Details
Posted: 10-Jan-22
Location: Chatham, Virginia
Type: Contract
Required Education: 4 Year Degree
Categories:
Other
Chatham Hall is excited to announce the opening of the search for a Director of Riding. Chatham Hall—a girls’ grades 9-12 boarding and day school in southern Virginia—has been a leader in educating girls and preparing them for college since 1894. The School’s Riding Program is a distinguishing feature of its strong, expanding Athletics Program and includes a legacy of IEA championships at local, regional, and national levels. The successful candidate for Director of Riding will demonstrate, in addition to expertise in the field and leadership in horsemanship, a sensibility both for boarding school life and for the dynamic balance of excellence in academics and athletics characteristic of Chatham Hall.
The Chatham Hall Riding Program is a unique experience among equestrian boarding schools. Our program offers the American Forward System of Riding fundamentals in accordance with modern hunter and equitation styles. Students learn the theory behind the instruction and how to handle a variety of horses. Taking a holistic approach to lessons, students benefit from mounted and unmounted instruction, a fitness plan, best dietary habits, and sports psychology. This approach to training the equestrian athlete ensures achievement while competing as well as with any challenge at hand.
The Director of Riding oversees the philosophy and logistical management of the Riding Program. This includes facilities upkeep and renovation, faculty/staff management and development, programmatic budget, student and faculty education and the oversight of our equine partners. This is a 12-month faculty position.
Responsibilities
Acts as a liaison and consistent representative of the Riding Department in communication with varying departments on campus including (but not limited to): Athletics, Academics, Advancement, Business Office, Enrollment, and Student Life. Oversees internal and external communication regarding the mission and philosophy of the riding program.
Working with Students
- Teaching – Works with the whole student as an athlete. Teaches the theory as to why we do what we do at Chatham Hall Riding. The ideal candidate must be able to teach quality lessons to advanced students and have a desire to continue to develop new ways to impart information. At the same time the candidate must be willing to teach and share expertise with lower-level riders as well. Ultimately, the candidate should have a grasp of or willingness to learn how best to work with high school aged students in a boarding school environment.
- Advising - Acts as an academic advisor yearly to assigned students.
- Coaching - Head IEA Coach for interscholastic competition team. Coach and train students at on-campus horse shows and away shows and supervises student-athletes while traveling, scheduling, and registering athletes. Ideally the candidate would have a record of coaching students to top placings in finals at some level, IEA or IHSA, and come to campus and teach a variety of engaging lessons to our students as part of the search process.
Facility Management
- Budget - Adherence to and oversight of yearly budget, participates in regular meetings with the Business Office for expense overview. Attention to meeting yearly financial goals set by Business Office and School Leadership in terms of revenue.
- Physical Plant - Oversight of regular maintenance to multiple buildings, stables, arenas, and approximately 80 acres of fenced in turnout. Regular communication with Chatham Hall Grounds and Maintenance about short and long-term projects. Participation in master planning for physical spaces on campus that may affect the riding program.
Auxiliary Programming & Revenue
- Oversees all programs, rentals, and revenue generating events under the Riding Department’s purview. This includes facility rentals, horse shows, summer programs, and clinics.
- Horse Show Manager - Regular association meeting attendance and representation of the Riding Program at annual meetings. All responsibilities of a typical show manager for 3-4 on campus horse shows a year.
- Facility Rentals & Clinics - Recruitment of facility rentals and clinics during non-academic months for mission appropriate groups. Oversees contracts, coordination with group representatives, facility prep, and group management.
- Summer Programs - Teaches advanced sections of summer programs.
External Representation & Industry Connections
Represents Chatham Hall and the Riding Program at various events throughout the year: horse shows with students, recruiting events, trade shows, vendor fairs, etc. It is key that a director brings in connections to the equine world and utilizes professional contacts for the recruitment of equine donations and prospective students.
Personnel Management
Manages three teaching faculty, three stable staff, and multiple part-time staff and/or volunteers. Oversees the yearly calendar for travel, on campus events, time/off, and regular professional development. Mentors riding faculty in the development of their teaching, personal riding, and their overall professional resume. Oversees long-term strategic support of the horses in the riding program - both privately and school owned. This includes veterinary care, farrier care, training schedules, show schedules, feeding and supplements.
Other Pertinent Duties
Regularly attends clinics, seminars, and actively seeks seats on relevant national or regional committees relevant to the equestrian profession.
Chatham Hall is a boarding school where adults are fully engaged in the life of the School beyond their immediate scope of work. The Director of Riding serves as an advisor to a small group of students, has weekend duty as assigned, and serves as a study hall proctor, as well as other duties expected of full-time employees that live on campus.
Chatham Hall seeks candidates who will contribute to and are committed to diversity and multicultural educational practices and demonstrate a dedication to working in a diverse community. The School seeks candidates who communicate e?ectively with diverse populations, create an inclusive work environment, and will engage in professional development opportunities to further develop inclusive management practices.
Qualifications & Benefits
The qualified candidate will hold a minimum of a B.S. or B.A. degree and have five years of equine program management experience. Salary and benefits are competitive; housing and meals provided.
To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, and list of references to Tammy Waters at twaters@chathamhall.org.
