families navigate the high school options process by providing SSAT prep, application and magnet lottery workshops, and individual meetings with families.
The program currently serves 115 students and their families. The program employs thirty staff-persons during the summer including administrators, professional teachers, teaching fellows, and instructional coaches along with up to ten volunteers. During the school year, the program employs eight professional staff-persons including administrators and professional teachers and up to thirty-five volunteers.
Position Overview
The Executive Director of Pathfinder is an administrator at Hopkins School with teaching responsibilities whose core responsibilities are the overall leadership, management, and strategic direction of the Pathfinder program. This role encompasses program development, staff management, curriculum oversight, fundraising, and community partnerships. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic and experienced leader with a passion for education and a commitment to serving underserved students.
Position Responsibilities
Program Development and Implementation
Develop and implement innovative teaching and learning models aligned with research-based best practices.
Design and oversee professional development initiatives to enhance teacher and teaching fellow effectiveness, and student outcomes.
Collaborate with faculty, staff, and external partners to identify and address program challenges and opportunities.
Oversee the continual development and implementation of a comprehensive student information system to optimize data management and analysis.
Demonstrate agility and adaptability in response to changing circumstances and emerging challenges.
Develop a strategic plan for program growth, incorporating insights from various stakeholders, academic literature, and best practices.
Staff Management and Development
Recruit, hire, and support a high-performing team of teachers, teaching fellows, staff, and volunteers.
Provide leadership, mentorship, and coaching to staff to foster professional growth and development.
Manage staff performance, including setting goals and providing feedback.
Design and implement effective staffing models to optimize resource allocation and program efficiency.
Fundraising and Financial Management
Collaborate with members of the Hopkins Advancement team to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to secure financial resources for program operations and growth.
Manage a program budget of approximately $500,000, ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, foundations, and other key stakeholders.
Develop and report program metrics to stakeholders and donors.
Community Partnerships
Collaborate with schools, districts, and community organizations to expand program reach and impact.
Build and maintain strong relationships with parents and families to foster engagement and support.
Represent the program in the community through public speaking, media relations, and other outreach activities.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in any field; advanced degree in education, leadership, or a related field preferred but not required.
Proven track record of successful leadership in education.
Experience in curriculum development, instruction, and assessment.
Strong organizational and management skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Experience with budget management, fundraising, and grant writing.
Passion for working with underserved students and a commitment to educational equity.
Proficiency in Spanish, preferred but not required.
This job description is a general overview of the position and may not include all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications.
Preferred Start Date
To ensure a smooth leadership transition and provide training opportunities, the start date for this position is flexible beginning mid-May 2025. However, candidates should be available to begin in-person, full-time work no later than July 1, 2025.
Salary Range
$115,000 - $130,000 and employment benefits as detailed in the Hopkins Employee handbook.
For more information about Hopkins School, please browse our website
www.hopkins.edu.
If you would like to apply for this position, please send a cover letter, current resume, and contact information for three professional references:
Geoffrey Nelson
Dean of Faculty
Hopkins School
gnelson@hopkins.edu
Hopkins is an equal opportunity employer. It has been and will continue to be the policy of Hopkins to be fair and impartial in all of its relations with its employees. Our employment decisions are made solely on an individual’s ability to perform the job. In accordance with federal, state, and local law, Hopkins does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived differences, including those based on race, color, religion, ethnicity, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, familial status, gender and gender identity, pregnancy, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation and disability, sexual and reproductive health decisions, or toward victims or those perceived to be victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse or stalking, as well as any other status protected under federal, state, or local laws. Retaliation based on any of the above protected characteristics is absolutely prohibited.
Hopkins School believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity, and it prohibits discrimination because of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, genetic information, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital or civil union status, sexual orientation and other legally protected classes or classifications.