Director of Admission

Job Description

POSITION TITLE: DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION

DEPARTMENT: OFFICE OF ADMISSION

FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT

REPORTS TO: PRESIDENT

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY:

St. Joseph's Preparatory is a Catholic, Jesuit, independent four-year college preparatory school located on the northern edge of center city Philadelphia. Founded in 1851, this highly selective, all-male school serves nearly 900 young men "to become men for and with others." Students come from diverse economic, geographic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The Prep develops leaders of intellectual distinction, men of faith and integrity, men who are committed to social justice and community service, men open to growth, and men who are loving. At the Prep, the classroom and chapel intersect with the religious formation of mind and heart. St. Joseph's Preparatory School is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment, with a focus on diversifying our staff. We are seeking colleagues who can work and teach in these and other areas while contributing to the diversity and excellence of our programs and courses through their research, teaching, and service. As a Jesuit institution, these values are pillars of our education. We strive to establish a community more representative of the student body and city we serve.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Admission coordinates all activities relative to student recruitment and works to attract prospective students and their parents to ensure high-quality, stable enrollment. This person will serve as the main representative of the Prep and liaison to all our feeder schools and will spend a large majority of time building relationships, fostering the Prep brand, and representing the School among key constituents community-wide to best portray the brand and spread the Prep message. The Director reports to the President, working primarily on a day-to-day basis with the acceptance phase of the Admission cycle (including transfer students, too) in defining admission criteria and managing the student selection process. The Director of Admission also serves as the Summer School Director. This is a 12-month administrative position.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manage the Office of Admission team: Director of Financial Aid, Admissions Counselor I, Admissions Counselor II, and the Alumni Service Corps Member assigned to Admissions for the school year
Oversee the incoming freshmen and transfer admission process, including review with Admission staff and Principal; work with the Principal to set and utilize evaluative criteria for selection of all applicants; oversee coordination of all decision letters
Maintain ongoing contact with feeder school principals and teachers regarding admission-related events and procedures including setting up visits to schools during and after school.
Maintain the database and programs used to track prospective students and applicants
Review enrollment and retention data on an ongoing basis to identify opportunities and changes needed
Organize and manage the following initiatives and events:
o HAWKLIFE Shadow Visit program for 7th and 8th graders (includes tours for families and interviews with student visitors)
o Open House in the fall and "Sneak Peek" in the spring
o Scholarship entrance exam for 8th-grade applicants in the Fall and any subsequent make-up dates
o Hand-delivery of all acceptance letters in December
o Accepted Students Night in January
o Incoming Student Information Night (on-boarding for parents and students) in April
o Practice test for 6th and 7th graders in the spring
o Freshman Orientation
Hire the director(s) and oversee the Fall/Spring Test Prep Programs and the Prep Scholars Program
Work with the Marketing & Communications team on all initiatives meeting at least bi-monthly. Create all email content and manage the Office of Admission's social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Coordinate the Financial Aid process with the Director of Financial Aid, including:
o Managing the financial aid review for the families of all applicants requesting financial assistance
o Coordinating the financial aid review for current families requesting aid
o Meeting with families experiencing financial difficulties and creating payment plans to assist in tuition payments
o Working closely with the Finance Office to oversee the financial aid process and allocation of the financial aid budget
Serve as Summer School Director for Prep U Summer Program (Pre-7th & Pre-8th). This includes coordinating with HR/Finance on any hiring of Prep U employees as well as coordinating with any coaches/moderators regarding summer camp offerings (sports camps, technology camp, etc.)
Coordinate summer offerings (Pre-9th programming) in conjunction with the Principal's Office (specifically the Assistant Principal, Academics and Faculty Development)
Oversee the budget for the Office of Admission, the Prep U Summer Program, Fall/Spring Test Prep Programs, and the Prep Scholars Program. Work with Assistant Principal, Academics & Faculty Development on budgets for Pre-9th Programs (Hawk, Crimson & Gray, Prep Advantage, and Virtual Study Skills)
Coordinate re-enrollment procedure with the Finance Office.
Perform other duties as assigned

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS DESIRED:

The ideal candidate will possess many/all of the following:
Bachelor's degree in a related field
Strong knowledge of, familiarity with, and passion for the St. Joseph's Prep brand and product
Strong commitment to the philosophy, mission, and core values of Jesuit education
Paramount interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills a MUST
Relationship-building skills and experience are a MUST
Administrative experience or experience working in an Admissions role in a private secondary school or college setting
Experience planning and hosting events
Computer proficiency; experience using Excel, Google, and Blackbaud systems a plus

ADDITIONAL DESIRED COMPETENCIES AND ABILITIES:

Team leadership
Decision-making
Business acumen
Marketing acumen
Financial understanding and accountability
Delegation
Attention to detail
Strategic planning, managing, and measuring

To be considered for an interview, please submit the following information to the Office of Human Resources at hr@sjprep.org mail to:

Joseph Dougherty, Sr. Director, Human Resources
Saint Joseph's Preparatory School
1733 West Girard Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Deadline Date: 5/24/2024

Cover letter
Resume
List of three references
Transcripts (copies are fine)

To be submitted upon an offer of employment*:
PA State Criminal Record Check (within one year)
PA State Child Abuse History Clearance (within one year)
FBI Fingerprint Record Check (within one year)

*Any offer of employment is contingent upon acceptable clearances.

For information on our mission and characteristics of the school please visit our website at www.sjprep.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

About the Employer

St. Joseph's Preparatory is a Catholic, Jesuit, independent four-year college preparatory school located on the northern edge of center city Philadelphia. Founded in 1851, this highly selective, all-male school serves nearly 900 young men "to become men for and with others."