Admissions Associate-Middle/Upper in New York, New York at Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Who we are?

Ethical Culture Fieldston School is a progressive PreK-12 independent school that has been serving students from throughout New York City and the surrounding suburbs since 1878. ECFS offers a rich curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities. A co-ed, nonsectarian school, it serves an inclusive community of about 1,700 students on two campuses -- one in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and the other in Manhattan.

What is essential about working at our school?

The Ethical Culture Fieldston School has a long history of inclusion and belonging deeply rooted in our mission and the educational philosophy of our founder, Felix Adler. We embrace all aspects of an individual, including their ancestry, family, identity, culture, and beliefs. We affirm both our differences and commonalities and strive to balance individuality and community. In keeping with our progressive tradition, we are dedicated to increasing our students’ cultural literacy to help them understand multiple perspectives and see the world beyond the self.

We expect members of our community to engage in open dialogue about living and learning in an inclusive environment inside and outside the classroom. We see this work, with its creative tensions, as a catalyst for individual and collective growth. On a daily basis, we are committed to making this vision of a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive school a reality.

Position Summary
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School Office of Admissions is seeking a mission-driven, dynamic, people-person as the Admissions Associate for the Middle & Upper School. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic about progressive education, creative, eager to learn, and a team player with professional integrity. The person filling this role will report to the Director of Admissions, Fieldston Middle and Upper, and join a team of committed and collaborative colleagues.

This is a 10 month exempt position and the hiring range is $66,000-$72,000. When determining the salary for a position, ECFS considers factors including, but not limited to: the scope and responsibilities of the position, internal peer equity, key skills required for the role, the candidate’s work experience, education and training, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Please note that this is an onsite role and not performed remotely. Ethical Culture Fieldston School retains its right to modify job duties in accordance with changing operational needs.

Responsibilities
The primary areas of responsibility will include:

• Serving as the first point of contact for prospective families, peer and feeder school colleagues, faculty, and current students and families;

• Providing assistance with the interview process for prospective Middle School and Upper School students and families and writing detailed narrative evaluations of these conversations;

• Assisting with the application process by reading and evaluating application files for the Middle and Upper divisions, as assigned;

• Under the guidance of the Director of Middle School and Upper School Admissions, providing support with Tour Guide Program, including supporting recruitment, selection, training, and scheduling student tour guides;

• Organizing and assisting with the buddy programs for newly enrolled students and families;

• Planning and implementing student revisit days;

• Working with Admissions Coordinator on faculty/admin interviewer schedule across both divisions;

• Responding to prospective family and applicant phone and email inquiries;

• Maintaining ongoing communication and follow up with applicant families throughout the admissions process;

• Assisting in the planning and execution of all outreach to prospective students (e.g., Discovery Day) as well as all events for newly admitted students/families;

• Participating with the Director of Middle School and Upper School Admissions in placement and partner program colleague calls, documenting the details of these conversations;

• Fostering positive relationships with students, families, faculty, administrators and other members of the School community;

• Representing ECFS at all relevant school fairs, meetings and panels;

• Motivating and inspiring the team and coworkers to achieve goals; and

• Performing other related projects and duties as assigned.
  
  

Position Requirements
The successful incumbent will possess:

• A Bachelor's Degree;

• A minimum of 2 years of previous admissions and/or youth development experience is required and prior experience working in independent schools or other educational settings is strongly preferred;

• Excellent verbal, written and oral communication skills to effectively communicate initiatives, facilitate discussions, and present to various levels of stakeholders;

• A high degree of organization, resourcefulness, and attention to detail;

• The ability to collaborate and build strong relationships with faculty, administrators, and the overall community;

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to present a positive representation of the School, mission, and philosophy to prospective families;

• Strong work ethic and the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed;

• The ability to identify issues quickly and problem solve accordingly, and to remain calm in stressful situations that may arise;

• The ability to handle confidential materials with discretion while maintaining a high level of integrity;

• The ability to work effectively and productively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with the aim of increasing efficiency and accuracy in application processing;

• A willingness to learn and embrace new ideas and procedures and a consistent initiative to help streamline processes and improve efficiencies;

• A positive attitude and the ability to listen effectively and be receptive to feedback;

• The ability to work collaboratively in group settings, as well as independently, to meet project goals and team needs;

• Proficiency in utilizing and learning new technologies (i.e., Google Workspace tools);

• Strong proficiency in FinalSite, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Suite;

• Reliability, punctuality, and consistent attendance;

• Strong organizational skills with a high attention to detail;

• The ability to listen effectively and be receptive to feedback; and

• The ability to cultivate a welcoming culture in which all members of our community feel valued and appreciated.

To apply
All candidates should visit our employment page at www.ecfs.org to apply. Please send a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for three references.

EEO
ECFS is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to be a welcoming community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the metropolitan New York City area, our students, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to hiring practices that ensure all candidates are given fair consideration in alignment with our institutional mission and goals.