Director of Fine Arts (2027-2028 SY)

Headsnetwork; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hockaday School seeks a visionary Director of Fine Arts to lead the PK–12 Fine Arts program, shaping curricular and programmatic direction across visual and performing arts, film, debate, and publications.

The Director will partner with school leadership to craft a cohesive arts vision, recruit and develop faculty, and ensure excellent experiences for students in all divisions. Occasional teaching in an area of expertise may be required.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in an arts field, education, or related field.
• Significant leadership experience in arts education.
• Ability to coach and develop faculty across disciplines.
• Experience building PK–12 curricula and programs.
• Strong advocacy for visual and performing arts.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for PK–12 Fine Arts programs.
• Develop cohesive PK–12 arts vision aligned with mission.
• Oversee budgeting and resource allocation for Fine Arts.
• Coordinate performances, exhibitions, and publications.
• Hire, supervise, and evaluate Fine Arts faculty.
• Collaborate across divisions and with external partners.

Skills

Arts leadership

Curriculum development

Strategic planning

Staff supervision

Collaboration

Education

Advanced degree in Arts or Education

Job description

Position Description (What you will do):

The Hockaday School seeks a visionary, collaborative, and student-centered Director of Fine Arts to provide strategic, curricular, and programmatic leadership for the School’s PK–12 Fine Arts program.

Creativity and collaboration are integral to a Hockaday education. Students explore their artistic passions across the arts program: Lower School musicians, Visual Art Shows, orchestras in all three divisions, film and photography programs, a nationally competitive debate program, and a largescale eighth-grade musical production. Through Hockaday’s broad and deep arts program, students develop their talents through advanced coursework and meaningful opportunities for self-expression across visual arts, music, drama, dance, and debate. A faculty of practicing artists, directors, and performers helps each student realize a personal artistic vision, and students participate in local festivals and competitions.

The Director of Fine Arts will serve as a unified voice for the Arts at Hockaday, providing leadership across the School’s visual and performing arts programs, including studio art, ceramics, photography, film and media arts, music, theatre, technical theatre, and dance, as well as debate, journalism and student publications, and other designated programs. Working closely with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, Division Heads, Fine Arts faculty and program leaders, and other members of School leadership, the Director will develop and advance a cohesive PK–12 vision for the Arts that reflects Hockaday’s mission, values, and commitment to educating girls for lives of purpose and impact. The Director will work collaboratively across Academics, Athletics, Auxiliary Programs, College Counseling, Admissions, Communications, Operations, and the Alumnae Office to ensure that Fine Arts is fully integrated into the broader student experience.

The Director will also remain connected to students and classroom practice and should have the willingness and ability to teach Fine Arts courses in an area of expertise as desired and/or as School and program needs are determined. Qualified candidates will be accomplished arts educators and thoughtful administrators who can honor the strengths and traditions of Hockaday’s existing programs while bringing the vision, organizational skill, and collaborative leadership necessary to strengthen Fine Arts across all three divisions.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you’ll...

• Develop and articulate a compelling PK–12 vision for Fine Arts that aligns with Hockaday’s mission, strategic priorities, and educational philosophy
• Serve as a visible and effective advocate for the Arts within the School community
• Provide leadership and oversight for PK–12 Fine Arts programs and the faculty and staff who support curricular and co‑curricular arts programming
• Lead the continued development of a cohesive and developmentally appropriate PK–12 Fine Arts curriculum, with strong vertical and horizontal alignment across divisions and disciplines
• Evaluate course offerings, enrollment, student participation, staffing, and program data to ensure that Fine Arts resources and opportunities reflect student needs and institutional priorities
• Oversee Hockaday’s PK–12 private music lesson program, ensuring strong program coordination, appropriate staffing, effective operations, and alignment with the School’s broader Fine Arts program
• Identify opportunities for cross‑divisional teaching, collaboration, and interdisciplinary learning
• Partner with the Assistant Head of School, Division Heads, and other School leaders in the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, professional growth, and evaluation of Fine Arts faculty and staff
• Foster a collaborative departmental culture that values the distinct expertise of individual disciplines while creating greater connection and shared purpose across the Arts
• Provide strategic oversight for performances, productions, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, competitions, publications, and other Fine Arts events and activities while empowering faculty and program leaders to lead within their areas of expertise
• Partner with Athletics and academic leadership to anticipate scheduling conflicts and support students who wish to participate in multiple areas of School life
• Develop and manage the PK–12 Fine Arts budget and steward resources strategically across programs and disciplines
• Provide strategic oversight of Fine Arts facilities, studios, performance spaces, equipment, instruments, technology, inventories, and long‑range facility needs
• Establish effective systems for planning and communication surrounding rehearsals, performances, exhibitions, publications, competitions, technical needs, facilities, and School‑wide events
• Partner with Communications to celebrate student and faculty accomplishments and ensure clear, timely, and consistent communication about Fine Arts programming
• Develop relationships with artists, arts organizations, universities, and other community partners to expand opportunities for students and faculty
• Partner with College Counseling to support students interested in arts‑related college programs, auditions, portfolios, and careers
• Collaborate with the Alumnae Office to strengthen connections with alumnae working in the Arts and develop opportunities for alumnae engagement, mentorship, and partnership with current students and Fine Arts programs
• Remain visible and engaged throughout the School by regularly attending Fine Arts classes, performances, exhibitions, productions, competitions, and community events
• Stay current with emerging practices, technologies, research, and trends in arts education and support meaningful professional learning for Fine Arts faculty
• Promote the Arts as an essential element of a Hockaday education and a powerful vehicle for creativity, collaboration, perseverance, confidence, risk‑taking, and student voice
• Teach in an area of Fine Arts expertise as desired and/or as School and program needs are determined

We’re excited about you because you have...

• An advanced degree in an Arts field, in education, or a related field is required
• Significant successful teaching experience in at least one Fine Arts discipline; experience across multiple artistic disciplines is desirable
• Demonstrated leadership experience in an arts department, school, educational institution, or comparable arts organization
• Prior administrative or program leadership experience is highly preferred.
• A broad understanding and appreciation of the visual and performing arts and the ability to advocate equitably for disciplines outside your own area of expertise
• Demonstrated experience with curriculum development, program evaluation, and curricular alignment
• Experience mentoring, developing, and supporting faculty and building collaborative professional cultures