The Music Institute of Chicago is seeking a collaborative, organized, and community-focused professional to serve as the Lake Forest Campus Director. This role is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Lake Forest campus while supporting enrollment growth, student and family engagement, faculty collaboration, and campus programming.
In addition to leading the Lake Forest campus, this position provides administrative oversight for MIC's two Chicago locations at the Gratz Center and St. James. These smaller instructional locations serve more limited student populations and operate without dedicated daily administrative staffing. As such, the Campus Director will provide centralized support for student inquiries, placements, enrollment coordination, and general administrative needs, helping ensure a consistent and responsive experience across all three locations.
The Campus Director plays an essential leadership role in creating an exceptional and inclusive experience for students, faculty, staff, and visitors while ensuring campus operations are managed professionally and efficiently. While the position is based primarily at Lake Forest, occasional visits to the Chicago locations will be required to support operational consistency and institutional coordination.
This position reports to the Director of Programs.
Student & Family Engagement
- Serve as a welcoming and responsive point of contact for current and prospective students and families
- Guide families through inquiries, placement, registration, and enrollment processes
- Support student retention through proactive communication and relationship-building
- Assist with student scheduling, lesson placement, and faculty assignments
- Maintain accurate student and enrollment records
- Foster a positive and inclusive campus environment where all students and families feel valued and supported
Enrollment, Outreach & Community Engagement
- Support enrollment growth initiatives for private lessons, classes, ensembles, and campus programming
- Develop relationships with local schools, community organizations, and families throughout the community
- Represent MIC at recruitment events, performances, and outreach initiatives
- Partner with institutional leadership on student recruitment and retention strategies
- Help strengthen campus visibility and engagement within the surrounding community
- Promote equitable access to music education and support MIC’s mission of serving diverse learners and communities
Campus Operations
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the Lake Forest campus and ensure a welcoming, organized, and professional environment
- Coordinate campus scheduling, room usage, recital logistics, and special events
- Organize and support studio recitals in partnership with department chairs, faculty, and support staff
- Coordinate recital scheduling, room usage, logistics, and event communication to ensure a positive student and family experience
- Communicate facility and operational needs to appropriate departments
- Maintain campus supplies, equipment, and administrative systems
- Ensure campus operations reflect MIC’s commitment to professionalism, accessibility, and inclusion
Chicago Campus Administrative Oversight
In addition to primary responsibilities at Lake Forest, the Campus Director will provide administrative support and coordination for MIC's Gratz Center and St. James locations in Chicago. Given the smaller scale of these instructional sites, these responsibilities are primarily administrative in nature and are designed to ensure consistent enrollment processes, communication, and operational support across locations.
Responsibilities include:
- Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for prospective students and families at the Gratz Center and St. James locations
- Manage student inquiries, coordinate faculty placements, and facilitate enrollment processes in collaboration with faculty and MIC's registration team
- Support ongoing communication with Chicago-based faculty regarding student scheduling, availability, and administrative needs
- Maintain accurate student placement and enrollment information for both locations
- Coordinate with institutional leadership and relevant staff to address operational needs and ensure consistency in administrative practices
- Conduct occasional visits to the Chicago locations, generally once or twice per month, to maintain relationships with faculty, assess operational needs, and support a consistent student and faculty experience
Faculty & Staff Collaboration
- Provide day-to-day oversight of the Lake Forest campus and administrative assistants to ensure effective operations and a high level of service for students, families, and faculty
- Partner with faculty and staff to support smooth campus operations and student success
- Assist with faculty scheduling and communication
- Foster a collaborative and respectful campus culture grounded in professionalism and teamwork
- Help resolve scheduling, customer service, and operational concerns with care and discretion
- Support an environment where differing perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds are welcomed and respected
Administrative & Financial Responsibilities
- Manage campus revenue and expense budgets in partnership with the Director of Programs and the Vice President & Chief Programs Officer
- Monitor enrollment trends, operational expenses, and campus resource needs to support institutional planning and campus performance
- Monitor tuition balances and assist with payment-related follow-up
- Maintain enrollment, scheduling, and operational data
- Support organizational initiatives and special projects
- Manage, schedule and assist with front desk coverage and administrative support when needed
- Ensure timely and accurate communication with students, families, faculty, and staff
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; music, arts administration, education, nonprofit management, or related field preferred
- 3–5 years of administrative, educational, nonprofit, arts management, or customer-facing leadership experience
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Commitment to providing excellent customer service and building positive relationships
- Experience working collaboratively with faculty, families, and community stakeholders
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database or CRM systems
- Passion for music education, community engagement, and student success
Schedule & Work Environment
This is an on-site position based primarily at MIC's Lake Forest campus. The regular schedule is Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with additional flexibility in hours as needed to support performances, recitals, special events, and campus operations.
The position also includes administrative oversight of MIC's Gratz Center and St. James locations in Chicago. Most responsibilities associated with these locations can be managed remotely from the Lake Forest campus, with occasional on-site visits anticipated approximately once or twice per month.
Commitment to Equity & Inclusion
The Music Institute of Chicago is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of our community. We value diversity of background, experience, identity, and perspective, and we believe these differences strengthen our institution and enrich the educational experience for our students.
MIC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds and experiences to apply.
To Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience via email to: hr@musicinst.org. Please include the position title in the subject line of your email.