Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

Menlo School•Atherton, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Admissions and Financial Aid is a key member of Menlo School’s senior administrative leadership team, reporting to the Head of School and leading the work of identifying, enrolling, and supporting a talented and motivated student body that will thrive within Menlo’s dynamic academic program and extensive extracurricular offerings. The Director will ensure that Menlo’s admissions and financial aid practices reflect the School’s mission and values, advance its commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and socioeconomic diversity, and respond thoughtfully to the changing demographics and enrollment landscape of the Bay Area. At a school with significant demand and a transformative educational experience, the Director must bring a nuanced understanding of what makes Menlo distinctive and exercise sound judgment in discerning which students and families are best aligned with its culture, values, and educational program. Through close collaboration with the Communications team to develop marketing strategy, and authentic, relational engagement with prospective families, the Director will articulate what makes Menlo, “Menlo” while continuing to broaden the School’s reach among historically underserved communities and families for whom an independent school education may not initially appear accessible. An experienced manager and collaborative institutional leader, the Director will develop and support the Admissions team while strengthening the office’s relationships and credibility across the School. Highly visible and engaged in daily campus life, the Director will build trust with faculty, staff, administrators, students, and families; create meaningful opportunities for community members to participate in the admissions process; and ensure that expectations and decisions are communicated with clarity, context, and care. The Director will also steward Menlo’s substantial financial aid program in close partnership with the Chief Financial Officer. As a member of the Senior Administrative Team, the Director will bring an enrollment and financial aid perspective to broader conversations about institutional strategy, policy, and the long-term strength of Menlo.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum of five years of successful leadership experience in Admissions and Financial Aid at an independent school, with demonstrated success developing and leading mission-aligned strategy, using data, demographic trends, and market insights to establish priorities and guide decisions.
A strong understanding of child and adolescent development in the context of educational settings.
Exceptional people management and development skills, with demonstrated ability to build trust and collaborate effectively across teams, departments, and the broader institution.
Evidence of participation in regional/national admissions/financial aid advocacy groups.
Exceptional written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to listen thoughtfully, convey Menlo’s distinctive educational experience with warmth and clarity, engaging all audiences—from individual conversations to online webinars to large public presentations.
Demonstrated ability to analyze admissions, enrollment, and financial aid data, interpret demographic and market trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations that strengthen outreach, inform enrollment planning, and advance access.
Strong organizational skills, ranging from project management to follow-through on details.
Technical fluency in a Mac environment and experience with admissions CRM platforms such as Ravenna, financial aid software such as Clarity, and collaborative tools such as Google Workspace; experience with comparable systems is welcome.
Curiosity and sound judgment in evaluating new technologies and rethinking workflows to improve efficiency and the family experience, with a commitment to ethical use, protection of sensitive information, and keeping human judgment, creativity, and connection at the center of the work.
Deep commitment to mission‐driven education and to the work of admissions and financial aid in an independent school setting where commitment to joy, engagement, and challenge are paramount.
The ability to inspire and motivate others through energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence.
The capacity for effective reasoning, impeccable judgment, and the ability to engage in big‐picture thinking while managing multiple tasks and details.
Proven ability to work sensitively and effectively with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
The ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
Creativity and confidence in leading within a complex organization.
Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitive decisions with compassion, empathy, and tact.
Emotional maturity and self-awareness, self‐assurance, tact, and persistence in working harmoniously with colleagues, students, and families in a high-visibility environment.
Unwavering integrity and honesty, with the wisdom and courage to make difficult decisions grounded in the School’s values.
Warmth, empathy, and authentic curiosity about others, with a natural ability to build relationships and help students and families feel known, welcomed, and included.

Responsibilities

Set and lead a comprehensive admissions, enrollment, and financial aid strategy aligned with Menlo’s mission, values, and institutional priorities, using data, demographic trends, and market insights to guide decisions and continually strengthen the program.
Recruit and enroll a kind, able, motivated student body best suited for Menlo’s dynamic curriculum and extensive extracurricular programs.
Direct and steward a generous financial aid fund, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer as appropriate, honoring established financial aid policies and overseeing the disbursement of all aid funds, including those for non-tuition expenses, to support the school’s growing commitment to socioeconomic diversity.
Develop marketing and outreach strategies that convey Menlo’s distinctive educational experience and identify, engage, and welcome a diverse community of prospective students and families.
Set the annual admissions calendar, in concert with other school offices and local peer independent schools, as needed.
Manage the re-enrollment process for current families (including calendaring, reviewing forms, supervising mailings, and counseling families as needed).
Partner with colleagues across the School to create a warm, personal welcome and thoughtful onboarding experience for new students and families, introducing them to Menlo’s values, culture, and daily life and helping them build connections and a sense of belonging from the start.
Lead and manage the Admissions and Financial Aid team by growing their capacity and leadership potential, and by hiring, training, mentoring, annually evaluating, and strategically structuring and staffing an effective, dedicated Admissions Office.
Direct the admissions process by identifying prospective applicants, managing files and information about applicants, arranging for and overseeing testing and interviewing; notifying applicants of decisions; and administering enrollment for new students.
Chair the Middle School and Upper School Admissions Committees and the reading groups that evaluate all applicants and recommend those to whom offers of admission will be made.
Partner closely with the Communications team to develop and implement admissions marketing and communications strategy, translating Menlo’s distinctive educational experience into compelling stories, consistent messaging, and well-designed publications, videos, social media, and web content that engage prospective families and support recruitment, enrollment, and reporting.
Represent and report on the school’s admissions and financial aid efforts to all school constituencies (including the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, families both current and prospective, and alumni).
Assemble, monitor, and analyze statistical information related to admissions and financial aid, such as student testing/GPA data, family income levels, and the like, and share the results with the senior administrative team and Board of Trustees, and as appropriate, the broader Menlo community.
Participate in school governance through membership in Menlo’s Senior Administrative Team to ensure that the admissions and financial aid perspective is well represented in discussions about school policies, budget, and goals, and to have a say in all major policy decisions.