Founded in 1889, The Wheeler School is a co-educational independent day school for approximately 800 students from Nursery through Grade Twelve in beautiful and dynamic Providence, Rhode Island. The essence of our mission and vision comes down to a simple imperative reflected by Mary C. Wheeler’s founding precept: “to learn our powers and be answerable for their use.” Wheeler is a community through which we strive to make anything possible for students, where choice, inquiry, and interest are of primary import, where we know individuals well, and where we insist upon and nurture intellectual character, critical thinking, empathy, and creative spirit.
The Director of Enrollment will provide vision and leadership to attract and enroll a diverse and dynamic group of students and families who will thrive within and advance the mission of The Wheeler School. The Director will work well with other leaders and the admissions team to meet schoolwide enrollment, recruitment, and retention goals and ensure sustainability throughout a chapter of ongoing growth and leadership in the area. Leading a team of professionals, the Director of Enrollment will pursue and implement best practices for engagement, communications, and relationship-building. The Director of Enrollment will often be the public face of our School for prospective families in the Providence and Southeastern Massachusetts region, where Wheeler maintains a strong reputation and position. In the years ahead, this individual will work closely with a strong team of school leaders and the Head of School to continue the legacy of innovation and excellence for which The Wheeler School is known.
At the highest level, the ideal candidate will be a dedicated and accessible leader and manager, a pragmatic visionary — collaborative, self-motivated, and decisive. An ideal candidate will have experience leading growth and will garner trust through open and direct communications and a strong work ethic. The ideal candidate will be creative and dynamic and will have a high energy level to match the dynamism of Wheeler’s environment. The candidate will act with humility and a sense of humor, will be organized and an excellent, thoughtful communicator, and will have extremely strong relational skills and follow through.
More specifically, the Director of Enrollment will:
Advance the mission of the school by attracting and enrolling mission-aligned families and students
Provide clear vision, supervisory leadership and management, and strategic direction for a team of five admissions professionals, driven by shared school goals created in conjunction with the Head of School and Leadership Team
Nurture relationships with other schools and community organizations, as well as within the Wheeler community through attendance at fairs, recruitment events, and schoolwide events, serving as a chief spokesperson for the School
Provide a clear, warm, dynamic presence and leadership for families, students, and the larger community, both prospective and current
Work in collaboration with the Business, Communications, and Advancement offices on organizational goals, specifically budget, tuition assistance allocation, communications strategies, enrollment, and retention
Lead the School’s Tuition Assistance Committee, in collaboration with the Business Office and Head of School
Participate on the Leadership Team as a strategic partner in advancing Wheeler’s mission, and act as the enrollment liaison to the Board of Trustees as well as serve as administrative liaison to the Board’s Enrollment, Recruitment, and Public Relations subcommittee
Incorporate the use of research, best practices, data, and quantitative analysis into the enrollment strategy
Manage enrollment projections, goals, budget, policies, and procedures
Continue to nurture existing relationships with feeder schools and establish new relationships with schools, educational consultants, and placement organizations as appropriate
Demonstrate high ethical standards, integrity, and respect for prospective families, colleagues, alumni, parents, guardians, and students throughout the admissions process
Qualifications
Success in prior external-facing leadership roles in schools
Excellent listening, written and oral communication skills
Demonstrated cultural competency and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion work in schools
Facility with social media and thought leadership
Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary
Experience with admissions and enrollment strategies, leadership, and best-practices
Experience with financial aid processes and procedures
Demonstrated leadership and management expertise
Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s degree or higher preferred
To apply, please submit a resume, writing sample, and cover letter to Allison Gaines Pell, Head of School, and submit to Dawn Kelliher, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, at dawnkelliher@wheelerschool.org. Please include the “Director of Enrollment” in the subject line.
Statement on Diversity
At Wheeler, we actively seek students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds in the belief that a broad range of experiences and viewpoints enhance learning, enrich life on campus, and better prepare us all for full participation in a pluralistic, democratic society. The Wheeler School is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, or disability, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.
The Wheeler School is a Nursery through Grade 12 co-ed independent day school founded in 1889 in Providence, Rhode Island located on College Hill on the East Side of Providence. Wheeler is comprised of four divisions, Lower School (N-5), Middle School (6-8), Upper School (9-12), and Hamilton School (1-8), the latter a special school- within-a-school for students with learning differences. We are a vibrant, joyous family with exceptional Fine and Performing Arts, Athletics for grades 6-12, Summer Programs open to the public, and numerous curricular and co-curricular choices for our students. Our programs are creative, innovative, and challenging.
