Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr (SHA)
Director of Enrollment Management
Start Date: July 1, 2024
All girls, Catholic, Day School, Grades K-12, 200 students
480 S Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr (SHA) seeks an experienced and dynamic individual to serve as Director of Enrollment Management. The ideal candidate is a relational and collaborative leader who demonstrates creative, strategic and critical thinking, cultural competency, emotional intelligence, and a sense of humor. The new Director of Enrollment Management will relish the opportunity to serve as “the ambassador in chief” on behalf of the SHA community. The Director of Enrollment Management will have significant experience in both enrollment management and tuition assistance administration.
The Director of Enrollment Management reports to the Head of School and serves on SHA’s eight-member senior leadership team. In that role, the Director of Enrollment Management contributes to operations and short- and long-range planning for the School. The Director of Enrollment Management works closely with other school administrators and educators to implement short- and long-range recruitment, enrollment, retention, and tuition assistance strategies to reach enrollment and budgetary targets.
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr (PA) – located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania – is a Catholic, independent college preparatory school for girls founded in 1865 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and lay-owned and governed since 1969. The School serves approximately 200 students in Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr is part of a national network of 25 independent schools located in North America which share a common heritage and vision. There are 150+ Sacred Heart schools around the world providing an international campus for our students at Bryn Mawr through exchange programs, summer workshops, and service opportunities. Sacred Heart Academy is an accredited member of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and a member of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). To learn more about Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr, please visit https://www.shabrynmawr.org/
Mission
Sacred Heart Academy educates college-bound women by cultivating their self-confidence, guiding them to realize their personal and scholastic potential and their responsibility to others, and by preparing them to meet life’s challenges – all within an academic and religiously diverse community that focuses on spiritual values and the individual student.
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr commits itself to educate to the Five Goals and Criteria of a Sacred Heart education which unify us with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools.
Location
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr (SHA) is located in the small suburb of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Bryn Mawr is situated in the middle of the Main Line, a collection of villages running to the northwest from downtown Philadelphia and parallel to Lancaster Avenue (US Route 30). Bryn Mawr is known for its beautiful setting and walkability with small shops and cafes to explore. Neighboring colleges include Villanova University, Bryn Mawr College, and Haverford College. Many people living in Bryn Mawr choose to commute to Philadelphia for work at major employers including the University of Pennsylvania and its Health System, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, Comcast, Vanguard, and Tower Health. Bryn Mawr is home to art galleries, scenic parks, and historic homes. Weekly outdoor concerts and open-air farmers markets add to the area’s small-town feel.
Bryn Mawr is approximately ten miles from Center City, Philadelphia – the city’s busiest and most densely packed cultural, historical, and entertaining neighborhoods. As a thriving economic center, Philadelphia is home to some large U.S. corporations, including Comcast, Cigna Insurance, Sunoco, Aramark, GlaxoSmithKilne, and Urban Outfitters. The city is also growing as a center for biotechnology and information technology.
Philadelphia’s historic and cultural sites make it one of the nation’s major tourist destinations. Museums include the Franklin Institute, the Museum of the American Revolution, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, and the Barnes Foundation. With its historic neighborhoods, parklands, and stunning building murals, Philadelphia is a wonderful city for walking. It is also a great city for dining out and features sidewalk seating reminiscent of European cities. In education, the city is home to some of the oldest independent schools in the country and has the nation’s third largest concentration of college students — including at the University of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph’s University, Temple University, and Drexel University.
Primary Responsibilities
- Formulate and execute forward-thinking, strategic admission and enrollment policies, practices, and plan that will attract and engage mission-appropriate families whose girls will benefit from the School’s culture and program.
- Achieve the enrollment goals and objectives set in partnership with the Board of Trustees, Head of School, and Finance Office.
- Utilize data and analytics to identify trends that impact enrollment outcomes and provide meaningful reporting to the Head of School and Board of Trustees to inform decision-making.
- Stay current on best practices and trends in enrollment management and independent school admission using this to inform decision-making.
- Develop and implement a strategic recruitment, retention, marketing, and communication plan to reach targeted audiences in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Office.
- Communicate clearly and enthusiastically to all staff and prospective students and their families.
- Actively seek ongoing professional development through a well-established professional learning network and support other Admission staff in the same pursuit.
- Manage tuition assistance and scholarship programs in collaboration with the Head of School and Business Office.
- Foster relationships with feeder schools, educational consultants, and other key stakeholders to increase visibility and referrals and represent SHA at other outreach opportunities.
- Represent the School at PAIS (Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools), ADVIS (Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools), and Sacred Heart Network events.
- Oversee all aspects of SHA’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) certification and act as the Primary Designated Signing Officer (PDSO).
- Supervise Admission Office staff.
- Serve on the Senior Leadership Team.
- Attend Board meetings as requested.
- Serve as an integral leader in the school community and participate fully in the daily community life of the School.
Position Specifications
- Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
- Minimum of five (5) years of proven experience as admission and/or financial aid officer, preferably in a school setting
- Experience with or knowledge of the dense greater Philadelphia independent school market preferred
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze and interpret enrollment data and use to inform institutional decision-making
- Experience in and strong understanding of tuition assistance processes and analysis
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated leadership and team management skills
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and families
- Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with prospective families and educational partners
- Strong technology skills and demonstrated proficiency with Google Workspace, CRM systems, and databases; proficiency with Blackbaud Enrollment Management System™ and Clarity is preferred
- Strong understanding of independent school education, philosophy, and practice and, a commitment to and appreciation for the value of all-girls and K-12 education
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
- Commitment to confidentiality and sound judgment about sensitive matters
- Excellent organization skills and attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple complex tasks, tight deadlines, and evolving demands
- Positive attitude, abundant energy, flexible approach, and warmth
- Experience with or knowledge of the dense greater Philadelphia independent school market a plus
How to Apply
Sally Mixsell (Mike’-sul) of Educators Collaborative, LLC is assisting in this expedited search. Candidates are encouraged to contact Sally (see email address below) for a preliminary conversation, if desired, before submitting materials. Applications are due by April 12, 2024, but the deadline will be extended if necessary.
Qualified candidates interested in this position are asked to submit the following materials in a Single Merged Document to smixsell@
EC Candidate Summary Sheet (contact Sally Mixsell, above)
Letter of Interest addressed to the Search Committee
Current résumé
A list of three to five references with contact information (including phone numbers and email addresses)
EC Disclosure Form (contact Sally Mixsell, above)
The search committee hopes to name a new director by early May 2024.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
The School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Listing Date: March 6, 2024
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