Nordic Director or Assistant Director

Nordic Program Director

or Assistant Director (experience dependent)

Job Description

Holderness School seeks a full-time Nordic Program Director to promote passion and spirit for the sport of Nordic skiing. Reporting to the Holderness School Snow Sports Director, Ben Drummond, this position contributes to the overall success of the school’s on-snow programs. The role is responsible for managing the newly homologated Davis Cross Country Ski Trails, with coaching, instructing, recruiting, and building the ski community at Holderness.

Holderness School occupies an important place in the New England Nordic skiing community, through its history of instruction and competition, its updated facilities, and through its long commitment to junior athlete development. US Ski & Snowboard has named Holderness School a USSS Gold-certified club and a high-performance center, the highest honor award to an affiliated ski program. Gold-certified clubs possess a heightened level of accountability to maintain and build upon areas of both strength and improvement, to ensure the longevity and stability of the organization, and to help, through feedback and observation, to grow the cumulative strength of clubs throughout regions and across the country.

Overview

Located amid the lakes and mountains of central New Hampshire, Holderness School is a traditional co-ed independent secondary school, serving grades 9-12. Holderness strives to strike a balance in fostering the resources of the mind, body, and spirit: the mind through a challenging college preparatory curriculum; the body through outdoor activities and required interscholastic athletics; and the spirit through school and community service and affiliation with the Episcopal Church. Holderness remains by choice a small school where everybody plays an important role, and where students, faculty, and staff maintain close personal relationships.

Diversity Mission Statement

Holderness School is committed to being a community that celebrates and supports diversity in its many forms because multiple perspectives and experiences are vital to educational excellence and strengthening our community. Diversity refers to the human facets of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. Holderness strives to create opportunities for cooperation, broaden the educational experience of all students, and enrich the lives of all community members.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and coach the Holderness School Nordic Ski Team.
• Collaborate with Head Coach Pat Casey to develop and implement a training and competition plan for the Holderness Nordic team and Holderness Nordic Club Eastern Cup Skiers.
• Collaborate with the Director of Facilities, CFO, and the snowmaking team on snowmaking schedule, quality, depth, and grooming.
• Schedule, plan, coordinate, and host large events such as Lakes Region independent school league, state-wide Coaches Series, and New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) Eastern Cup races and Championship Events.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate training records, race schedules, skier goal sheets, and end-of-the-season skier evaluations to parents and skiers. To ensure complete understanding, review the evaluation with every athlete and parents.
• Ensure skier safety.
• Participate in three on-campus student-focused weekends per year; facilitating weekend activities for students.
• Coach one Fall or Spring season of sports or activities.
• Be available for race duties at race venues. Attend required department meetings and regular meetings with the Director of Snow Sports.
• Plan and participate in travel and coach at Lakes Region and NENSA competitions across the Northeast; national and international travel if athletes qualify for national or international championship races.
• Oversee club activities including marketing, membership, trail access, and annual club activities, including Bill Koch Youth Program and Holderness Middle School Team.
• Promote the development of character, community, and curiosity in all dealings with students. Support the mission and philosophy of Holderness School, acting as a positive contributor to the school community, actively participating in the life of the school as a role model of appropriate behavior with students, parents, colleagues, and other members of the school community, and enforcing school rules.
• Pursue opportunities for professional growth on an annual basis.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Interest in and demonstrated skill working with adolescents.
• Knowledge of ski training and technique.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Ability to connect with junior racers.
• Ability to collaborate and work as part of a team.
• A commitment to an inclusive community; experience or interest in integrating diversity, equity and inclusion into the curriculum is essential.
• Ability to make contributions to the School outside of snow sports, including athletics, extra-curricular programs, and residential programming.
• Valid Driver’s License and clean driving record.

The Process

If interested in this position, please send a resume with a letter of interest to holderness-employment@holderness.org. Priority consideration will be given to application material received before April 1, 2025.

Holderness School offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life insurance, generous retirement match, tuition remission for dependents, professional development opportunities, use of grounds and facilities, and meals when school is in session for you and your family. This is a year-round position.

All employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

Holderness School is an equal opportunity employer, and will not discriminate, or tolerate discrimination against any employee or applicant in any manner prohibited by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person