Moravian Academy is seeking a dynamic school leader to join their intellectual, diverse, and vibrant community of learners to be the new Director of Enrollment Management (DEM). The DEM will be expected to build on the School’s strong reputation and expand the community’s understanding of an enrollment management practice while strengthening admissions and enrollment processes. Reporting to the Head of School, the DEM is central to strengthening the school’s enrollment management infrastructure, building on the existing strengths of the Admission Office. The DEM will coordinate Moravian Academy’s community-wide efforts to attract and retain the most ambitious, diverse, and curiosity-filled student body from a growing region of roughly 1 million people. This position is central to the school’s strategic development and realizing the promise of its recent merger. The DEM is a member of the Senior Administrative Team, manages the Admission Office staff of 4, and is responsible for the oversight of student recruitment and enrollment efforts. As part of the School’s recruitment and enrollment of students, the Director oversees the administration of the admission and financial aid budgets; all admission processes and records; all admission events, travel, and constituent volunteer efforts; and all recruitment, enrollment, and matriculation efforts, up to welcoming new families to school in August. Working closely with the School’s technology and marketing/communication offices, the Director of Enrollment Management is attentive to the School’s public presence in all its manifestations and is responsible for the Admission component of the School’s website and the enrollment management system. The Director will conduct research and implement strategies to ensure that the Office achieves the enrollment goals set by the Board of Trustees and Head of School. Key Responsibilities Priorities will include:
• Leading and managing Admissions and Enrollment Management, including its budget and staff. Also oversees student recruitment, admission processes, enrollment, and financial aid program;
• Managing new student enrollment and the re-enrollment process for current students in close collaboration with the three Campus Directors, Admissions Directors, and Head of School;
• Designing and implementing new internal and external campaigns to grow enrollment, including how to educate the Lehigh Valley on the school’s identity and signature programs at each campus;
• Setting annual admission goals, in accordance with Moravian Academy’s mission to promote economic, racial, and ethnic diversity in the student body, based on enrollment goals set by the Board of Trustees;
• Building sophisticated admissions and retention practices that will assist parents, guardians, and students in understanding their own educational priorities and finding the best educational settings;
• Growing a regional network of independent-minded schools and community organizations that seek to partner with families and improve educational outcomes for children;
Specific responsibilities will include:
• Directing and supporting a high-touch admissions team, which currently includes three offices and four personnel;
• Formulating an annual Admission and Enrollment Management Action Plan with goals and tactics;
• Collaborating with the Director of Communications and Marketing to develop and implement strategic marketing plans for admissions and enrollment;
• Organizing and administering the school’s financial aid program, overseeing named scholarships and, in conjunction with the CFOO, setting net-tuition revenue goals and budget;
• Championing the retention efforts in service to the mission and to each campus’s identity;
• Unifying messages and practices at three campuses and in alignment with the all-school mission and vision;
• Identifying and monitoring key metrics to report on progress against goals and to inform decision-making across departments and at the Board level;
• Overseeing admission information management software, the online application and submission of materials, and testing administration and logistics;
• Collaborating closely with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, the Director of Institutional Advancement, and the Director of Communications and Marketing to build/refine administrative systems to serve three campuses;
• Developing and maintaining strong partnerships with the athletics, arts, and academic departments to ensure that the school enrolls students most able to contribute to and benefit from the school’s offerings;
• Conducting surveys for new parents about the experiences and the effectiveness of marketing efforts, admission and enrollment processes, and transition to Moravian Academy;
• Becoming an established voice and listener across constituencies through immersion into the culture and life of the community, including being present on each campus visiting classrooms and events.
Successful candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of five years of Admission and Financial Aid leadership experience; a strong commitment to PK-12 education; excellent communication skills, both written and spoken; be comfortable thinking strategically; superior interpersonal, organizational, and managerial skills; and an energetic, personable, caring and sense of humor.
A master's degree is preferred.
In addition, the successful candidate should be the following:
• Personally committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and a leader’s continual development of cultural competency skills;
• A networker who is active in national and/or international enrollment management and professional development, with previous training in the Jobs To Be Done framework as a plus;
• Supportive of multiple perspectives and curious to know more about contradictory opinions;
• Adept in using technology and managing and analyzing data;
• Capable of using tact and diplomacy in interacting with others;
• A collaborator, especially within the business office, marketing department, and with campus leaders;
• A successful professional with a history of escalating positions in admissions, enrollment, and/or communications and marketing;
• A person with strong long-term vision and excellent project management skills, coordinating daily tasks across the entire enrollment team;
• A person who understands and embraces Moravian Academy’s mission and culture.
To Apply:
Moravian Academy has retained The Baker Group and Carney Sandoe & Associates to assist in the recruitment of the Director of Enrollment Management. Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
• A current résumé;
• A writing sample authored by the candidate, e.g., parent communication, newsletter, open house speech, blogs, or articles
• Contact information for three professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:
Christine Baker President, The Baker Group; Practice Leader, Admission & Enrollment Management Practice, Carney, Sandoe & Associates chris.baker@carneysandoe.com
Moravian Academy, located in historic Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a PK through 12th grade coeducational college preparatory school and the ninth oldest independent school in the United States. Founded in 1742, Moravian Academy continues to be a school in motion. After a recent merger with The Swain School, Moravian Academy comprises 900 students and 200 employees. The extensive facilities are located on three campuses which together are the premier choice for independent education in the Lehigh Valley region. Each campus possesses a distinct culture and setting:
The Downtown Campus for Grades P-8 inside the national historic landmark district that is at the heart of the City of Bethlehem;
The Merle Smith Upper School Campus for Grades 9-12, situated on 120 acres of green expanse in Bethlehem Township, approximately 7 miles from downtown Bethlehem;
The Swain School for grades PK-8 with a 22-acre contemporary campus in the beautiful west end of Allentown, approximately 25 minutes from the Bethlehem campuses.