Associate Dean of Faculty

Deerfield Academy, a private coeducational boarding school founded in 1797 and annually serving approximately 650 students grades 9-12, seeks an Associate Dean of Faculty with a start date of July 1, 2023. The new Associate Dean will join an Office of the Dean of Faculty that includes the Dean, an additional Associate Dean, an Assistant Dean, and an Executive Assistant, and will collaborate with all team members to recruit, hire, onboard, retain, support, develop, and evaluate the faculty.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the program of sustained career-long professional development for the faculty, with particular focus on:

• Hiring Early-Career Teaching Fellows. Coordinating the process of selecting and holding accountable faculty involved in our mid-career professional-development partnerships. Collaboratively developing and leading mid-to-late career development opportunities, such as sabbaticals and mentoring of less experienced teachers. Identifying topics and coordinating the visits of note-worthy thought leaders for an annual series of Deerfield Faculty Seminars – similarly collaborate on the planning and execution of annual Deerfield Forums.

Collaborate and contribute to the generalized portfolio of the Dean of Faculty’s Office, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and retaining highly qualified teaching faculty, based on the recommendations in the proposal to “Hire, Recruit and Retain a Diverse Faculty.” Onboarding new faculty via the Summer New Faculty Orientation and the ongoing orientation program delivered during the school year. Participating in the faculty appraisal process to ensure faculty fulfill the school’s mission and meet the standards of excellence articulated in the "Framework for Faculty". Responding appropriately to specific needs and requests from faculty to ensure that they are fulfilled and stimulated by their work, collaboratively identifying growth opportunities for faculty to renew themselves and develop the capacity to fulfill the school’s expectations.

Administrative Tasks

• Help plan and coordinate faculty meetings and associated agenda, prioritizing the topics of discussion and dissemination of information. Optimize efficiency, make recommendations for systems/process improvements, and assist other administrators in developing solutions.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

• Teach one class. Carry a selection of standard faculty out-of-classroom duties (athletics coaching or leading other co-curricular activities, dormitory residence or supervision, advising, committee work, family-style dining hall meals with students) that will allow for both meaningful involvement in the life of the school and space to fulfill the primary administrative responsibilities of the role.

The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for candidates who are strategic and nuanced thinkers, capable of helping to assemble and guide a faculty dedicated to fostering in students the fundamental traits outlined in The Deerfield Student: leadership and judgment, open-mindedness and curiosity, mastery and metacognition, and scholarship. Additionally, we seek colleagues who are life-long learners.   Beyond the classroom, candidates must be prepared to fully participate in the life of a bustling boarding school, teaching, mentoring, and modeling in all aspects of school life. We seek educators engaged with the complicated world around us. As demonstrated by our programs and curriculum, including the speakers we bring to campus, this is a hallmark of the school. Head of School John Austin’s October 2021 Fall Family Weekend Address speaks to this. We believe diversity and inclusion are essential elements of a thriving educational community and actively seek candidates who are members of and/or exhibit the skills needed to support traditionally underrepresented groups, especially in terms of race, sexual orientation, and educational background.

Additionally, candidates for this position will possess the following specific attributes/qualifications:

• Master’s Degree (required)

• At least five years of combined experience teaching and leading other teachers
• At least three years of administrative experience, preferably in academic environments
• A relentlessly student-centered approach to teaching and learning
• Demonstrated managerial skills, both interpersonal and organizational
• Demonstrated capacity to think strategically
• Demonstrated experience in mentoring/coaching teachers to develop new skillsets and mindsets
• Demonstrated multicultural competency and commitment to inclusivity, including viewpoint diversity
• Demonstrated ability to work in teams and establish partnerships with external third parties
• Demonstrated ability to multitask effectively
• A high degree of energy and flexibility
• A sense of humor

Why Deerfield?

Deerfield Academy offers faculty an opportunity to contribute to a dynamic educational institution, continue to develop professionally, and live in a close-knit community. Among the reasons faculty are drawn to and continue to work at Deerfield:

• Our students, who come to us from 36 states and 47 countries, are excited to learn, work hard at their studies, and actively engage in a variety of activities outside the classroom. Our 300-acre campus boasts exceptional facilities and access to the picturesque natural surroundings of Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley. Our physical spaces on and adjacent to campus support powerful teaching, learning, and community building. Our proximity to the Five Colleges network (Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst) provides ample opportunities for collaboration beyond our campus.
• Our faculty members are committed to continuous growth for themselves and our programs, and we provide extensive support for that growth. Over the past five years, we have committed $1.6M to fund faculty professional development, including supporting 33 faculty in their work toward advanced degrees.
• Our faculty enjoy an excellent benefits package, including on-campus housing, meals, and use of campus facilities for themselves and their families.

Anticipated Search Calendar
Application Deadline: 2/22/23
Semifinalist Zoom Interviews: Week of February 27
Finalist Visits: March 22 - 29
Starting Date: July 1, 2023

Application Requirements and Search Process 

DRG Talent Advisory Group is conducting this search on behalf of Deerfield Academy. To discuss this opportunity in more detail, contact our lead consultant:
Andrew Watson
Senior Search Consultant
awatson@drgtalent.com

Candidates should submit, as soon as possible, materials including the following: 

• A cover letter indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position. 
• A current resume. 
• A statement of philosophy around leadership and support of faculty members. 
• The names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references, to include the relationship with the references. (We will obtain permission from candidates, at the finalist stage, before contacting references.) 
• Optional: other supporting material (articles, speeches, videos, or letters of recommendation) that would be useful to the Search Committee. 

Candidates should upload materials directly on the DRG website by visiting the Deerfield Academy listing at DRG Talent.