The Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management is a full-time, 12-month, exempt position reporting to the Head of School and serving as a member of the School’s senior leadership team. This role is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the admissions process to attract, enroll, and retain mission-aligned students, as well as overseeing need-based financial aid applications.

The Director develops and implements strategic enrollment plans, leads recruitment initiatives, and cultivates relationships with prospective families, feeder schools, and the broader community. They work collaboratively with the leadership team and admission ambassadors to ensure alignment with the School’s mission, values, and enrollment goals.

An outgoing and people-oriented professional, the Director serves as an enthusiastic ambassador for Beacon Academy, effectively communicating its story and the lasting impact of its education on students’ lives. The ideal candidate is a visionary thinker—data-driven and research-informed—who can set ambitious goals, measure outcomes, identify new markets, and execute targeted recruitment strategies.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive enrollment management strategy to attract and grow the admissions pool of bright, curious, diverse and multidimensional students.

Admissions Process Management: Oversee all aspects of the admissions process, including inquiries, applications, interviews, and decisions, ensuring an exemplary experience for prospective families and fulfillment of the School’s annual enrollment goals.

Marketing and Outreach: Collaborate with members of the leadership team to develop marketing materials, website and other digital content, and outreach strategies to promote the School’s value proposition.

Data Analysis and Reporting: Utilize data and analytics to assess enrollment trends, predict future needs, and inform decision-making.

Collaboration with Faculty and Staff: Partner with faculty and staffto ensure effective and inspirational messaging of Beacon’s programs and outcomes

Retention Efforts: Partner with the Head of School and others to enhance student retention and strengthen community engagement.

Event Coordination: Plan and execute admissions events, including open houses, tours, shadow days, and yield events, to educate and engage prospective students and their families.

Financial Aid Coordination: Work in collaboration with key administrators to administer the financial aid program, ensuring accessibility to qualified students through an equitable, consistent, and need-based process.

Community and Feeder School Engagement: Cultivate relationships with local and regional schools, community organizations, educational consultants and the Beacon network to build a strong pipeline of prospective students and families

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred in education, business, marketing, or a relevant field.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience in admissions, enrollment management, or a related field.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, especially public speaking.
• Experience with admissions software, data management systems, and digital marketing strategies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and strategically while demonstrating creativity and initiative.
• Demonstrate cultural competence with a record of leading with dignity to support a safe, diverse and inclusive community.

About Beacon Academy

Beacon Academy brings together independent school best practices and the IB Diploma curriculum with the independence, freedom, and student-centered methods of Montessori. The students experience a learning community that inspires self-motivation and personal challenge and celebrates intellectual, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity. Based in Evanston, but using the entirety of Chicago as a classroom, Beacon Academy has experienced explosive growth since its founding in 2014. It is a school that values entrepreneurialism, creativity, and innovation.

Connections working at Beacon Academy