| Job Title: | Dean of Admissions & Student Life | |
| Reports to: | Training | |
| Department: | Vice President of Training & Student Life | |
| Supervises: | N/A | |
| FLSA Status: | Exempt | |
| FT/PT: | Full-Time (4 days/week in person) | |
| Salary: | $115k |
Organization Overview:
The Ackerman Institute for the Family was founded in 1960 and is one of the premier institutions for family therapy treatment and one of the most highly regarded training facilities for family therapists in the United States. The Institute serves a diverse population of families at all stages of life, offering a variety of programs that address a broad range of clinical and social issues. Ackerman faculty are nationally recognized leaders in family therapy, known for developing innovative, justice-centered approaches to treatment and training.
Position Summary:
The Dean of Admissions & Student Life plays a high-level leadership role in shaping the full student experience at Ackerman—leading admissions across multiple programs and ensuring a strong, mission-aligned student body. This position works in close partnership with the Vice President of Training & Student Life, with shared accountability for meeting enrollment and retention targets across Core Training, Practicum, Certificate programs, and emerging educational initiatives.
The Dean must be a strategic and self-sufficient leader—capable of designing and implementing professional enrollment strategies while also engaging in hands-on, grassroots outreach to drive recruitment. This is a transitional year for the Institute, with revised offerings expected in 2026, requiring versatility and clarity of vision. The ideal candidate understands the graduate and postgraduate mental health education landscape, and can inspire prospective students while clearly articulating the value and ROI of an Ackerman education.
Strategic Enrollment Management
- Lead and execute the full admissions lifecycle, with a focus on prospecting, recruitment, and enrolling a high-quality, mission-aligned student body in support of Ackerman’s educational, strategic, and financial objectives.
- Serve as the architect of a data-informed Strategic Enrollment Plan, encompassing student acquisition, retention, and graduate outcomes, with clear alignment to institutional ROI.
- Analyze enrollment trends and collaborate with leadership to articulate program value, career impact, and return on investment for prospective applicants, particularly in family therapy and related fields.
- Develop forecasting tools and evaluate alternative entry pathways, including modular programs and short-term certificates.
- Work closely with the VP of Training & Student Life and faculty on retention strategies for core clinical training programs, while supporting cross-programmatic engagement and integration with workshops and short courses where appropriate.
Admissions Operations
- Oversee the end-to-end admissions process in collaboration with program staff and faculty, including application review, tuition tracking, and onboarding.
- Coordinate and participate in faculty interviews for the Dual Program and other selective offerings.
- Provide personalized, professional support to prospective applicants—including those not admitted—with care and clarity.
- Maintain high-quality applicant communications and ensure an inclusive, mission-aligned admissions process.
Student Support & Engagement
- Serve as the primary point of contact for students across programs regarding admissions, program navigation, and student life.
- Maintain office hours, respond to urgent student needs, and enforce institutional policies such as the Code of Conduct, leaves of absence, and academic withdrawals.
- Promote a culture of belonging and antiracism through student programs, affinity spaces, and institutional events.
- Support student mentorship pipelines, group placement coordination, and clinical supervision alignment in collaboration with training leadership.
Marketing, Outreach & Communications
- Design and implement a strategic marketing and outreach plan in collaboration with communications staff, acknowledging limited infrastructure and avoiding over-reliance on broad-based digital marketing.
- Lead grassroots outreach efforts, including cold-calling, campus visits, meetings with university partners, and relationship-building with feeder institutions.
- Represent Ackerman at graduate school fairs and external events to expand visibility and generate student interest.
- Organize and lead recruitment events such as Open Houses and information sessions, coordinating faculty participation and prospective student engagement.
- Begin to build internal narratives and communication materials that demonstrate the long-term professional value of Ackerman programs.
Organizational Integration
- Participate in faculty and leadership meetings and ensure alignment between admissions, program planning, and institutional growth.
- Engage alumni and faculty in recruitment and visibility efforts.
- Ensure smooth communication between students, faculty, and administration to support an integrated, community-based training environment.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in education, nonprofit management, business, or a related field strongly preferred.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, or student affairs—ideally in a graduate school, clinical training institute, or mission-driven nonprofit.
- Familiarity with graduate education in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, or related clinical disciplines preferred.
- Demonstrated success in developing pipelines, yield strategies, and grassroots outreach campaigns.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and public speaking skills; ability to represent the institution with professionalism and warmth.
- Strong organizational, project management, and data analysis skills.
- Commitment to antiracism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and community-centered leadership.
Additional Information
- This is a full-time, in-person position based in New York City (4 days/week in person).
- Evening and weekend availability may be required for events and outreach.
Welcoming Diversity:
The Ackerman Institute for the Family provides equal opportunities to all individuals without regard to race, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. This policy applies to all employment, education, volunteer, and clinical care-related activities.
How to Apply:
Please submit a cover letter and CV to jnazario@ackerman.org with the subject line: Dean of Admissions & Student Life.