Assistant Director of Sustainability

Assistant Director of Sustainability

The Pingry School, a prestigious K-12 coeducational, independent day school with a rich history dating back to its founding by Dr. John F. Pingry in 1861, stands at the forefront of academic excellence in the United States. With campuses located in Basking Ridge, Pottersville, and Short Hills, New Jersey, Pingry is celebrated for its academic programs, a student-written Honor Code that underpins our community values, and a comprehensive commitment to arts, athletics, community, and civic engagement. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong passion for learning, personal development, and social responsibility, preparing them to be global citizens and luminaries of the 21st century. Rooted in relationships and guided by our foundational philosophy, Pingry is a vibrant community of more than 1,100 students hailing from over 90 towns across New Jersey and New York. At Pingry, we are united by a love of learning and a commitment to preparing students to navigate the complexities of the 21st century with confidence and integrity.

Assistant Director of Sustainability The Pingry School | Basking Ridge, Pottersville, and Short Hills, NJ

Position Summary At The Pingry School, sustainability is not just a policy; it is a living laboratory. The Assistant Director of Sustainability is a high-visibility leadership role designed for an educator and advocate who thrives on building community and inspiring student action. This is a full-time, 12-month position that serves as the "face and voice" of Pingry's environmental commitment.

Reporting to the Director of the Pottersville Campus, you will lead the charge in making sustainability accessible, exciting, and deeply integrated into the student experience. While this role primarily focuses on leading and mentoring our Middle and Upper School students, it is deeply rooted in collaboration; you will work in close partnership with our Lower School experiential educators to ensure a cohesive, school-wide approach to environmental stewardship. Whether you are in the Basking Ridge garden, leading a climate-action seminar, or strategizing new initiatives in Pottersville, you are the primary "influencer" driving our ecological literacy and global citizenship goals.

We are seeking a dynamic, student-centered leader who can bridge the gap between high-level environmental theory and hands-on, muddy-boots practice. You are the right person for this role if:

• You are an Architect of Sustainability Education: You can design a "sustainability arc" that is as exciting for a 6th grader as it is for a senior. You see every campus acre, from the greenhouse to the stream, as a classroom.
• You are Student-Centered: You thrive on being the primary mentor for our Green Teams, environmental clubs, and independent researchers. You measure success by the agency you cultivate in students and by tracking tangible program outcomes.
• You are a "Do-er" with Vision: You aren't afraid of the daily labor of farm care, but you are also thinking two years ahead about how to advance the school's strategic climate goals.
• You are a Cross-Functional Collaborator: You partner with Faculty, Department Chairs, the Ex Ed Team, Divisional Leadership, and the Communications team to integrate sustainability into the 6–12 curriculum, immersive programs, and summer sessions, while amplifying these efforts through vibrant storytelling.
• You are a Strategic Communicator: You recognize that data is most powerful when it tells a story. You partner with the Communications Department to amplify Pingry's sustainability journey, making our collective impact visible, vibrant, and inspiring to the entire community.

Primary Responsibilities

Education & Student Engagement

• Lead the Conversation: Teach one full-year course in the Middle or Upper School, one Middle School Discovery course, and lead an Upper School Spring Intensive or Middle School Project Week experience.
• Empower Student Leaders: Co-lead the Middle and Upper School Green Teams; mentor students engaged in climate action, research, and environmental justice projects.
• Curriculum Architect: Build a cohesive 6–12 sustainability arc and partner with faculty to weave environmental stewardship into every department, including Global Programs
• The "Face" of Sustainability: Lead professional development and community events (alumni, parents, and students) to grow the program's internal brand.
• Adventure-Based Learning & Community Growth: Facilitate transformative experiences outdoors at the Basking Ridge Campus and the Pottersville Campus. At Pottersville, facilitate on the High Ropes Course as a certified L1 or L2 Practitioner in support of Pingry students and Auxiliary/Summer programs, ensuring the course serves as a bridge for community engagement and leadership development.

Farm & Garden Operations (Basking Ridge & Pottersville)

• Basking Ridge: Oversee the garden as a production and education site (poultry care, curricular beds, harvesting for the dining hall, and composting). Manage the Farm Intern and coordinate summer student interns. Strategize for streamlining systems. Maintain operations during school breaks. Pottersville: Shape the "agricultural hub" at our Pottersville campus, overseeing the greenhouse, pond/stream ecosystems, and livestock care, as well as facilitating and supporting outdoor learning experiences.
• Summer Continuum: Maintain continuity of the gardens and farm-based summer programming during the 12-month cycle.

Strategic Administration & Operations

• Institutional Stewardship: Partner with Facilities, Dining Services, and Operations to implement waste reduction and carbon emission strategies.
• Project Management: Coordinate the logistics of year-round programming across all three campuses.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; Advanced degree in Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Sustainability, or Education preferred.
• Pedagogical Skill: Demonstrated experience with—or a strong interest in—student-centered, inquiry-based teaching models. You possess a deep understanding of Middle and Upper School developmental needs and know how to transform "outdoor work" into a sophisticated intellectual pursuit.
• Inclusive Excellence: A deep-seated commitment to cultivating a culture of belonging where every student feels seen and valued. This includes the ability to design inclusive, outdoor, and "living laboratory" learning environments that ensure all students, regardless of background, feel confident and capable in environmental science and stewardship.
• Community Mindset: Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with diverse constituency groups—from Facilities and Dining Services to faculty and parents—in strict alignment with Pingry's Mission and Honor Code.
• Digital Fluency & Innovation: Proficiency in educational technology (Google Suite, Canvas/Veracross). You have a demonstrated interest in using digital tools to track sustainability data, visualize environmental impact, and evolve how technology can enhance (rather than replace) the hands-on learning experience.
• Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and a willingness to pivot instructional or operational strategies to meet the evolving needs of the students, the climate, and the farm.
• Environmental Management: Deep familiarity with gardening, composting, and animal husbandry; willingness to learn the specific systems in place at Pingry.
• Adventure Mindset: Comfort and willingness to support the High Ropes Course as a certified L1 or L2 Practitioner. Certification can be secured after employment begins.
• Schedule: Ability to work a 12-month schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends aligned with farm care, retreats, or community events.

Guidance for Applicants

• When applying, we want to see your passion for working with students to understand and bring about positive change.
• In your cover letter or portfolio, please highlight:
  • How you have successfully engaged students in sustainability projects that they eventually "owned" themselves.
  • Your philosophy on using physical land (farms, woods, gardens) to teach complex global topics.
  • How you balance the "tactical" (weeding, feeding animals) with the "strategic" (leading school-wide climate goals).

Qualified candidates are invited to apply online at The salary range for this position is $80,000-$110,000. Final compensation will be determined based on experience and education.

Pingry offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision coverage; retirement plans with employer matching; life and disability insurance; tuition remission for employees' children; and access to wellness and professional development resources.

A full list of benefits is available at

The Pingry School aspires to be an anti-racist community and is committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pingry is proud to be an equal