Director of Admissions

Maur Hill-Mount Academy is seeking a Director of Admissions. This is a full time, exempt position that reports directly to the school President.  The Director of Admissions is a leader who serves on the school Leadership Team and is expected to operate in a collaborative relationship with the President, Principal, Associate Principal/Athletic Director, and Director of Residence Life to lead the school and implement the strategic plan as designed by the Board of Directors.

Mission Statement

Maur Hill-Mount Academy is a Catholic, college prep, boarding school that educates young men and women in the Benedictine tradition.  We exist to seek God in community and improve lives on earth for eternity.  As a school community, we partner with families to educate the whole person through a formation founded on Jesus Christ in the Benedictine tradition.

About Maur Hill-Mount Academy

Since its founding in 1863, Maur Hill-Mount Academy has earned a long-standing reputation for its academic excellence, traditions, dedicated faculty and staff, and comprehensive preparation for college and life. The Benedictine monks who founded Maur Hill Prep and the Benedictine religious sisters who founded Mount St. Scholastica Academy gifted us a rich legacy. Inspired by this legacy, the school continues to provide a vibrant educational community and transformative experience for its students who come from very diverse backgrounds.

As a Catholic, co-ed, preparatory, and day and boarding high school rooted in the Benedictine tradition, Maur Hill-Mount Academy educates approximately 160 young men and women from around the United States and throughout the world. Today, the school’s boarding program is an essential element of our mission, and benefits the entire student body.

The school produces successful alumni who work in every conceivable occupation, including CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, doctors, lawyers, priests, TV producers, teachers, and coaches. Our alumni’s achievements testify to the discipline and academic preparation the school provides, and of course to the teachers who love their students and bring out their best.

Position description

Working closely with the Administrative Leadership Team (President, Principal, Associate Principal/Athletic Director, Residence Life Director, Executive Assistant to the President), Chaplain and Campus Ministry, House Leadership, and directly managing the Admissions Associate, the Admissions Director brings creativity, clarity, and empathy to all admissions office functions for families exploring enrollment, especially boarding enrollment, in Grades 9 – 12. The Admissions Director is a driven, ethical, resourceful and collaborative professional with a team approach to problem solving and the communication, presentation, leadership, management, and planning skills necessary to collaborate productively with staff, faculty, students, agents, and families.

The Admissions Director develops and implements recruitment plans for day students, domestic boarding students, and international boarding students, to include events such as school visits and fairs, agent communication plans, student interviews, tours, and other recruitment activities. The Admissions Director manages and develops relationships with international agents while keeping the students and families at the core, relying on interpreters when necessary, and ensuring the admissions experience is as thorough and personal as it is for the day families applying directly.

Maur Hill-Mount Academy’s strong community starts with the faculty and staff who are dedicated to the growth, health, and education of our students. By creating a welcoming environment and providing a warm initial contact for new families, the Admissions Director helps the school uphold the mission and the students at the core of the institution.

Position Overview: duties & responsibilities

The Admissions Director:

·         Serves as an internal and external “ambassador” for the school to advisors, prospective parents, current families and members of the faculty/staff

·         Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of recruitment, retention, tuition assistance, and strategic enrollment planning in an independent school setting

·         Travels domestically and internationally with relative frequency to represent Maur Hill-Mount Academy at various events (boarding school and agent fairs, promotional tables at sponsored events, meet and greets with schools and prospective families, etc.), sometimes in the evenings and on the weekends

·         Designs and implements unique models of boarding student recruitment that go beyond the traditional venues

·         Develop and implement the marketing plan for each target market of potential domestic and international boarding students, actively cultivating and maintaining a network of key relationships in each market

·         Develop and use an admissions database (Blackbaud or other), manages inquiries and applications from prospective Grade 9 – 12 day and boarding families, tracking their cultivation and engagement throughout the admission and enrollment process, including gathering documentation, managing mailings, and ensuring follow-through on admissions checklists, thus maintaining data integrity

·         Enthusiastically, knowledgeably, and warmly welcomes prospective families for tours, interviews, and assessments

·         Collaborates with current MHMA parents to identify and recruit potential new students

·         Works collaboratively with the appropriate faculty, staff, and division heads, to coordinate prospective student’s visits

·         In partnership with divisional teams and admissions committee, carries out an assessment and evaluation program of candidates for admission

·         Supports planning and execution of admissions events throughout the year, sometimes in the evenings and on the weekends

·         Manages enrollment logistics for Grade 9 – 12 day and boarding students including publishing enrollment contracts, mailing welcome packages, and managing admissions communications

·         Assists with other duties as assigned by the President.

Qualifications

The Admissions Director will demonstrate key elements of the listed expertise and experiences. This is an aspirational list and Maur Hill-Mount Academy encourages candidates to apply who may not currently possess, but are working on building, all of these qualities. The Admissions Director:

·         Practicing Catholic in good standing is required;

·         Demonstrates perseverance and adaptability through creative problem solving;

·         Holds a bachelor’s degree;

·         Has three to five years work experience, preferably in independent or boarding school admissions settings, sales, or high-end customer service;

·         Has a focus on hospitality and experience or a strong interest in working with students and in helping students and families feel welcome;

·         Has a high level of proficiency in Google and Microsoft Suites; strong database skills are required, experience with FACTS, PowerSchool, or BlackBaud K-12 products is preferred;

·         Is comfortable with and available for independent domestic and international travel;

·         Is creative, reliable, proactive, and has a solution oriented mindset;

·         Is able to effectively manage sensitive and confidential situations;

·         Has a desire to build trust and strong relationships with colleagues;

·         Has excellent oral and written communication skills, ability to contribute in a team environment and interface well with varied constituencies;

·         Has the ability to handle multiple projects and tasks with great attention to detail to meet deadlines in an environment with interruptions and competing deadlines;

·         Is able to work evenings and weekends, and travel as required;

·         Has experience with and commitment to, cultural-competency and seeks to use them to help the school continue to meet its enrollment goals;

·         Is eligible to work in the United States. Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.

Physical Requirements

The Admissions Director:

·         must be to travel internationally and domestically;

·         must be able to lift up to 25 pounds and move up and down many flights of stairs a day;

·         must be able to move around with agility, and engage in active, playful activities with students.

Application process

To apply, complete the online application https://www.mh-ma.com/Join-Our-Team and email a cover letter, resume, email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, to Mrs. Chanda Koechner, Executive Assistant to the President, at ckoechner@mh-ma.com. In accordance with Maur Hill-Mount Academy’s strategic focus on strengthening Catholic Identity and increasing boarding student enrollment, improving the academic environment, and engaging with parents and alumni, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Maur Hill-Mount Academy’s commitment to building one of the great Catholic boarding schools in the country. Applications for this position will be accepted until filled.