Director of Enrollment Management

The Buckley School•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$160,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

The new Director of Enrollment Management will be a critical, strategic partner to the Head of School and the Senior Leadership Team as they work in partnership with the Board of Trustees to anticipate and embrace the future. While Los Angeles faces uncertainty caused by wildfires, the film industry, AI, and the national landscape, the school remains fully enrolled at 830. The Director of Enrollment Management will work with this seasoned, senior team to help redefine Buckley in a changing landscape, while ensuring the school brings its mission, vision, and values to life. A SKILLED COMMUNICATOR, CONNECTOR, MOTIVATOR, AND MENTOR, WORKING ACROSS ALL THREE DIVISIONS OF A K-12 PROGRAM LOCATED ON A SINGLE CAMPUS, THE NEXT DIRECTOR WILL: Lead a vibrant office of three full-time associate directors, one full-time admission specialist, and a part-time interviewer to strategically enroll 830 students each year, per Buckley's Conditional Use Permit cap. These students and families should be reflective of the area's diverse demographics and support Buckley's mission to be "a dynamic and nurturing learning community committed to equity and inclusion." Understand and appreciate the minds and hearts of current and prospective families and students, and stay abreast of how family attitudes and expectations shift in light of external forces. Work in partnership with the Director of Communications and Strategic Marketing to clarify and highlight Buckley's distinctions and value proposition for prospective families, educators at feeder schools, access organizations, and independent consultants. Partner with the CFO and the Business Office to oversee Financial Assistance and all aspects of re-enrollment. Partner with school leadership, particularly the director of strategic marketing and communications, and the director of advancement, to articulate, share, and celebrate Buckley's stories, news, and achievements with both internal and external audiences. Gather and analyze data to inform strategy and partner with division heads and key leaders to implement recruitment and retention efforts.

Requirements

Model high standards of professionalism and create warm, uplifting, and trusting working relationships marked by humor, optimism, humility, excellent emotional intelligence, extraordinary interpersonal skills, and collaboration.
Possess a deep understanding of human development, demonstrated by knowledge of child development K-12, possession of a growth mindset, and belief in the capacity for adult growth.
Deep appreciation and passion for education, particularly in an independent school environment conveyed by a solid understanding of educational practice and philosophy, and the ability to share the school's philosophy and practice to prospective families.
Strong communication skills to convey information clearly, build trust, and collaborate in person, in writing, by phone, and through other electronic means (such as video conference).
Possess strong executive functioning skills to manage complex processes, timelines, and communication.
Knowledge of and the ability to research and adopt changes in best practices in strategic enrollment management, financial aid, and marketing.
Ability to analyze and evaluate relevant marketing and recruitment data and statistics to ensure Buckley's enrollment is at the level stipulated in the Conditional Use Permit.
Demonstrate great individual initiative, self-awareness, commitment to personal and professional growth, ability to receive and apply feedback, and the ability to advance multiple strategic and operational priorities simultaneously.
Strong leadership skills, specifically motivating, exciting, and educating the school's constituencies and the ability to establish objectives, set performance standards, and organize and motivate an admission team to achieve goals.
Ability to think and act strategically.
A successful track record in meeting or exceeding stated goals.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Blackbaud/Education Edge, and the ability to learn new and evolving technology, including School Admin and other admission-specific databases, SSS, and the like.
B.A. required

Nice To Haves

M.A. degree preferred.
Prefer minimum of five years' experience in an academic environment, preferably with experience in enrollment management, financial aid, and marketing.

Responsibilities

Lead admission staff to design and implement outreach efforts to recruit and retain a diverse group of mission-aligned students and families, through open houses, tours, visits, assessments, new family gatherings, special events, etc.
Oversee department operations to ensure clarity of roles within the admission office staff, accurate record keeping, and timely and gracious responses to applicant family inquiries.
Model the school's commitment to equity and inclusion by practicing cultural competency and upholding general best practices and school policies.
Track and analyze data to understand market trends, including preparation of reports for the board of trustees, the DEI committee of the board, the Senior Leadership Team, etc.
Research and utilize data about local demographics, the regional economy, and national trends to partner with the Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications, Head of School, and other SLT colleagues to develop a strategic messaging campaign, printed materials, and web presence to effectively recruit and retain families.
Oversee coordination of student, parent, alumni, and trustee volunteers to support recruitment efforts.
Develop strong relationships with admissions officers and school placement officers at local K-12 schools and preschools and with local private educational consultants; participate in local admission officer associations.
Develop strong relationships with faculty and staff to help them become ambassadors for Buckley and understand their role in recruiting and retaining families.
Partner with staff in the business office to jointly oversee all aspects of financial aid including supporting families in the application process and allocation of aid as an enrollment management tool to provide socio-economic diversity throughout the school.
Collaborate with the Head of School, CFO, and division heads to set enrollment goals and to oversee re-enrollment of all returning students.
Screen, interview, hire, supervise, mentor, and evaluate personnel for the department in coordination with the Director of Human Resources and Head of School.
Coordinate the work of the Lower, Middle, and Upper School Admission Committees.
Monitor trends and best practices in all aspects of the admission and financial aid office.
Manage the admission office budget and facilities.
Report to the Head of School and serve on the Senior Leadership Team.