Associate Vice Provost - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Tennessee has retained the services of national search firm, NES. Please refer to the details following the position description to formally express interest or apply. The Opportunity Reporting to Kari Alldredge , Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the AVP serves as a key member of the Enrollment Management Executive Leadership Team , responsible for advancing campuswide recruitment strategy, admissions operations, and student pipeline initiatives. The AVP leads comprehensive recruitment, outreach, and application management strategies for future Volunteers, with a strong focus on pipeline development and funnel growth across all stages of the student journey. Alongside a team of 90+ dedicated admissions professionals, the AVP will play a crucial role in shaping the Volunteer Experience for 62,500+ applicants and 32,000+ undergraduates each year. As a senior leader in Enrollment Management, the AVP also oversees Admissions Operations and Application Management, ensuring innovative and effective use of the university’s CRM (Slate) to streamline workflows, improve student experience, and maintain compliance while increasing operational efficiency and scalability. In partnership with Enrollment Management Communications, the AVP drives robust, data-informed marketing and communications strategies to support recruitment, yield, and the university’s enrollment goals. In addition, the AVP serves as a key collaborator across campus, building strong partnerships with Academic Colleges & Schools, Student Success, Student Life, Access & Engagement, Academic Affairs, the Office of Innovative Technologies, the Bursar, the Center for Global Engagement, and other critical units to align recruitment strategy with academic capacity and student success priorities.

Requirements

It is required that the new AVP has a bachelor’s degree (an advanced degree is strongly preferred).
Additionally, this role requires a minimum of seven years (ten preferred) of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education admissions or enrollment management, as well as demonstrated success executing enrollment strategies and achieving enrollment goals.
Further, the chosen candidate should demonstrate expertise in undergraduate admissions operations, recruitment strategies, and compliance.
Experience leading high-performing teams in a complex higher education environment is a must, as is strong communication, collaboration, and relationship management skills.
Finally, the new AVP will possess a demonstrated commitment to expanding student access and enrollment opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing international and transfer pathways.
Communicative and approachable with a desire to compliment the strengths of a high-functioning and well positioned team.
Data-informed and systems-oriented.; advanced familiarity with Slate or other CRM platforms.
Demonstrated ability to build institutional partnerships that support enrollment strategy.
Strategic and forward-thinking with a political and operational saviness.
Skilled collaborator with high emotional intelligence and authenticity.
Experience recruiting high-achieving students and priority-access populations.
Commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and institutional stewardship.
Experienced in the recruitment of distinct student populations including international, transfer, and student athletes.
Advocate for the ideas, professional growth, and development of the admissions team; ability to strengthen the skills and abilities within the team and elevate the work of a cohesive, high-functioning office.
Understanding of government relations, accreditation, and experience within a state university system.
A consummate professional who approaches change with sensitivity, intentionality, and thoughtfulness, especially as UT’s responds to increases in volume, selectivity, demographic changes and market trends, and the evolving needs and expectations of student populations.
Ability to handle challenging situations and problem solve with grace, positivity and resilience.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Enrollment Outcomes Provide executive leadership for undergraduate recruitment aligned with the university’s Strategic Enrollment Plan (SEP2030), focusing on funnel growth and pipeline development.
Lead strategy for key recruitment populations in alignment with SEP2030 planning and goals, including identifying new opportunities for enrollment growth, supporting UT’s in-state access mission, and expanding access to UT through enhanced pathway programs.
Utilize analytics, forecasting, and market intelligence to guide enrollment planning and decision-making.
Lead the undergraduate admission team and support campus partners fostering a vibrant student experience while simultaneously accommodating enrollment growth, access, new pathways, and increasing selectivity.
Collaboration & Campus Partnerships Serve as a collaborative partner across campus units to align recruitment strategy with institutional priorities.
Build and maintain strong relationships with: Academic Colleges & Schools, Academic Affairs, Student Success, Student Life, Access & Engagement, Office of Innovative Technologies (OIT), Center for Global Engagement, and other enrollment-supporting units.
Coordinate enrollment strategies with academic capacity, onboarding processes, and student success initiatives.
Participate in cross-campus planning committees to integrate recruitment strategy into longrange academic and institutional planning.
Admissions Operations & Application Management Provide strategic leadership for admissions operations, including application processing, evaluation workflows, and decision release.
Oversee Slate/CRM operations for undergraduate admissions, ensuring advanced, innovative use of technology to automate workflows, segment populations, enhance communications, and generate actionable reporting.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, operational efficiency, and innovation across all application pathways.
Support and develop staff responsible for application review, file processing, and decisionmaking.
Identify and implement ways to streamline the student application experience while maintaining compliance with institutional, state, and federal requirements.
Align admissions operations with data governance, reporting, and institutional analytics needs.
Innovation, Technology & Continuous Improvement Lead modernization initiatives that enhance recruitment strategy, operational agility, and applicant engagement.
Strengthen analytics infrastructure to support forecasting, predictive modeling, and yield optimization.
Introduce and scale technology-enabled solutions that improve applicant and staff experience.
Partner with colleagues in Enrollment Management Leadership to anticipate, address, and respond to the evolving needs of students and families, public perceptions of higher education, and changes in state and federal legislative guidance, and advances in technology.
Communication & Institutional Engagement Serve as a visible campus and public-facing leader for undergraduate admissions strategy and outcomes.
Partner with Enrollment Management Communications to design and implement robust marketing and communication strategies that support recruitment, funnel conversion, and institutional visibility.
Communicate enrollment goals, trends, and progress to leadership, faculty, governance groups, and external stakeholders to foster shared accountability.