Director of Admissions

THE POSITION: DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

The Director of Admissions reports to the Assistant Head of School, Head of Enrollment and Athletics and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of admissions, recruitment, and financial aid in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, and will direct the admissions process from inquiry through enrollment.  The Director will lead a collaborative effort to develop and implement both short-term and long-term recruitment strategies to ensure Austin Preparatory School meets enrollment objectives and remains proactive while ensuring the School remains competitive amongst developing industry trends and techniques.  

 Key Responsibilities of the Position

• Support the School and its leadership in advancing the mission of Austin Prep and safeguarding the School’s Roman Catholic identity and Augustinian heritage.
• Developing and leading a professional and volunteer staff to carry out the activities of the Admissions Office.

• Enthusiastically embrace Austin Prep’s mission, culture, and community while  serving as a compelling ambassador when presenting the School to prospective students and their families.
• Inspire the Austin Prep community to actively participate in admissions events including; individual and group tours, student shadow visits, curricular information sessions, student observations/testing/interview, parent to parent connections, and individual family conversations.
• Create and maintain a successful admissions budget.
• Oversee and participate in the development of admissions materials, events and marketing practices in collaboration with the Director of Communications.
• Oversee the selection process of new students including the work of admissions and financial aid.
• Support the financial aid process in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer by participating in policy decisions, messaging/communications, award review meetings, and efforts with financial partners.
• Manage parent and student expectations and deliver admissions decisions in a manner that is honest, caring, and diplomatic.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with area educational constituencies including area schools, preschools, consultants, admissions directors and organizations and create networking opportunities.
• Abiding by a “no-surprise” policy, alerting the Head of School to any issues that would conflict with the school’s mission or detract from serving the best interests of the community.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Austin Prep seeks a Director of Admissions who is an experienced admissions professional possessing strong management and leadership skills with the natural ability to inspire, and partner well with others in support of achieving enrollment goals.

The ideal candidate will offer the following qualifications:

• Fluency with financial and demographic analysis and statistics, and have experience in managing a financial aid process.
• Possess a demonstrated creativity and vision in assessing future trends and opportunities.
• 7 – 10 years admissions leadership experience working in independent schools, preferably including a Catholic institution.
• A demonstrated ability to hire well and mentor effectively.
• A track record of teambuilding and demonstrated success creating a culture of collaboration and collegiality, coupled with an openness to being coached.
• A genuine commitment to the mission and values of Austin Prep.

The ideal candidate will be:

• Equip with excellent communication skills, authentic people skills, and a sense of humor.
• Demonstrate a commitment to expanding and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in a school community.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented,  and an effective multi-tasker
• A strategically minded, entrepreneurial, and proactive leader, eager to identify and tackle new challenges.
• An enthusiastic, positive spirit with an engaging personality and a desire to be involved in the school community.
• A quick learner and a good listener.
• An authentic, trustworthy professional who will respect and promote the highest ethical and professional standards on campus and in the community.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SEARCH PROCESS

• A cover letter indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position, a current résumé, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. (References should be submitted as a separate document, not as part of the résumé or cover letter. We will obtain permission from candidates before contacting references.) – all sent to AdmissionsDir@austinprep.org.