The posting
Ingenuity Prep is a high-performing public charter school in Ward 8, serving scholars from Pre-K through Middle School. We are a supportive school community dedicated to academic rigor and civic leadership, preparing students for the path to colleges and careers of their choosing. We are unapologetically outcomes-driven, with an instructional model that emphasizes small-group learning, collaborative teaching teams, and robust coaching and professional development, all within a culture rooted in joy, belonging, and authentic relationships.
WHAT YOU’LL DO As the Enrollment Strategy and Engagement Manager, you will lead the day-to-day implementation of our community-based student recruitment efforts, building authentic relationships with families, community organizations, and neighborhood partners while developing innovative approaches to increasing enrollment. Working closely with the CEO, Data & Enrollment team, academy leaders, and Family & Community Engagement team, the manager will help translate Ingenuity Prep's enrollment priorities into a focused, measurable outreach and recruitment plan. In this role, you will:
Build Community Relationships and Partnerships
- Develop and sustain relationships with neighborhood organizations, childcare providers, community leaders, and other partners who connect with prospective families.
- Establish a consistent presence in the communities Ingenuity Prep serves, meeting families where they are.
- Identify new opportunities to introduce families to Ingenuity Prep through partnerships, community gatherings, and trusted networks.
- Build and maintain a pipeline of community partners and prospective-family referrals.
- Listen to families and community members to better understand school choice decisions, barriers to enrollment, and opportunities to strengthen IP's outreach.
Lead Creative, Proactive Student Recruitment
- Develop and implement a year-round community outreach and recruitment plan aligned with schoolwide enrollment priorities.
- Design and execute creative campaigns and activities that generate interest in Ingenuity Prep.
- Organize and participate in recruitment events, neighborhood outreach, school tours, and other opportunities to engage prospective families.
- Establish and support a network of parent and family ambassadors who can share their experiences and introduce other families to IP.
- Maintain personal relationships with prospective families, providing consistent follow-up and connecting them with enrollment staff to complete required steps.
- Partner with communications staff to develop compelling recruitment messages and materials informed by family feedback and market research.
Turn Outreach Into Measurable Enrollment Results
- Establish clear outreach goals, timelines, and deliverables aligned with schoolwide enrollment targets.
- Work with the Data & Enrollment team to monitor recruitment leads, application progress, conversion, and grade-level enrollment needs.
- Use enrollment data to prioritize outreach efforts and identify opportunities to strengthen recruitment.
- Track the effectiveness of community partnerships, recruitment activities, and family referrals.
- Regularly evaluate results and recommend adjustments to improve performance.
- Provide the CEO with concise updates on progress, challenges, opportunities, and decisions needed.
Collaborate Across Teams to Strengthen Enrollment and Retention
- Partner with academy leaders and the Family & Community Engagement team to identify opportunities to strengthen family advocacy and school-community relationships.
- Support targeted outreach associated with key academy transitions, particularly kindergarten to first grade and fourth to fifth grade.
- Coordinate with existing teams to ensure prospective and newly enrolled families experience a welcoming, responsive introduction to IP.
- Share family and community feedback that can inform schoolwide recruitment and retention strategies.
- Participate in cross-functional enrollment planning and accountability meetings, following through on assigned recruitment commitments.
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR We are seeking passionate professionals who bring the mindset of a community organizer to mission-driven work. As the Enrollment Strategy and Engagement Manager, you will listen carefully, build trust, connect people, mobilize networks, and turn relationships into meaningful action. They bring energy, initiative, creativity, and a genuine commitment to building relationships with families and communities.
- Community Builder: You build authentic relationships, earn trust, and connect with people across different backgrounds and experiences.
- Creative Problem Solver: You generate new ideas, test approaches, and adapt when something isn't working.
- Action-Oriented Organizer: You turn ambitious goals into concrete activities, organize people around shared objectives, and follow through consistently.
- Results-Driven: You understand that relationships and activities should ultimately produce measurable outcomes, and you use data to improve your work.
- Collaborative Leader: You influence others, build partnerships, and move work forward without relying on formal authority.
- Compelling Communicator: You can tell the story of Ingenuity Prep in ways that resonate with prospective families and community partners.
WHAT YOU BRING
- At least 3 years of relevant experience in community organizing, grassroots outreach, student recruitment, community engagement, relationship-based marketing, or a related field.
- Demonstrated success building community relationships and translating outreach into measurable results.
- Experience organizing campaigns, coordinating community initiatives, or mobilizing supporter networks.
- Strong interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent project management, organization, and follow-through.
- Comfort using basic data and tracking tools to monitor progress and adjust activities.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
- Familiarity with Washington, DC communities, particularly Wards 7 and 8, strongly preferred.
- Experience in education or school enrollment preferred but not required.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends to connect with families and attend community events.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE In the first year, the Enrollment Growth & Community Outreach Manager will:
- Establish a sustained community outreach presence and active network of referral partners.
- Develop and execute a measurable recruitment plan aligned with IP's enrollment priorities.
- Build a family ambassador program that generates prospective-family referrals.
- Increase qualified family inquiries and strengthen inquiry-to-enrollment conversion.
- Identify and test new recruitment approaches, using results to refine outreach.
- Contribute meaningfully to schoolwide enrollment growth while strengthening the relationships and recruitment infrastructure needed for future years.
MORE ABOUT US Ingenuity Prep offers among the strongest compensation and benefits packages of any public charter school in Washington, D.C. Our compensation and benefits package includes:
- Competitive compensation with up to 7% annual salary growth
- 401(k) IRA with 100% match up to 3% + Smart Save auto increase option
- 100% employer-paid medical, disability, and life insurance for employees + dependents; 50% spouse coverage for medical; 50% employer-paid dental + vision
- Paid parental leave for all staff, regardless of gender
- Ongoing wellness support with monthly Wellness Days + free mental health services
- MacBook Air provided for professional and personal use, 100% IP-paid cell phone plan (keep your number!), and tax-free commuter benefits
- Robust coaching and learning model with monthly PD and staff-led learning; dedicated time and funding for growth with early-release Wednesdays + external PD funds
Salary Range: $73,833 - $92,208 (commensurate with 1-10 years of experience)
Ingenuity Prep does not make hiring decisions based on race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, disability, veteran status, religion, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. However, at this time, we do not provide job sponsorship for international candidates.
