Department and Position Overview:

The Director of Admission will have primary responsibility for the work of the Steppingstone admission team, ensuring a supportive process for families and strategic and data-driven decision-making. The Director will oversee the development and execution of the recruitment strategy and admission process in order to enroll a strong class of Scholars for participation in Steppingstone. In consultation with the program leadership team, the Director will lead the internal decision-making process. The Director will work a Monday-Friday schedule, though some Saturday and evening work will be mandatory. To enhance the outreach efforts of the admission team, the Director will work a Tuesday - Saturday schedule during the months of October, November and December. The Director of Admission oversees the admission of new students and families to the Steppingstone Scholars Program, including interviewing prospective students and families. Due to the nature of those interviews, PTOs are granted on a very limited basis in February.

Schedule:

During the summer, employees will work a Monday-Friday schedule. Steppingstone hosts a 6-week in-person program for Scholars, which will be held at Milton Academy in July and August. The Director must be able to work in person at Milton Academy, Monday-Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., and until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays for faculty meetings. Due to the nature of the summer session, PTOs are granted on a very limited basis from the end of June through August. The Director will provide support to other program teams as needed.

Responsibilities:

Staff Management

• Supervise a staff of two direct reports and a team of Outreach Assistants by providing effective support, coaching, and management to all direct reports
• Train and support 20+ org-wide staff in developing their knowledge and execution of the admission process 
• Facilitate cross-program teams as necessary

Program Management

• Lead department in selecting and designing recruitment activities, including school visits, family information meetings, etc., that will yield sufficient appropriate applicants
• Support team to maintain positive relationships with feeder schools and community partners
• Oversee updating of recruitment materials and application pieces
• Work with team to plan and execute all parts of the admission process including outreach, application review, interviews, exam administration, and admission committee
• Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices into all aspects of the admissions process, from recruitment to enrollment
• Utilize project management and group facilitation skills to effectively lead organization-wide admission decision-making process that results in a diverse and highly qualified class of Scholars
• Contribute to the Operations of the summer program, including management of the packing and moving process oversight of aspects of facilities, bus transportation, staff training, main office operations, and daily meals

Knowledge Management

• In collaboration with the Data and Evaluation Department, implement systems to track and analyze data over time to improve the quality of admission decisions
• Enable and ensure optimal use of data and organizational resources such as staff time, department budget, and technology, to ensure that goals are being met and strategic decisions are implemented
• Contribute to other cross-team office-wide efforts such as internal task forces and committees

Required Knowledge and Skills: 

• Demonstrated commitment to educational and racial equity in college access and success
• Ability to communicate effectively with students and staff from diverse cultural, social, economic, and educational backgrounds
• Strong leadership and staff management skills with experience leading an effective team
• Strong relationship-building and group facilitation skills across differing stakeholders, including various internal departments, external community-based organizations, and Boston Public Schools
• Effective project management skills combined with ability to problem-solve, set and drive priorities, and monitor progress towards goals
• Strong customer-service orientation, utilizing communication, public speaking, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills
• Exceptional strategic, analytical and critical thinking skills with an ability to use data to make decisions and to translate strategy to plan and action
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Drive, especially Excel and Google Sheets
• Proficiency working in an org-wide database
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Required education and experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree is required
• At least three years experience in admission or related field
• At least one year of staff management experience

Preferred education and experience:

• Experience with Salesforce or similar CRMs is desirable
• Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Arabic, or Haitian Creole a plus

Physical Demands:

• Lifting up to 20 pounds, standing, walking, sitting, reaching, operating computer and office equipment 
• Pursuant to the ADA, Steppingstone will provide reasonable services and accommodation(s) to employees with qualified disabilities in order to perform the essential functions of their employment, except when doing so would be unduly disruptive and/or result in undue hardship to the organization. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:

As a condition of employment, all Steppingstone employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees, and interns, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. To be considered fully vaccinated, individuals must have received two doses of the approved Pfizer/Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and remain up to date with all boosters recommended by the CDC prior to the finalization of the hiring process. Finalists will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that for external-facing roles, particularly those involving close contact with students, accommodations that involve remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 may not be deemed reasonable. Steppingstone will engage in the interactive accommodation process on an individualized basis in light of each particular role.

Employee Benefits:

• Generous paid time off (over 8 weeks total, as outlined below)
• 15 days PTO
• 2 days Discretionary Time Off
• 5 wellness days
• 12.5 holidays
• 2 weeks paid office closure
• $500 Home Office Set-up Stipend; plus $50 quarterly
• Health, Dental and Vision coverage
• Life, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance
• Healthcare Reimbursement Account Plan (HRA)
• Pet Insurance
• Flexible Schedule
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition & Professional Development reimbursement
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health and Dependent Care
• Pre-tax Transportation Plan (Transit & Parking)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Membership to the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA)

To Apply: Please submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position, and how you learned about this position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

About Steppingstone Foundation

Steppingstone prepares students from marginalized communities to access, navigate, and graduate from college through two initiatives, the Steppingstone Scholars Program and the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA). The Steppingstone Scholars Program is a direct-service program in Boston that provides academic, social-emotional, and college-readiness services to students, called Scholars, beginning as early as fifth grade and continuing all the way through college graduation. The Steppingstone Scholars Program consists of five components: Admissions, the Academy, Middle School Success, High School Success, and College Success. NPEA connects the people, practices, and innovations for eliminating barriers to educational access, and college and career success for underserved students.

Connections working at Steppingstone Foundation