General Information:
● a 12-month, full-time, salaried employee with all applicable benefits
● other duties determined by the Head of School as needed
● potential duties include managing a new summer program
● this position is open immediately with a negotiable start date up to July 1, 2027
Mission and Values:
Orchard House Middle School educates and inspires middle school girls in a responsive, academically engaging community that fosters each girl’s intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, emotional integrity, and physical well-being.
Diversity and inclusion are central to Orchard House’s mission. As part of our broader effort to ensure that our hiring process and our community reflect that mission, we are actively seeking candidates to help us build a team with diverse backgrounds. All applicants should be enthusiastic about these principles and eager to carry them forward in their curricular and relational work.
Reports to: Head of School FLSA Status: Exempt
Job Description and Responsibilities:
The Director of Enrollment Management leads Orchard House Middle School’s enrollment strategy from market awareness through enrollment and re-enrollment.
This role is responsible for leading the admissions process, and for building the awareness, interest, relationships, and demand that drive a healthy enrollment pipeline. The Director develops and executes strategies to reach prospective families, communicate the distinctive value of an Orchard House education, convert interest into applications and enrollment, and strengthen retention of current families.
The Director partners with the Head of School, Finance Manager, faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees to align enrollment, communications, and community engagement with the school’s mission and strategic priorities.
The successful candidate will bring a combination of enrollment strategy, marketing skill, relationship-building, data-driven decision making, and operational execution.
Key Responsibilities
1. Enrollment Strategy & Analytics
● Develop and execute a comprehensive enrollment strategy that supports annual enrollment, retention, diversity, and financial goals.
● Establish enrollment targets and manage the full enrollment funnel from awareness and inquiry through re-enrollment.
● Analyze enrollment, demographic, market, competitive, and retention data to identify opportunities, risks, and emerging trends.
● Develop enrollment forecasts and provide regular reporting and recommendations to the Head of School, Finance Manager, and Board of Trustees.
● Evaluate the effectiveness and ROI of recruitment, events, and other enrollment initiatives.
2. Market Development, Marketing & Recruitment
● Develop strategies to increase OHMS’s visibility, awareness, and consideration among prospective families and key referral communities.
● Identify and cultivate new markets, feeder schools, community relationships, and other sources of prospective students.
● Translate the distinctive value of an Orchard House education into compelling messaging and experiences for prospective families.
● Partner with the Head of School, consultants and colleagues to develop enrollment-focused content and communications across the website, social media, email, publications, events, and other channels.
● Create and post content on the school’s social channels and website
● Build and maintain relationships with prospective families well before they formally enter the admissions process.
3. Admissions & Conversion
● Lead the admissions experience from inquiry through enrollment, ensuring prospective families receive a warm, responsive, personalized, and mission-aligned experience.
● Develop and manage the annual recruitment and admissions calendar.
● Oversee tours, student visits, interviews, open houses, information sessions, and other recruitment experiences.
● Lead the application review process and collaborate with the Head of School and Admissions Committee on admission and wait-pool decisions.
● Communicate admission decisions with professionalism, warmth, and sensitivity.
● Ensure newly enrolled families are fully prepared for their transition to OHMS.
4. Re-enrollment & Retention
● Lead the annual re-enrollment process and develop strategies to strengthen student and family retention.
● Monitor attrition and re-enrollment trends and identify opportunities to improve retention.
● Partner with faculty and school leadership to understand and address barriers to re-enrollment.
● Ensure current families clearly understand and experience the value of an OHMS education.
● Serve as coordinator for parent volunteering and engagement.
● Use family engagement and enrollment data to identify opportunities to strengthen long-term community connection.
5. Tuition Assistance & Enrollment Operations
● Partner with the Finance Manager to administer tuition assistance and support tuition and financial-aid strategy.
● Collaborate on enrollment contracts, enrollment projections, and related financial processes.
● Maintain accurate, confidential admissions and enrollment records and ensure effective use of enrollment and tuition-assistance systems.
Essential Skills:
- Commitment to the OHMS mission and to enrolling diverse and mission-appropriate students
- Ability to work collaboratively with co-workers and other school community members
- Keen analytical skills with statistics and budgets and a detail-oriented work style
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to balance multiple demands in ways that are well organized
- Ability to demonstrate genuine appreciation and respect for all school community members
- Ability to manage difficult decisions with confidentiality and sensitivity
- Strong technology skills and strong working knowledge of an Admissions, SIS (Student Information System), or a Tuition Assistance database
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum of five years of experience in strategic admissions in the private/independent school or college educational settings
- Proven leadership success including the ability to motivate and lead positively through change, collaborate with others to reach common goals
- Demonstration of a positive track record with admissions, recruiting, conversion and retention
- Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university (preferred)
- Working knowledge or experience with Greater Richmond area communities and schools (preferred)
Work Environment:
- Office, in person
- Potential offsite meeting or professional development