Manager, Community Engagements & Admissions

About us:

Founded in 2010, Ekya Schools offers progressive K12 education through CBSE, ICSE, and Cambridge IGCSE curricula, with a strong emphasis on experiential learning. Alongside Ekya Schools , our chain of CMR Pre-University Colleges delivers an extensive pre-university program affiliated with the Karnataka Pre-University Board, combining rigorous academics with a holistic learning experience. Drawing from the rich legacy of the CMR Group , we nurture lifelong learners equipped to thrive in a dynamic and evolving world.

About Ekya Vana & Ekya Vana Early Years:

Ekya Vana and Ekya Vana Early Years represent Ekyas next chapter, purpose-based learning environments rooted deeply in nature, sustainability, and conservation.

At Ekya Vana, we aspire to nurture children and young people who are:

• Curious about the natural world
• Compassionate toward all living beings
• Connected to their ecosystems and communities

Ekya Vana Early Years Nature-based Preschools and Day-care Centers offers a nature-immersive, inquiry-led space where children pause to notice, wonder, listen, care, and find joy in the living world. Seasonal rhythms, hands-on exploration, and Earth Sense anchor their foundational learning experiences.

For our K12 school, Ekya Vana will be a purpose-based school focusing on environment, sustainability, and conservation. Students will learn in and from nature; merge personal passions with global ecological needs; and grow into thoughtful leaders, environmental stewards, conservationists, and responsible global citizens.

Role Overview:

This role integrates community building, meaningful storytelling, and the admissions experience into one unified mandate: to cultivate a thriving, visible, and mission-aligned community across Ekya Vana Early Years Centres and Ekya Vana K12 Schools.

The position plays a central role in shaping how the wider community encounters Vana, its identity, its purpose-based philosophy, its people, and its long-term commitment to environment, sustainability, and conservation. It ensures that the spirit of Vana is communicated with depth and authenticity, enabling parents, students, partners, and stakeholders to meaningfully engage with what both the Early Years Centres and the K12 Schools represent.

Through intentional community interactions, nature-based experiences, and compelling narratives, this role brings the Vana vision to life. It supports the creation of a deeply connected ecosystem where families not only understand Vanas philosophy intellectually but also experience its promise, a promise rooted in nurturing environmentally conscious learners who grow with curiosity, compassion, and a sense of responsibility for the living world.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement & Partnerships

• Build strong, mission-aligned relationships with parents, local communities, champions, sustainability organizations, eco-focused collectives, and nature educators.
• Lead community events such as Forest Days, Nature Festivals, Earth Sense Workshops, Seasonal Celebrations, ParentChild Outdoor Days, and Eco-Markets.
• Represent Ekya Vana EY and Ekya VANA at education, sustainability, and environmental forums.
• Cultivate partnerships with:
• conservationists
• environmental NGOs
• nature educators
• ecologists and researchers
• Facilitate collaborations that extend inquiry-led and nature-led learning through guest speakers, naturalists, artisans, and eco-leaders.

2. Student Experiences & Nature-Based Learning Showcases:

Design and support experiential programs such as:

• nature immersions
• outdoor explorations
• farm/forest interactions
• eco-camps
• seasonal studies
• Create platforms for students to showcase nature journals, projects, sustainability initiatives, and creative expressions.
• Coordinate clubs and initiatives focused on environmental stewardship, biodiversity, gardening, climate action, and community service.
• Support teachers in integrating community mentors, naturalists, conservationists, sustainability practitioners into the learning process.

3. Storytelling, Communication & School Identity:

• Champion the Vana philosophy by communicating with authenticity and clarity.
• Document learning journeys through photos, videos, nature stories, and parent/student narratives.
• Collaborate with central Marketing & Admissions teams to ensure compelling, consistent storytelling across channels.

Build a digital and physical repository that showcases:

• student learning
• community milestones
• natural world interactions
• project exhibitions

4. Admissions & Outreach:

• Lead the end-to-end admissions journey with warmth, clarity, and strong alignment to the Vana philosophy. Create experiences for prospective families to truly feel VANA through curated campus walks, outdoor sessions, showcases, community interactions, and parent circles.
• Partner with central teams to design localized outreach campaigns, information sessions, and lead-generation initiatives.
• Build trusted relationships with parent communities through orientations, personal connect sessions, and onboarding touchpoints.
• Track and analyze admissions data, pipelines, parent feedback, and conversion trends to refine strategies.

5. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operational Support:

• Liaise closely with academic teams, operations, marketing, and the central admissions team to ensure alignment with the Vana vision.
• Support school-wide festivals, exhibitions, and nature-based celebrations.
• Maintain organized documentation, media, records, and reports.
• Stay updated on global and local trends in outdoor learning, sustainability education, and community engagement.
• Contribute actively to culture-building and create a welcoming, inclusive community environment for children, families, and staff.

6. Additional Responsibilities:

• Provide regular insights and reports to school leadership.
• Support special projects and strategic initiatives aligned with the Vana mission and launch objectives.
• Serve as a representative of the schools values, ensuring sincerity, integrity, and alignment in all community interactions.

Professional Experience:

• 58 years of experience in community engagement, admissions, parent relations, communications, program management, or educational leadership.
• Prior experience in schools, early childhood centers, NGOs, sustainability-focused organisations, museums, experiential learning spaces, or cultural institutions is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in managing events, building partnerships, coordinating community programs, or handling parent-facing roles.
• Experience in working with diverse stakeholders - parents, educators, community partners, NGOs, creatives, or external vendors.
• A strong track record in content creation, storytelling, or communication strategy is a plus.

We would love to meet you!