Assistant Director of Admissions for Community Engagement

To Apply

Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, a resume, and a list of at least three professional references consolidated as a single PDF document.

About Girls Preparatory School

The mission of Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is to inspire each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose by engaging her mind, cultivating her strengths, and nurturing her self-confidence and respect for others. Currently, 130 faculty and staff serve approximately 500 girls in grades 6-12 with a college preparatory curriculum that includes a full complement of courses in the humanities, STEM, the arts, and more, as well as a rich and varied cocurricular program. 

GPS prioritizes healthy connections and relationships, fostering a culture where each girl is known, heard, and empowered to use her voice. This culture of acceptance and belonging nurtures and lifts her up in mind, body, and spirit so that she can find her place and discover her potential, fostering confidence and joy for dynamic engagement in a rapidly changing world. 

Faculty and staff support each student in a learner-centered and collaborative culture that is aligned with our mission, vision, and values. Furthermore, faculty and staff are expected to understand and embody our tenets of excellence.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Admission for Community Engagement is responsible for developing and strengthening GPS's long-term admission pipeline by building meaningful relationships with families who are one or more admission cycles away from applying to the school.

This person in this role will look beyond the traditional admission cycle to identify where and how GPS can develop relationships with future prospective families throughout the greater Chattanooga community. They will creatively leverage the school's extensive network of current and past parents, alumnae, faculty and staff, community partners, businesses, organizations, and other friends of GPS to create new connections and deepen existing ones.

This is a highly relational, outward-facing role that requires a strong understanding of how communities and social networks function. Ultimately, this person will be responsible for working alongside our Director of Enrollment Strategy and Director of Admission to help GPS develop a broader, deeper, and more engaged pipeline of future prospective families, and for building the systems necessary to turn community relationships into sustained engagement with the school over time.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Enrollment Strategy, this employee will be expected to develop and cultivate relationships with various constituencies with the explicit goal of deepening the admission pipeline. Responsibilities will include:

• Develop and execute creative strategies to identify, cultivate, and engage prospective GPS families who are one or more admissions cycles away from applying, with a focus on building a deeper long-term admission pipeline;

• Proactively identify families who may be a strong fit for GPS but are either not yet connected to the school or unsure of their level of interest, and develop intentional opportunities to introduce them to GPS and deepen those relationships over time;

• Creatively leverage GPS's network of current parents, past parents, alumnae, faculty and staff, trustees, coaches, and other friends of the school to identify prospective families, facilitate personal introductions, and expand GPS's reach into new circles;

• Develop a strong understanding of the people, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, programs, and social networks that connect families throughout greater Chattanooga, particularly those where GPS has opportunities to build stronger relationships;

• Build new relationships and maintain existing relationships with feeder schools, youth and athletic programs, arts organizations, nonprofits, neighborhood and community groups, and other organizations serving children and families;

• Identify and develop partnerships with Chattanooga-area businesses, employers, professional organizations, and other institutions that can connect GPS with prospective families, including families relocating to the Chattanooga area;

• Maintain an active presence in the Chattanooga community through events, meetings, gatherings, and one-on-one relationship building, continually identifying people and organizations that can expand GPS's network;

• Create, plan, and pilot events, programs, partnerships, small gatherings, and other low-barrier experiences that give younger girls and their families meaningful opportunities to experience GPS before they enter the traditional admission process; and

• Work with the admissions and enrollment team to maintain accurate records of prospective families, introductions, community relationships, and engagement activity, and develop/strengthen systems for tracking how families move from early connection to inquiry and application.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; substantive experience in admission, community engagement, development, business development, marketing, relationship management, or a related field preferred;

• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop trust and connect authentically with a wide range of people;

• Strong knowledge of the greater Chattanooga community and its schools, neighborhoods, businesses, organizations, and social networks, or the curiosity and initiative to develop that knowledge quickly;

• Strong communication, organization, and follow-through skills, including the ability to cultivate and track relationships over extended periods of time;

• Collaborative, flexible, and comfortable representing GPS throughout the community, including at occasional evening and weekend events; and

• Commitment to the mission, values, and culture of Girls Preparatory School.

It is the School’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, or disability or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. It is the intent and resolve of the School to comply with the letter and the spirit of the law in the implementation of all facets of equal opportunity. The School’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, promotion, training, discipline, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

All employees are responsible for complying with the School's equal employment opportunity policy.