Associate Director of Admissions

Job DetailsJob Location: The Calhoun School - 81st Street - New York, NY 10024Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: 4 Year DegreeSalary Range: $80, $115,000.00 Salary/yearTravel Percentage: NegligibleJob Shift: Day 

The Associate Director of Admissions leads the recruitment, admissions, and retention processes for Calhoun current and prospective families from Grade 7 through Grade 12. A key focus of this role is supporting the critical transitional years of Grades 7–9, ensuring a seamless experience that reinforces student retention and drives new enrollment into the Upper School. The Associate Director must articulately champion the value of a Calhoun PS-12 education—specifically the advantages of the Calhoun Middle and Upper School experience—and cultivate deep relationships with educational consultants and sending schools across New York City.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Admissions & Recruitment (Grades 7-12)

Primary Liaison: Serve as the primary point of contact for all prospective families from Grade 7 through Grade 12.
Application Management: Oversee the full lifecycle of the application process, including campus visits, student assessments, parent interviews, and the timely collection of all supplemental materials.
Mission Advocacy: Articulate the benefits of Calhoun's PS-12 education, specifically the advantages of the Calhoun Middle and Upper School experiences for applicants.
Community Outreach: Identify and attend community-based outreach events—including school fairs, neighborhood festivals, and individual school visits—to optimize brand exposure and reach.
Strategic Partnerships: Foster and nurture relationships with middle school placement directors, sending schools, and educational consultants.
Specialized Coordination: Collaborate with the Directors of Athletics, Performing Arts, and College Counseling, etc. to lead strategic admissions initiatives.
Innovation & Programming: Design and execute fresh, exciting experiences and events (ie Cougar Society student ambassadors) that are informed by current NYC demographic and enrollment data.

Retention & Data Analysis

Transitional Support (Grades 7–9): Lead retention-focused activities specifically for the transition into and through the Upper School, such as 8th grade visit days and advisory meetings with the Upper School Director.
Data-Informed Strategy: Utilize enrollment data and market trends to interpret recruitment patterns and inform yield strategies for the 7–12 cohort.
Retention Leadership: Serve as the Middle and Upper School representative on the Institutional Retention Team, tracking follow-up activities and reporting on student persistence.
Yield Management: Deliver expected application outcomes and anticipated show-rates for recruitment events.

Qualifications 

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Experience: At least 5 years of proven experience in admissions, recruitment, or fundraising, preferably within a Middle and/or Upper School independent school, non-profit, or college/ university setting.
Data Literacy: Strong comfort with data analysis and the ability to use data to understand and interpret market trends.
Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate professionally and persuasively with students, faculty, and administration across a broad age range.
Analytical Skills: High proficiency with spreadsheets and database manipulation (Finalsite preferred).
Commitment to Belonging: Demonstrated experience supporting institutional  inclusion work; ability to understand multiple perspectives and life experiences. Vehement support for Calhoun's core identity as a socioeconomically diverse school of and for New Yorkers. 
Education: Bachelor's degree required.

SUCCESS FACTORS/JOB COMPETENCIES

Innovative Thinking: Ability to create "out of the box" events that resonate with modern NYC families.
Relationship Building: Natural ability to foster trust with preschool directors, sending school coordinators, and educational consultants.
Strategic Time Management: Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities across several grade levels.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK REQUIREMENTS

Physical: Ability to walk up stairs, stand, sit, and carry admissions materials up to 10 pounds.
Time: Requires occasional evening and weekend work for admissions events and community outreach.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY WORK Calhoun is committed to addressing issues of social justice, diversity, equity, and anti-bias education in our curriculum and in our community. Employees must be willing learners and participants in supporting this work.

The employee is expected to adhere to all policies and procedures outlined in the Employee Handbook during their employment.

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