Who we are?

Ethical Culture Fieldston School is a progressive PreK-12 independent school that has been serving students from throughout New York City and the surrounding suburbs since 1878. ECFS offers a rich curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities. A co-ed, nonsectarian school, it serves an inclusive community of about 1,700 students on two campuses -- one in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and the other in Manhattan.

What is essential about working at our school?

The Ethical Culture Fieldston School has a long history of inclusion and belonging deeply rooted in our mission and the educational philosophy of our founder, Felix Adler. We embrace all aspects of an individual, including their ancestry, family, identity, culture, and beliefs. We affirm both our differences and commonalities and strive to balance individuality and community. In keeping with our progressive tradition, we are dedicated to increasing our students’ cultural literacy to help them understand multiple perspectives and see the world beyond the self.

We expect members of our community to engage in open dialogue about living and learning in an inclusive environment inside and outside the classroom. We see this work, with its creative tensions, as a catalyst for individual and collective growth. On a daily basis, we are committed to making this vision of a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive school a reality.

Position Summary

The Social Impact Lead serves as a leader in promoting and developing the school’s capacity to create and sustain an inclusive community. The Lead is part of the Middle School administration team and is charged with working on a divisional and an all-school level to oversee the development of social and academic programs designed to support all constituents. This 11 month position works with a team of practitioners across the four divisions and reports to the Executive Director of Belonging & Social Impact and the Middle School Principal.

The hiring range for this position is $105,000-$115,000 and will begin on August 1, 2026. When determining the salary for an offer, ECFS considers factors including, but not limited to: the scope and responsibilities of the position, internal peer equity, key skills required for the role, the candidate’s work experience, education and training, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Please note that this is an onsite role and not performed remotely. Ethical Culture Fieldston School retains its right to modify job duties in accordance with changing operational needs.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include:

Primary Leadership

• Working with the Middle School leadership team to support teachers and grade-level teams in the enrichment and refinement of curriculum though a comprehensive belonging lens;

• Leading parents and staff professional development on issues of belonging and culturally responsive curriculum, including in divisional and cross-divisional meetings;

• Partnering with the Assistant Principal of Academic Life to monitor and enhance the support mechanisms in place for student groups;

• Partnering with the Assistant Principal of Student life to monitor and implement restorative practices related to behavior and student/adult culture;

• Conducting and staying abreast of feedback, data and research as it pertains to student and staff participation and attrition and success rates;

• Regularly meeting with counselors to create and enhance support systems to promote the socio-emotional learning/growth of children;

• Supporting divisional hiring process, serving as a member of search committees;

• Serving as a member of the admissions committee; participate in open houses, accepted family receptions, and other morning and evening admissions events as needed;

• Coordinating all aspects of Beloging & Social Impact (BSI) middle school students programming;

Constituent Relations

• Serving as a liaison and resource for students, families, faculty, and staff;

• Overseeing related programming including faculty and student community groups;

• Partnering with divisional parent representatives and monitor goal setting, programming, and other topics of interest;

• Partnering with colleagues to plan and support community time assemblies, trips, and retreats to enhance community understanding;

• Attending and chaperoning important events in the life of the division and wider community;

• Teaching independent and collaborative lessons about belonging and inclusion as needed;

• Serving as a member of the Community Standards Committee (CSC) as needed;

Administrative

• Attending regular meetings and maintaining contact with the Social Impact Leads in other divisions;

• Maintaining a divisional calendar of events and monitoring all school programming in order to minimize conflicts;

• Preparing announcements and flyers to advertise programming and keeping community members informed of events;

• Creating and maintaining external relationships with agencies that support students throughout the independent school community as well as local and national organizations;

• Staying up-to-date on progressive and inclusive best practices;

• Fostering positive relationships with team members and various stakeholders;

• Motivating and inspiring the team and coworkers to achieve goals; and

• Performing other related projects and duties as assigned.

Position Requirements
The successful incumbent will posses:

• A Bachelor’s degree; Master's degree preferred;

• Previous experience working with middle and upper school students and designing and implementing curriculum preferred;

• Experience with restorative practice, conflict mediation, and facilitation skills;

• A minimum of three years of professional experience in program development and implementation, particularly community groups;

• Experience with independent school admissions process;

• Strong leadership, communication, facilitation, presentation, and organizational skills;

• Excellent verbal, written, and oral communication skills to effectively communicate initiatives, facilitate discussions, and present to various levels of stakeholders;

• A high degree of organization, resourcefulness, and attention to detail;

• The ability to collaborate and build strong relationships with faculty, administrators, and the overall community;

• A positive attitude and the ability to listen effectively and be receptive to feedback;

• The ability to identify issues quickly and problem solve accordingly, and to remain calm in stressful situations that may arise;

• The ability to handle confidential conversations and materials with discretion while maintaining a high level of integrity;

• A willingness to learn and embrace new ideas and procedures and a consistent initiative to help streamline processes and improve efficiencies;

• The ability to work collaboratively in group settings, as well as independently, to meet project goals and team needs;

• Proficiency in utilizing and learning new technologies (i.e., Google Workspace tools);

• Reliability, punctuality, and consistent attendance; and

• The ability to cultivate a welcoming culture in which all members of our community feel valued and appreciated.

To apply
All candidates should visit our employment page at www.ecfs.org to apply. Please send a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for three references.

EEO
ECFS is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to be a welcoming community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the metropolitan New York City area, our students, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to hiring practices that ensure all candidates are given fair consideration in alignment with our institutional mission and goals.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/protected veterans