Director of Experiential Education

Oregon Episcopal School
Portland, OR United States

Oregon Episcopal School seeks a Director of Experiential Education to begin duties in August 2026. Interested candidates should include a resume and cover letter addressed to Sarah Grenert-Funk (Head of Upper School) when submitting materials.

Oregon Episcopal School educates students to realize their power for good as engaged citizens of the world.

Founded in 1869, Oregon Episcopal School today occupies a wooded 59-acre campus where 880 students in Pre‑K through 12th Grade share an excellent faculty, an inquiry-based curriculum, and a strong sense of community. The Upper School also includes a small boarding program of international and domestic students who live and learn together, enhancing the vibrancy of the school community.

OES seeks and values employees who continually grow in their work practices. Teaching faculty engage in the Characteristics of Effective Teaching for their ongoing learning in service of students. All other employees engage in professional growth specific to their responsibilities. Together, faculty and staff create a vibrant and diverse community of lifelong learners.

As an Episcopal school, we are rooted in a rhythm of gathering and reflection that values and respects all beliefs and cultures. As such, we educate toward a larger purpose – toward inclusion and respect, service and justice, and commitment beyond ourselves.

The Director of Experiential Education provides strategic leadership and oversight for OES’s PK–12 experiential learning programs, including outdoor education, grade level trips, weekend excursions, Winterim, and signature divisional experiences. Grounded in OES’s mission and risk philosophy, the Director designs and sustains a comprehensive, developmentally aligned program that promotes meaningful challenge, environmental stewardship, student well‑being, and inclusive access.

This role is responsible for building and maintaining robust institutional systems for risk management, program quality, and staff hiring, onboarding, supervision, and evaluation. The Director ensures that all experiential programming meets the highest standards of safety, compliance, and educational impact, and leads the school’s response to internal audits and external reviews, translating findings into actionable plans that strengthen systems and practice.

The Director collaborates closely with Division Heads, Health and Safety staff, HR, and faculty leaders across the school and serves as the primary institutional leader for experiential education.

In addition to the qualifications detailed below, the successful Director will promote the School’s commitment to attracting and retaining a highly talented faculty, possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to support the School’s educational mission. As professional educators in a dynamic living and learning environment, faculty are required to model professional behavior and observe appropriate adult‑student boundaries to support a safe and supportive community for teaching and learning.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated gift for engaging students and strengthening the inclusive community of OES.

Faculty also participate in a variety of activities typical to the independent school environment, including advising, committee work, support of experiential education, and other duties as assigned. In addition to strength in their teaching discipline/area, faculty candidates who bring an interest in dormitory association or coaching are encouraged to apply for these additional opportunities for student engagement and are strongly considered.

• Articulate and steward a cohesive, mission-aligned PK–12 experiential education philosophy
• Design and maintain a developmentally sequenced PK–12 scope and sequence, with clearly defined outcomes for student growth, challenge, and safety.
• Lead long‑range planning for experiential and outdoor programming, including program expansion and innovation.
• Ensure experiential learning advances equity, access, sustainability, and student belonging.
• Oversee signature Upper…