Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions

The Pingry School; Basking Ridge (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Tuition remission for employees' kids

Wellness and professional development

Job summary

The Pingry School in New Jersey seeks a Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions to lead the complete 6–12 admissions cycle, including outreach, evaluation, enrollment, and onboarding. You will supervise staff, partner with leaders across divisions, and shape cycle planning to ensure a welcoming family experience.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in independent school admissions, a data-driven mindset, and a proven ability to develop teams, manage events, and build feeder-school

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Education or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of admissions or enrollment experience, preferably in independent schools.
• Demonstrated experience managing or developing people, teams, or workflows.
• Strong Middle and Upper School admissions judgment, including family engagement across both divisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead full Middle and Upper School admissions cycles for grades 6–12.
• Collaborate with the Director of Lower School Admissions to align practices and transitions.
• Establish timelines, workflows, and accountability for both divisions.
• Lead application review, interviews, committee prep, admissions decisions, and family communications.
• Lead Middle and Upper School admissions events and serve as liaison to programs across Academics, Athletics, Arts, and student life.
• Maintain active presence in both divisions to stay current on programs and student experiences.
• Cultivate relationships with feeder schools, educational consultants, and community partners to support recruitment for grades 6–12.

Skills

Admissions leadership

Enrollment strategy

People development

Family experience

Community leadership

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Veracross

Zoom

Google Suite

Job description

The Pingry School, a prestigious K-12 coeducational, independent day school with a rich history dating back to its founding by Dr. John F. Pingry in 1861, stands at the forefront of academic excellence in the United States. With campuses located in Basking Ridge, Pottersville, and Short Hills, New Jersey, Pingry is celebrated for its academic programs, a student-written Honor Code that underpins our community values, and a comprehensive commitment to arts, athletics, community, and civic engagement. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong passion for learning, personal development, and social responsibility, preparing them to be global citizens and luminaries of the 21st century. Rooted in relationships and guided by our foundational philosophy, Pingry is a vibrant community of more than 1,100 students hailing from over 90 towns across New Jersey and New York. At Pingry, we are united by a love of learning and a commitment to preparing students to navigate the complexities of the 21st century with confidence and integrity. For more information, we invite you to visit our website at pingry.org or connect with The Pingry School on Facebook, X, and Instagram to discover why we love school.

Position Summary

The Pingry School's Enrollment Management Office stewards the recruitment, selection, enrollment, and retention of students across K–12. Our holistic, student-centered, and mission-driven approach considers each applicant's achievements, potential, and character. The Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions serves as the senior admissions leaders for grades 6–12. Reporting to the Director of Enrollment Management, this role leads the full Middle and Upper School admissions cycle, from outreach and recruitment through evaluation, selection, enrollment, and onboarding, and supervises, coaches, and develops assigned admissions staff. As a member of the Enrollment Management leadership team, the Director partners with colleagues across the School to advance institutional enrollment goals, strengthen alignment across divisions, use data and market insight to shape cycle planning and yield strategy, and deliver a welcoming and consistent experience for prospective students and families.

Candidate Profile

• You are a 6–12 admissions leader and divisional connector and understand the developmental differences between Middle and Upper School, the questions families bring at each stage, and the recruitment, evaluation, selection, and enrollment strategies needed to serve both well. You ensure that Middle School receives the focus it deserves while creating a cohesive grades 6–12 admissions experience.
• You are an enrollment strategist who can turn ideas into action by understanding independent-school markets, applicant behavior, enrollment trends, and the relationship among recruitment, selection, yield, and class composition. You use data, professional judgment, and community insight to translate institutional goals into focused strategies, clear priorities, and measurable results.
• You are a people developer and team builder who sets clear expectations, provides meaningful coaching and feedback, develops talent, and holds people accountable for strong performance by building trust, clarity, and shared leadership while creating the conditions for people and programs to thrive.
• You are a steward of the family experience, understanding that the admissions process shapes how prospective families experience Pingry. Through proactive communication, hospitality, responsiveness, and attention to detail, you ensure that students and families feel known, informed, and welcomed throughout their journey.
• You are a visible community leader and authentic ambassador who finds energy and professional insight in the daily life of Middle and Upper School by building proactive and visible relationships with students, faculty, coaches, school leaders, and families, and represent Pingry's mission and culture with warmth and confidence in personal conversations, community partnerships, and admissions events.
• You are a collaborative operator and trusted partner who exercises authority within your portfolio while working closely with the Director of Enrollment Management, fellow Enrollment Management leaders, and colleagues across the School. You bring initiative, sound judgment, discretion, follow-through, and a generous leadership presence to the work.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Strategy, & Team Management

• Serves as a thought partner to the Director of Enrollment Management on annual enrollment goals, cycle planning, recruitment strategy, yield, messaging, and trends for middle and upper school.
• Supervises assigned admissions staff supporting grades 6–12, establishing priorities, providing feedback, managing performance, and supporting professional growth.
• Collaborates with the Director of Lower School Admissions to align admissions practices, communications, committee processes, and cross-divisional transitions.
• Coordinates the work of seasonal staff, readers, community interviewers, and project teams during peak admissions periods.
• Serves as acting office lead when designated.

Middle and Upper School Admissions, Operations & Partnerships

• Leads the full Middle and Upper School admissions cycles, from recruitment and applicant evaluation through selection, enrollment, and onboarding.
• Establishes timelines, workflows, and accountability measures that ensure both divisions receive consistent and intentional attention.
• Leads and manages application review, interviews, committee preparation, admissions decisions, and family communications.
• Leads Middle and Upper School admissions events, including open houses, revisit programs, and yield activities.
• Serves as the primary admissions liaison to Middle and Upper School leaders and programs across Academics, Athletics, Arts, and student life.
• Maintains an active presence in both divisions to remain current on their programs, cultures, and student experiences.
• In partnership with the Director of Enrollment Management, cultivates relationships with feeder schools, educational consultants, and community partners to support recruitment for grades 6–12.

Data, Analysis, and Continuous Office-wide Improvement

• Uses admissions data, market trends, and applicant insights to evaluate progress and inform recruitment and yield strategies.
• Partners with colleagues responsible for enrollment data and financial aid on reporting, analysis, and informed decision-making.
• Contributes to office-wide priorities, including strategic planning, financial-aid, retention, process improvement, and cross-divisional initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Education or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of admissions or enrollment experience, preferably in independent schools.
• Demonstrated experience managing or developing people, teams, or workflows.
• Strong Middle and Upper School admissions judgment, including committee experience and family engagement across both divisions.
• Strategic capacity to serve as a credible thought partner at a senior level.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively as a peer leader, sharing authority, coordinating across divisions, and supporting a cohesive office culture alongside a fellow Director of Admissions
• Experience managing online inquiries, applications, and enrollment workflows in Veracross (or similar CRM).
• Proficiency in daily-use technology platforms, including Veracross, Zoom, and the Google Suite.
• High EQ, discretion, and strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be able to meet the physical requirements of the position, including event setup support.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends during peak admissions periods, and full 12-month schedule.
• Deep alignment with Pingry's mission, culture, Honor Code, and commitment to equitable and excellent admissions practice.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $135,000. Final compensation will be determined based on experience and education.

Pingry offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision coverage; retirement plans with employer matching; life and disability insurance; tuition remission for employees' children; and access to wellness and professional development resources.

A full list of benefits is available at www.pingry.org/careers.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Pingry School aspires to be an anti-racist community and is committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pingry is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Pingry School's employment policy is that individuals will receive equal opportunity in all matters pertaining to recruitment, employment, salary, promotion and assignment, regardless of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran, or other basis proscribed by federal, state, and local law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.