Ballet School Director

Job Description - SJDT  School Director

San Jose Dance Theatre is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and visionary arts educator to serve as our School Director. Reporting to the Artistic Director, the School Director is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations, educational programming, and growth of SJDT Academy while serving as the bridge between students, families, and faculty. This full-time leadership position oversees curriculum development, student evaluations and placement, faculty support, enrollment growth, outreach initiatives, and academy operations. The ideal candidate is passionate about dance education, community engagement, and fostering excellence in training while helping advance SJDT’s mission of providing outstanding dance education and performance opportunities for dancers of all levels. This role offers a salary of $60,000 plus benefits and the opportunity to help shape the future of an organization with a proud 60-year legacy in the Silicon Valley arts community.

Position: San Jose Dance Theatre School Director

Supervised by: Artistic Director 

Purpose of Position: To work with the Artistic Director to create, develop, implement the programming of the school, summer intensive and student performances, outreach and collaborations that fulfill the mission of the organization.

Time Commitment: Full Time $60k plus benefits

Company Mission:     SJDT’s core Mission is to maintain excellence in ballet and contemporary dance training & performances and provide innovative opportunities for dancers of all levels.  We seek to enrich our community through collaborations with artists and art organizations, connecting with the rich diversity that San Jose offers.  

Responsibilities:

1. SJDT Academy: 

In connection with your employment, you shall perform certain services for the SJDT as School Director  (SD) including, but not limited to:

• SD to be the face of the school, greet and get to know the families and dancers we serve. 
• SD to provide curriculum to faculty to manage and lead teachers regarding training for their respective student levels.  Curriculum to Include matrix for progression of levels. 
• SD to decide which level in the school students will be placed.
• SD to provide mandatory annual evaluations of students, with students and parents.  Enlist other staff as needed as deemed suitable to SD.  Evaluations may be more frequent than annually at discretion of SD.  
• SD to hold faculty meetings each quarter to gauge with the teaching staff any concerns, progress, wins, losses, etc. and determine any revised courses of action or recommendations for improvement.  
• SD, during productions, interface with the public for recruitment opportunities for the school and follow up on all leads.  
• SD to coordinate with the Executive Director and  marketing team to build enrollment.  
• Identify new teachers that would be a good fit for SJDT academy
• Build process for substitute teaching requests 
• Organize, revise or refine class schedules and manage changes with teaching staff working with AD 
• Rehearsal schedules are not to conflict with scheduled school classes  
• Implement dress code
• Teach summer intensive classes and produce content for the showing at conclusion of intensive

• Identify candidates for SJDT’s tuition scholarship. SJDT offers a male scholarship, diversity scholarship, and tuition assistance. 
• School Director to be consulted on all scheduling announcements, SJDT news updates, and emails with announcements to be sent to families and students of the school, as needed.    

2.  Promote SJDT’s focus on, and fulfillment of, its Mission

• Work with the staff, dancers, students, families, the Board, and volunteers to promote a positive atmosphere of community and accomplishment for, and within, the organization.
• Network with other arts organizations, music directors, and community groups to increase the visibility of SJDT and to encourage and build collaboration.

3.  SJDT Productions:  

• Choreograph, as needed, at the direction of the Artistic Director/Choreographer of the production. 
• MUST BE available on Saturdays to oversee rehearsals. 
• Find areas of opportunities for performance events outside of SJDT in which company dancers or selected students can participate and build the identity of SJDT in the San Jose and Bay Area. 
• SD to work with AD/ED to schedule all Parent/Performer Meetings with assistance of front desk staff as needed and with all other staff to be involved with such meetings

4.  Outreach projects:  

• Work with the Executive Director to design and implement outreach programs for each calendar year.  Involve teaching staff and dancers, to implement and present outreach programs to area schools or other venues. 
• Prepare and present community performances
• Prepare and present lecture demonstrations to schools
• Work with the Executive Director in planning, scheduling, communication and programming for SJDT outreach.
• Research outreach opportunities, online and live.  
• SD to attend outreach presentations initially to assess presentation, quality, completeness, room for improvement, and creating relationship(s) with recipients’ management and audiences.  Lead outreach team in delivering and maintaining quality of offerings.  

7.  Communicate regularly with the Artistic Director:

• Meet regularly with AD regarding school, students, direction of teachers, upcoming productions and planning.
• Build a collaborative team with teaching staff, with open communication.