Admissions Counselor

Our mission: Eastern Mennonite School, with home and church, invites students to faith in Jesus Christ, academic excellence, personal integrity, and compassionate service.

Our vision: Eastern Mennonite School aspires to embody the love of Jesus as a learning community where every student belongs, thrives, and joins God’s work in the world. 

Belonging:  At Eastern Mennonite School our commitment to faith compels us to create spaces that are inclusive, that treat all members of our community with respect, and that value each individual’s voice, conscience, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. We celebrate differences, welcome open and meaningful dialogue, and cultivate critical thinking.  Together, we dedicate our actions to working towards peace, equity, and justice in the world around us.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position:   Admissions Counselor

Supervised by: Director of Advancement

Positions Supervised:  Occasional projects with Alumni and Advancement Coordinator

Classification:   Exempt, 100% with FT Benefits

Effective Date: Immediately

Position Description:

The Admissions Counselor is an integral member of the Advancement Team, with lead responsibilities for meeting K-12 enrollment goals. This includes developing an applicant pool, walking with prospective students and parents through the application and enrollment process, and engaging with current families through re-enrollment. The Admissions Counselor works closely with the advancement team, principals, counselors, and the Business Office. The successful candidate will have strong organizational and communication skills, a commitment to whole-child education from a faith-based perspective, and comfort with one-on-one conversations with parents who are discerning educational options for their child. The strongest candidate will be task oriented and able to engage in nuanced -- and sometimes sensitive -- confidential conversations. 

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop an inquiry pool of new students using EMS Connect managed by Blackbaud, a unified software solution.
   1. Develop and implement a marketing plan in collaboration with the Communications Specialist to generate leads. 
      1. Implement annual events to engage with prospects, including elementary events (K open houses, community events), and MS/HS events (Family Visitation Days, community education events, etc)
   2. Use EMS Connect to develop communication plan to track inquiries, respond to inquiries, and answer questions in a timely manner
   3. Encourage a culture of hospitality at EMS by working with student leaders, faculty, and staff for admissions support
      
       
2. Track applicants through admissions process using EMS Connect
   1. Work with parents/guardians to complete admission files and to counsel during the process as necessary
   2. Maintain accurate notes and records in EMS Connect
   3. Review files and make acceptance decisions with the admissions committee. Schedule admissions committee meetings to review and decide if an applicant’s file includes learning plans (IEP/504 plan), psychoeducational evaluations, incident reports, information discovered during admissions process which may affect applicant’s success at EMS, or perceived educational or social/emotional needs 
3. Oversee the enrollment process through EMS Connect
   1. Work with parents to complete the enrollment process 
   2. Collaborate with the Business Office for communication with new families with affordability/contract questions and tuition assistance applications. 
   3. Work with Alumni and Advancement Coordinator on various duties for new students (folders for school records, welcome packages)
4. Plan and implement events to onboard new students and nurture student engagement 
   1. Kindergarten, 6th, 9th socials in May; summer ice cream socials for new MS/HS students
   2. Assist with planning and carrying out orientation events
   3. Conduct a follow-up touch point with K-12 new parents/guardians in fall.
   4. Plan and assist with new MS/HS student “check-in” lunches
   5. Coordinate the Big/Little Program: pair new middle schoolers with juniors and seniors and plan activities 
   6. Train student hosts for visiting prospective students and to develop student leadership capacity
5. Lead re-enrollment through EMS Connect
   1. Collaborate with Business Office as needed for communication with current families in February
   2. Work with parents of currently enrolled students to enroll for the coming year in March
   3. Listen to learn from parents/families who withdraw
   4. Work with Business Office and Counseling Suite to ensure relevant data is collected before re-enrollment (Feb) and transfer of EMS Connect data into new school year (July)
6. Oversee International Admissions, Enrollment, and SEVIS requirements
   1. Assuring SEVIS policies and procedures are following and serving as PDSO
   2. Admission process
   3. Enrollment, I-20 issuance, documentation collection
   4. Host family assessment and orientation
   5. New student orientation
   6. Support throughout the year for student, host family, and teachers
   7. Travel plans – arrival, holiday breaks, and departure
   8. Transferring I-20 post graduation
7. Monitor demographic trends in admissions and enrollment
   1. Provide insight for strategic admissions and enrollment conversations
   2. Conduct at least one enrollment meeting a year to discuss such topics as local demographics, competitor information, trends in K12 private education, etc.
8. Provide collaborative support
   1. Provide insights to Strategic Leadership Team, Operations Leadership Team, and Advancement Committee as requested
   2. Join efforts to look at all school activities and processes through an equity lens, especially admissions
   3. Support school-wide recurring needs, such as lunch point of sale, door greeting, and ushering for events as able.
   4. Administrative support as needed or assigned

Essential Qualifications & Experience:

1. Deep commitment to the mission of Eastern Mennonite School with the ability to articulate the EMS value proposition to various audiences.
2. Bachelor’s degree with at least five years of work experience in admissions, sales, marketing, or similar business-oriented position preferred.
3. Excellent customer relations experience. Strong listening skills; strong verbal and written communication skills. 
4. A proactive, “can-do” approach, with ability to identify and anticipate challenges, analyze situations and recommend solutions.
5. Ability to multitask and prioritize duties.
6. Ability to maintain confidentiality related to finances, health, and school records.
7. A self-reflective approach to professional growth; comfortable with receiving and implementing feedback, as well as providing it to others.
8. Flexibility in working hours – occasional evenings and weekends may be required;
9. Intermediate or better proficiency in Google suite of products and ability to learn new software. Experience with data systems including CRM tools strongly preferred.
10. Physical considerations include keyboard and screen work a majority of the work day; event set up including moving tables, setting up yard games, lifting heavy water coolers, and other physical movements.

Evaluation Expectations:  

Annual formative supervision by the Director of Advancement with biennial summative evaluations.

Eastern Mennonite School does not discriminate on the basis of any race, color, handicap, national or ethnic origin, or religion, and admits students to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It is our policy to practice equal opportunity without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in the application of any policy, practice, rule or regulation. Functioning as an integral part of the church, we can and do discriminate on the basis of religion in hiring decisions. Any form of harassment is absolutely prohibited. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the school’s non-discrimination policies, including its Title IX policy: Debbie Katz, High School Counselor.