EF Academy Pasadena is seeking a dynamic, relationship-driven leader to serve as Director of Enrollment & Community Engagement. This is a senior-level role that combines strategic enrollment leadership with a bold community relations and business development mandate.
EF Academy Pasadena is an IB school and is poised to become the only private IB school in the greater Pasadena area; a compelling and differentiating story for prospective families and the wider educational community.
The campus community reflects EF Academy’s global footprint: approximately 65% of students are international, drawn from 60+ countries, with 35% enrolling from the local and wider Southern California region. This is not a traditional U.S. boarding school enrollment environment. International student recruitment is managed by a
dedicated global network of EF enrollment teams based in-country around the world; this role is focused on local and regional enrollment and community presence, while collaborating as one integrated team with global colleagues to support international families when they visit campus.
The Director will serve as a primary external face of the school, cultivating partnerships with schools, counselors, local educational consultants, community organizations, and educational influencers across Southern California and beyond. They will work alongside the Head of School and senior leadership team to grow local enrollment, strengthen the school’s regional profile, and embed EF Academy as a preferred destination for ambitious students and families.
This role is as much about community presence, trust-building, and brand representation as it is about managing the enrollment pipeline. The successful candidate will bring the executive presence, educational credibility, and entrepreneurial spirit to open doors, build lasting relationships, and generate measurable results.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Enrollment Strategy & Management
• Lead local and regional enrollment strategy for the Pasadena campus, with a focus on
attracting Southern California day and boarding students to a truly international school
environment.
• Develop and execute a data-informed enrollment strategy aligned with campus goals and EF
Academy’s global network priorities.
• Maintain and analyze enrollment metrics, pipeline data, and market trends to inform
decision-making and resource allocation.
• Collaborate closely with EF Academy’s U.S. Enrollment Director (based in New York) on
nationwide recruitment strategy, pipeline management, and lead generation; support and
provide dotted-line guidance to the Enrollment Coordinator who manages day-to-day
pipeline and call activity.
• Partner as one team with EF’s international enrollment staff based in-country worldwide;
serve as the campus point of contact for international families visiting Pasadena during their
decision process.
Community Relations & Business Development
• Serve as an external ambassador for EF Academy Pasadena, representing the school to
schools, educational consultants, community organizations, civic groups, and local networks.
• Identify, cultivate, and formalize strategic partnerships that expand the school’s visibility,
referral networks, and enrollment pipeline.
• Build and sustain relationships with independent school counselors, college advisors,
international student organizations, and regional educational influencers.
• Develop and grow relationships with local educational consultants acting as agents — a key
channel for reaching boarding families across the wider Los Angeles area seeking 5- or 7-
day boarding options.
• Represent EF Academy at conferences, community events, school fairs, and professional
gatherings.
Brand Representation & Storytelling
• Communicate the school’s mission, culture, and academic programs compellingly to diverse
audiences in person, in writing, and in public forums.
• Partner with the marketing and communications team to align outreach materials with
enrollment messaging.
• Facilitate campus visits, information sessions, open house events, Welcome Days, family
orientations, and community presentations.
Campus & Community Engagement
• Actively participate in the life of the school, including major events such as Opening Day,
Graduation, athletics and arts programs, and family celebrations.
• Serve as a visible, positive presence in the boarding school community, modeling
engagement and contributing to campus-wide initiatives.
• Support emergency response and campus-wide operational needs as a member of the
senior leadership team.
Leadership & Collaboration
• Partner closely with the Head of School and EVP of Enrollment to align local strategy with
global network goals.
• Collaborate across departments — academics, student life, marketing, finance — to support
enrollment, retention, and the overall student and family experience.
• Contribute to broader leadership team discussions, planning, and school-wide decision making.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
The successful candidate will bring a unique combination of educational credibility, relationship building expertise, strategic thinking, and enrollment acumen. They will demonstrate the maturity,
judgment, and executive presence necessary to represent the school alongside the Head of School
and senior leadership team.
This individual will be equally comfortable meeting with school leaders, educational consultants,
and prospective families; presenting to community organizations; participating in student events
and celebrations; and serving as a visible, positive presence within the daily life of the boarding
school community.
• A trusted relationship builder
• A strategic ambassador and storyteller
• A results-oriented professional with a growth mindset
www.efacademy.org
• A collaborative leader who contributes beyond their primary responsibilities
• A highly visible community member who embraces the mission and culture of a boarding
school environment
• A mature professional who demonstrates sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism in
all interactions
COMMUNITY COMMITMENT
As a senior member of the leadership team, this individual is expected to actively participate in the
life of the school beyond traditional outreach responsibilities. This includes attending major campus
events, supporting athletics and arts programs, participating in family and community celebrations,
serving as a visible presence during important school milestones such as Opening Day and
Graduation, and contributing to campus-wide initiatives and emergency response efforts as
needed.
The successful candidate genuinely enjoys working with adolescents, families, educators, and
colleagues and understands that thriving boarding school communities are built through
meaningful relationships, visibility, and engagement
Skills Required
- Senior leadership experience in enrollment/admissions within K-12 or boarding school settings
- Proven relationship-building and community engagement experience with schools, counselors, and educational consultants
- Experience developing and executing data-informed enrollment strategies and analyzing pipeline/enrollment metrics
- Experience representing an institution publicly at events, presentations, and conferences; strong storytelling and communications skills
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and international enrollment staff
- Comfort and experience working in a boarding school environment and engaging with adolescents and families
- Business development mindset with demonstrated ability to cultivate partnerships and generate measurable enrollment results
- Executive presence, sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism as a senior leadership team member
What We Do
A career at EF is something different. You’ll think boldly, own your job, and create a career you are proud of—and have fun doing it. When you join EF, you will join a global community of creative minds, innovators, and change-makers. Since 1965, we've created programs that help people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn about the world and themselves. People are at the heart of everything we do, and it all begins with the talented and collaborative EFers who bring our mission-opening the world through education- to life across 55 countries and counting.
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