Christchurch School | Waterfront and Sailing Program Director

WATERFFRONT AND SAILING PROGRAM DIRECTOR
AND SENIOR HEAD SAILING COACH

Christchurch School is a co-ed Episcopal boarding and day school serving grades 9–12. Founded in 1921, it is located on a 125-acre waterfront campus on the Rappahannock River in Virginia. The school’s Mission is to inspire and guide each student's unique journey to self-confidence, purpose, and identity within a caring, structured community, where they discover their infinite value and develop the skills to become compassionate, successful, and engaged global citizens.

Position Overview. Christchurch seeks a full-time Sailing Program & Waterfront Director and Senior Head Sailing Coach. We are looking for highly motivated and skilled people who foster an inclusive workplace built on equitable policies and procedures, and who are also able to engage a diverse team of co-workers and students. We are regularly one of the top teams in the country, attracting high-level sailors from the US and abroad. Moreover, the school has one of the longest streaks of qualifying for Nationals of any high school in the country, and it hopes to add a high-level waterfront and program director, who can also act as a senior head coach, to help guide and grow the program, the teams, and the sailors.

Christchurch won the 2019 Team Racing National Championship and has won multiple District level regattas. Almost all Christchurch varsity sailors go on to sail in top college programs.

School-provided housing is included, and this position reports to the Associate Head of School.

Duties

Oversee, manage, supervise, and coordinate all facets of the School’s sailing program
Oversee, manage, supervise, and coordinate all facets of the School’s waterfront
Oversee and manage all assets, boats, equipment, etc., in the School’s sailing program
Plan, implement, and lead a successful sailing program at all levels (Begin to Sail, JV, and Varsity), while actively helping to strengthen and grow the program and the school through fundraising, marketing, public speaking engagements, networking, publishing, event sponsoring, etc.
Lead the Sailing Program (Learn To Sail, JV, and Varsity) at a high level as Senior Head Sailing Coach, while also ensuring that the program maintains its winning track record of success at the local, regional, and national levels, and continuing to attract top high school sailing talent to inquire and enroll with the School.
Oversee and manage the School’s sailing fleet, which consists of 21 – FJs, 18 – Varsity 420s, 9 JV 420s, 6 C420s, and multiple other Lasers, Sunfish, etc.
Plan and oversee practices and practice schedules in both the Fall And Spring
Plan and oversee prep for home and away regattas
Plan and oversee prep for weekend regattas, both League and District Events
Travel for regattas and program related events, as well as other sailing/school-related matters and events such as conferences, fundraising events, etc.

Collaborate and work with other key departments in the School to help work together to grow and strengthen the program and School.

Requirements & Qualifications

Candidates should be leaders who are highly organized and self-motivated with excellent communication skills. An important part of this position includes communicating respectfully and effectively with Christchurch parents, faculty/staff, coaches and other program/department leaders/directors, donors, alumni, governors, trustees, etc.; coaches for opposing teams; Athletic Directors and other administrators from opposing schools; local, regional, and national league and race officials; etc.
Proven track record of ability to successfully oversee, manage, and run a nationally competitive sailing program
Prior experience with overseeing and managing a large waterfront and/or similar area, preferably with improvements (ex. buildings, boat storage and equipment, dock, piers, boat lifts, ramps, etc.), and/or similar prior experience
Proven track record of high-level coaching experience
Prior experience racing and/or coaching in VISA, MASSA, ISSA, and/or other similar local, regional, and national associations, leagues, etc.
Prior collegiate sailing and/or coaching experience preferred, but not required
Proficiency in small boat handling, fleet, and team racing
Experience in multiple fleets is preferred
Must have legal working status in the U.S.
We cannot employ individuals with an H-1B Visa
Is organized, flexible, and willing to adjust as-needed

Physical demands

Ability to handle all physical demands of being the Waterfront and Sailing Program Director and Senior Head Coach
Ability to be mobile around campus and buildings
Ability to travel solo and/or with colleagues and/or the sailing team; the ability to drive school vehicles and transport students; and the ability to act both as coach and chaperone while traveling with the sailing team

Work environment

Fast-paced, rural, small boarding and day school
Travel is required

Equal Employment Opportunity. The School is an equal opportunity employer. The School provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and job applicants without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions including lactation, age, disability, genetic information or any other factor prohibited by applicable law. All aspects of personnel management – including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, recruitment, layoff, discipline, termination, compensation, benefits, training and working conditions – will be administered in accordance with this policy. Each employee is expected to do their part to maintain a working environment free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Conditional Offers: An offer of employment for this position is contingent upon the applicant’s right to work in the United States, authorization for and completion of successful background checks as may be requested by the school or required by law.

Compensation & Benefits:

Christchurch School offers a highly competitive compensation package for this full-time position with benefits to include excellent health plan options, retirement benefits, professional development, and networking opportunities.

Please submit an electronic resume and a letter of interest directly to Wesley M. Charlton, Associate Head of School, at wcharlton@christchurchschool.org.