Assistant Director of Admissions for Community Engagement

Girls Preparatory School • Chattanooga, TN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The mission of Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is to inspire each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, and nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others. Currently, 130 faculty and staff serve approximately 500 girls in grades 6-12 with a college preparatory curriculum that includes a full complement of courses in the humanities, STEM, the arts, and more, as well as a rich and varied cocurricular program. GPS prioritizes healthy connections and relationships, fostering a culture where each girl is known, heard, and empowered to use her voice. This culture of acceptance and belonging nurtures and lifts her up in mind, body, and spirit so that she can find her place and discover her potential, fostering confidence and joy for dynamic engagement in a rapidly changing world. Faculty and staff support each student in a learner-centered and collaborative culture that is aligned with our mission, vision, and values. Furthermore, faculty and staff are expected to understand and embody our tenets of excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required
• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop trust and connect authentically with a wide range of people
• Strong communication, organization, and follow-through skills, including the ability to cultivate and track relationships over extended periods of time
• Collaborative, flexible, and comfortable representing GPS throughout the community, including at occasional evening and weekend events
• Commitment to the mission, values, and culture of Girls Preparatory School.

Nice To Haves

• Substantive experience in admission, community engagement, development, business development, marketing, relationship management, or a related field preferred
• Strong knowledge of the greater Chattanooga community and its schools, neighborhoods, businesses, organizations, and social networks, or the curiosity and initiative to develop that knowledge quickly

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute creative strategies to identify, cultivate, and engage prospective GPS families who are one or more admissions cycles away from applying, with a focus on building a deeper long-term admission pipeline.
• Proactively identify families who may be a strong fit for GPS but are either not yet connected to the school or unsure of their level of interest, and develop intentional opportunities to introduce them to GPS and deepen those relationships over time.
• Creatively leverage GPS's network of current parents, past parents, alumnae, faculty and staff, trustees, coaches, and other friends of the school to identify prospective families, facilitate personal introductions, and expand GPS's reach into new circles.
• Develop a strong understanding of the people, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, programs, and social networks that connect families throughout greater Chattanooga, particularly those where GPS has opportunities to build stronger relationships.
• Build new relationships and maintain existing relationships with feeder schools, youth and athletic programs, arts organizations, nonprofits, neighborhood and community groups, and other organizations serving children and families.
• Identify and develop partnerships with Chattanooga-area businesses, employers, professional organizations, and other institutions that can connect GPS with prospective families, including families relocating to the Chattanooga area.
• Maintain an active presence in the Chattanooga community through events, meetings, gatherings, and one-on-one relationship building, continually identifying people and organizations that can expand GPS's network.
• Create, plan, and pilot events, programs, partnerships, small gatherings, and other low-barrier experiences that give younger girls and their families meaningful opportunities to experience GPS before they enter the traditional admission process.
• Work with the admissions and enrollment team to maintain accurate records of prospective families, introductions, community relationships, and engagement activity, and develop/strengthen systems for tracking how families move from early connection to inquiry and application.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level