Posted: 11-May-26
Location: Seattle, Washington
Type: Full Time
Salary: 150,000-180,0000
Salary Details:
Preferred Education:
The Northwest School is an independent day and boarding school serving students in grades 6–12 on an urban campus in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. As Seattle’s only day and boarding school, Northwest offers a distinctive educational experience that combines rigorous academics with experiential, interdisciplinary learning in a vibrant city setting.
Our liberal arts program nurtures compassionate, globally aware, and environmentally conscious students who find joy in learning and are prepared to engage thoughtfully and creatively in an interconnected world. Northwest is a warm, inclusive community grounded in shared values and a deep commitment to belonging.
We believe diversity strengthens our school and are dedicated to building a faculty and student body that reflects the broader society. We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.
Position Summary
The Northwest School seeks a full-time Director of Enrollment Management to provide strategic leadership for recruitment, admissions, retention, financial aid, and enrollment planning. Reporting to the Head of School and serving on the Senior Leadership Team, the Director plays a central role in positioning Northwest as a school of choice locally, nationally, and internationally, leveraging the school’s unique identity as Seattle’s only day and boarding school.
The next Director of Enrollment will have a unique opportunity to shape and bring to life a mission-driven enrollment strategy that ensures long-term sustainability, broadens access, and enriches the vitality of the community. The position is available July 1, 2026.
Essential Functions
Strategic Enrollment Leadership (Growth-Focused)
• Partner with the Head of School and senior leadership to drive measurable enrollment growth aligned with mission and long-term institutional sustainability.
• Design, implement, and continuously refine a data-driven, multi-year enrollment strategy that demonstrably increases inquiries, applications, yield, and retention across all divisions.
• Lead with a clear track record of growing enrollment, using funnel analytics, market intelligence, and forecasting to expand the top of the funnel and optimize conversion at each stage.
• Develop and execute integrated domestic and international recruitment strategies, ensuring a strong, mission-aligned, and globally diverse student body.
• Position The Northwest School competitively in the marketplace, clearly articulating its unique value as Seattle’s only day and boarding school.
Admissions Program & Operations
• Lead a comprehensive, high-performing admissions program spanning Middle School, Upper School, and International/Boarding, with clear accountability for results.
• Oversee all admissions cycles with consistency, rigor, and a focus on enrollment outcomes and class composition goals.
• Direct domestic and international recruitment efforts, including partnerships with feeder schools, educational consultants, and global recruitment channels.
• Recruit, train, and lead Admissions Committees to ensure aligned, mission-centered, and strategically informed decision-making.
• Partner with division leadership to align admissions practices with student experience, program capacity, and retention goals.
Retention & Community Sustainability
• Develop and implement proactive retention strategies that support student persistence and long-term enrollment stability.
• Analyze attrition and enrollment patterns to identify risks and implement targeted, data-informed interventions, particularly at key transition points (e.g., Middle School to Upper School).
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure alignment between enrollment strategy and student experience.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
• Lead, develop, and hold accountable a small, high-impact admissions team, fostering a results-oriented, collaborative, and inclusive culture.
• Establish clear performance expectations tied to enrollment goals, recruitment outcomes, and operational excellence.
• Build team capacity in both domestic and international recruitment strategies and execution.
Marketing, Communications & Outreach
• Partner closely with Strategic Marketing and Communications to ensure enrollment-driven messaging, brand clarity, and market differentiation.
• Lead outreach strategies that expand visibility and strengthen pipelines across local, national, and international markets.
• Collaborate with the Director of Global Outreach and Programs to grow and diversify international enrollment through strategic recruitment initiatives.
• Represent the school externally at regional, national, and international forums (e.g., NWAIS, PSIS, AISAP, EMA, TABS), reinforcing market presence and building pipelines.
Financial Aid, Data & Governance
• Partner with Finance to strategically deploy $4+M in tuition assistance to support enrollment goas and access priorities.
• Manage the admissions budget with a focus on ROI-driven enrollment investments.
• Analyze and present enrollment data, trends, and projections to senior leadership and the Board.
• Lead and participate in Board-level conversations, providing clear, strategic, and data-informed insights on enrollment, market positioning, and growth strategy.
• Attend Board of Trustees and relevant committee meetings as a key institutional voice on enrollment strategy and performance.
Community Engagement
• Serve as a visible and engaged institutional leader, actively participating in school life and strengthening community connection.
• Act as a strategic ambassador of the school, advancing enrollment goals through internal and external relationship-building.
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible admissions or enrollment management experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Demonstrated track record of leading enrollment growth in an independent school or comparable educational setting, with clear evidence of increasing inquiries, applications, yield, and/or overall enrollment.
• Significant experience designing and executing data-informed enrollment strategies, including funnel management, forecasting, and market analysis.
• Direct experience recruiting both domestic and international students, including building and managing relationships with feeder schools, educational consultants, and/or global recruitment partners.
• Experience leading or contributing to international enrollment strategies, including boarding or global programs (if applicable).
• Proven ability to present, influence, and engage effectively in Board-level conversations, including communicating complex enrollment data, strategy, and market insights to senior leaders and trustees.
• Demonstrated success managing and developing high-performing teams, with clear accountability for outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable enrollment strategies and measurable results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust across diverse constituencies including families, faculty, senior leadership, and trustees.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging, with experience advancing these principles within enrollment strategy and practice.
Preferred Qualifications
• Advance degree preferred.
• Experience in a day and boarding school environment, particularly with integrated domestic and international enrollment strategy.
• Familiarity with the Seattle independent school market and/or similarly competitive enrollment landscapes.
• Experience aligning enrollment strategy with financial aid modeling and institutional budget priorities.
• Background collaborating closely with marketing and communications teams to drive enrollment outcomes.
• Experience participating in or leading cross-functional strategic planning at the senior leadership level.
Physical Demands
• Ability to lift to 25 pounds in connection with job duties, such as assisting with setup or moving materials.
• Ability to stand, sit, and move comfortably on campus for extended periods.
• Ability to climb stairs and navigate uneven surfaces as needed between locations within and outside school buildings.
• Willingness to work outdoors in varying weather conditions, including inclement weather.
• Evening and weekend work may be required at times.
