Director of Admission Outreach

Available Position:       Director of Admission Outreach

Department:                 Office of Admission

Reports to:                    Head of Admission & Enrollment Management

Status:                           Salaried, Exempt, 12 Month

Date Posted:                 March 1, 2021

Start Date:                     July 1, 2021

About Saint Mary’s Hall

Founded in 1879, Saint Mary’s Hall is an independent co-ed day school serving students and families of all faiths. Since its founding, Saint Mary’s Hall has called four campuses home. Though the faces and structures change over time, the heart of Saint Mary’s Hall endures from generation to generation.

Situated on a picturesque, tree-covered 60-acre bluff above Salado Creek in Northeast San Antonio since 1968, the campus, located at 9401 Starcrest Drive, serves all students in a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. Saint Mary’s Hall is a special place built on strong community bonds, rich traditions, and a culture of belonging for all students. Graduates leave Saint Mary’s Hall confidently armed with the skills, knowledge, study habits, and self-awareness needed to thrive in college and find fulfillment in life.

Position Description

Saint Mary’s Hall seeks a Director of Admission Outreach to support its robust admission program and various initiatives. As a member of the Admission Office, this individual’s primary responsibility is to drive increased engagement and interest in Saint Mary’s Hall. As the fifth member of the team, the Director will help connect prospective families to the school, coordinate visits, engage members of the faculty and student body in the process, host events around the city, and identify and connect with prospective parents and students at feeder schools, companies, and organizations. This position reports directly to the Head of Admission and Enrollment Management. This is a non-supervisory role.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the Office of Admission to manage the admission process for families and ensure target numbers are met
• Engage, cultivate, enroll, and retain members of the community based on SMH’s unique characteristics, matched with prospective, mission compatible families in the market
• Recruit prospective students and promote Saint Mary’s Hall to all constituencies and communicate effectively with families about the value of an SMH education
• Research and identify new prime target market segments (chosen from feeder schools, occupational groups, members of social and religious organizations, etc.) the school is not currently accessing, which offer significant potential to mission compatible students
• Conduct in depth qualitative and quantitative research among current and prospective families to understand school choice criteria and other educational options
• Collaborate with colleagues to assess research findings and define the required key enrollment messages and outcomes required to grow visitation, application, matriculation, and retention
• Continuously evaluate outreach and recruitment strategies, use data to inform decisions around target areas, and adjust strategies and plans as needed
• Build positive relationships with parents, faculty, staff, students, and administrative teams to strengthen the admission process
• Plan and organize admission-related events and activities to bring new market segments into the admissions pipeline
• Create admission email campaigns and write content for various mediums
• Potentially coach and/or teach one to two sections of a course based on previous experience and qualifications

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required
• Independent school experience as a teacher, coach, or advisor
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience with advancement or enrollment management, at the independent school or collegiate level, or comparable experience
• Student-centered, collaborative, and transparent leader who is accessible to students, parents, colleagues, and other key stakeholders and is adept at building relationships
• A leader with extraordinarily high expectations of her/himself and the ability to inspire and motivate others
• A genuine care for people and desire to serve, through a high level of customer service
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills required
• Strong understanding of how to use social media as an effective platform for engaging and communicating
• An unquestioned integrity and impeccable reputation, where commitments are honored and peopled are approached in a straightforward and personal way
• An entrepreneurial, bright, highly motivated, hard-working, and enthusiastic personality with a serious commitment to excellence
• A leadership style marked by enthusiasm, desire to innovate, tenacity, follow-through, courage of conviction, and setting an example for others
• Well-developed interpersonal skills to deal effectively with a wide range of constituents
• The ability to move comfortably in social settings and forge relationships within the community
• An ability to think systematically and be detail minded while remaining focused on the big picture and the School’s mission
• A well-organized, results-oriented mindset with a high energy level and a strong sense of urgency

Dynamic New Leadership

Len Miller joined Saint Mary’s Hall as the 25th Head of School in July of 2020. Len comes to San Antonio after a 25-year career in independent schools. He served previously at some of our nation’s top schools, including The Hill School, The Lawrenceville School, and The Shipley School. His tenure has been hallmarked by a deep commitment to the quality of the academic program, the student experience, and the long-term sustainability and growth of the institution. He has been at the forefront of developing innovative academic programs and recruiting and retaining dynamic teachers. Robust, intentional, student wellness programs are the result of his collaborative leadership.

Len’s forward-thinking efforts in strategic planning, enrollment, advancement, and fiscal matters have underpinned the overall strength and quality of the schools he has served. As a leader, he strives to empower his leadership team to build programs, effect change, and make significant and meaningful impacts on the students, faculty, staff, and School culture. Len is committed to educating the whole student with a deep focus on connection and belonging among the student body.

Physical Requirements/Working Environment

• May require local business travel
• May occasionally work nights or weekends
• Works mostly in a temperature-controlled office setting with occasional exposure to the outdoors or any number of elements
• May involve frequent bending, moving, lifting, and carrying materials less than 25 lbs.
• Operates various types of office equipment
• Work in a rigorous academic environment dealing with a wide variety of physical and intellectual challenges, deadlines, and a varied and diverse array of contacts

Other Information

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required by the employed. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

If you are interested in joining our dynamic professional and learning environment that encourages innovation, send us a cover letter, resume, and complete our SMH employment application. Please email your documents to [email protected]. You can download our employment application by visiting www.smhall.org/about/employment-opportunities. Applications will be processed as they are received.

Len Miller, Head of School

Saint Mary’s Hall

9401 Starcrest Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78217

www.smhall.org