Riverdale Country School

Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent all-gender school in New York City, is dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose-driven lives. The school achieves this by fostering a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and curiosity, supported by a diverse and inclusive community. Riverdale emphasizes both high challenge and high support in its approach to education, encouraging students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, research, and experiential education, both inside and outside the classroom and beyond our campuses. This holistic approach aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world.

At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color.

We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community.

Riverdale Country School seeks a creative, detail-oriented, and proactive School Life Program Operations Manager for the Office of School Life & Belonging. This role is essential to the smooth operation of the Middle and Upper School Co-Curricular program, which includes the Department of Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging, Sustainability Team, and the Service Learning Team. Additionally, the role serves as a key liaison to faculty, students, families, and vendors, provides day-to-day administrative support via communication, travel scheduling, and coordinating major school events. The ideal candidate brings strong organizational skills, excellent interpersonal skills, a love for event planning, and a commitment to fostering a welcoming and supportive office environment. They should approach design with an equity lens, incorporate sustainable practices into their work, and possess excellent problem-solving skills along with tact, discretion, and flexibility.

Expectations and Responsibilities

• Promote the values and mission of the school
• Establish positive working relationships with local small businesses and vendors
• Be optimistic, persistent, and proactive
• Work toward building and maintaining positive morale within the community
• Provide high-level administrative support by managing day-to-day office operations and anticipating needs
• Create and maintain a joyful space in the DEIB office, welcoming to students, families, faculty, and the broader Riverdale community
• Maintain and update office bulletin boards and supplies
• Coordinate logistics for School Life & Belonging events, student activities, and programs, including space booking, communication, supplies, and day-of support
• Promote and adhere to environmentally sustainable practices in daily operations, actively seeking ways to reduce waste, conserve resources, and support the organization’s sustainability goals.
• Track and reconcile budgets, credit card payments, and receipts with accuracy and timeliness
• Maintain accurate and current contact lists for local vendors and community partners
• Manage digital systems for electronic record-keeping and document storage
• Use Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Gmail) to support daily operations and collaboration
• Respond to challenges and changes with resourcefulness and flexibility
• Liaise with vendors to procure supplies and resolve service needs efficiently
• Book travel and accommodations for faculty, staff, and visitors with attention to detail and cost-effectiveness

Required Competencies & Experience

• At least 2 years of administrative, office support, or operations experience
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and follow through on tasks independently
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and word processing applications
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with a respectful and supportive approach to working with students, families, and colleagues
• Eagerness to learn and adapt to new technologies and systems
• A positive, collaborative attitude and a sense of joy in supporting a school community
• Bachelor's Degree, preferably in Business Management or Administration

To apply for this position, please click on the red “Apply for this Job” button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale’s website.

Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School

Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:

Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.

Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).

Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.

Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.

Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.

Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.