Director of Admissions and Enrollment, Upper Division (Grades 6-12)

Avenues•New York, NY

17h•Hybrid

About The Position

Avenues is a top-tier school in New York City committed to creating a unique educational experience through creativity, entrepreneurship, and deep collaboration. We teach and learn through challenging interdisciplinary projects and offer unparalleled professional learning prospects. As part of the Nord Anglia Education network, Avenues São Paulo is also shaping the future of education. The Director of Admissions and Enrollment, Upper Division, is a leadership role on the admissions, enrollment, and marketing team, responsible for enrolling right-fit students and families. Reporting to the head of enrollment management, this role works alongside other directors to ensure the campus is fully enrolled, students and families are invested in the Avenues vision, and the community's ethos is clearly communicated. The primary focus is overseeing the Upper Division admissions and enrollment practice, including recruitment, selection, yield, and retention. The director will partner with colleagues to execute high-quality admissions events and storytelling, provide a superlative family experience during the application process, and achieve institutional goals. This role requires deep selective admissions experience, expert understanding of New York City independent schools, keen insight into enrollment trade-offs, and superb executive presence to lead a dedicated team.

Requirements

8-10+ years of related professional experience, with a deep understanding of independent school admissions.
Successful leadership managing a team and team members to deliver their best work and feel a deep sense of belonging and commitment to the organization.
A track record of achieving and exceeding ambitious goals, especially amidst growth and change.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills; ability to clearly and persuasively communicate and share the learning community with audiences, and encourage other members of the community to do the same.
A near-fanatical commitment to delivering the best possible student and family experience.
A hands-on, entrepreneurial approach; eager to roll up your sleeves and tackle challenges as part of a high-performing and collaborative team.
The ability to thrive within a fast-paced school environment; self-motivated, intellectually curious, open-minded, and solution-oriented.
A strong understanding of how to utilize data and systems to drive enrollment.
Availability to work in person 4-5 days per week during school hours; working nights and weekends as needed is required.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in either Mandarin or Spanish is preferred, but not required.
Experience working closely with financial aid.
Experience assessing middle and high school students as part of a holistic admissions process.
Experience involving yourself in many facets of independent school life and community, including opportunities for distributive leadership, successful partnership with academic colleagues and myriad stakeholders, and caring deeply about the life and times of our students, families, and community members.

Responsibilities

Define and direct clear, focused, and ambitious recruitment plans to build a diverse pool of well-qualified applicants and meet or exceed enrollment goals.
Oversee a team of admissions and enrollment colleagues, managing all aspects of admissions practice including inquiry nurture, events, student and parent ambassadors, application review and selection, yield, onboarding of new families, retention of current families, and understanding the enrollment funnel to guide decision-making.
Convey the unique value of an Avenues education in nuanced, compelling ways, and guide families through their journey from inquiry through admission and enrollment.
Identify “right-fit” students and families through careful, holistic review, serving as a chair of the admissions committee and a colleague on the financial aid committee.
Ensure every family feels cared for and respected, regardless of the admissions outcome.
Plan and execute high-quality recruitment and yield events that highlight Avenues' unique value.
Collaborate with marketing and communications colleagues to best share the Avenues story.
Establish strong relationships with feeder schools, community organizations, and educational consultants.
Drive continuing enrollment efforts and strong retention by maintaining relationships with families and campus leadership to support student persistence and success.
Immerse yourself within the Avenues community, developing authentic and positive relationships with key stakeholders (current students, parents, and faculty) to support both the admissions of new students and the ongoing enrollment of current families.