Director, Military Relations

University of St. Thomas•Houston, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Military Relations provides strategic leadership for the University of St. Thomas' military and veteran recruitment, outreach, and community engagement efforts. The Director is responsible for expanding UST's enrollment of veterans and military-connected students through intentional recruitment strategies at the local, regional, and national levels while strengthening the University's presence and reputation within the broader veteran community. Serving as a highly visible external representative of the University, the Director develops and sustains meaningful relationships with military installations, transition assistance programs, veteran service organizations, government agencies, community partners, employers, nonprofit organizations, and other entities serving veterans and military-connected individuals. The Director will develop a robust recruitment pipeline that introduces prospective veteran students to UST well before enrollment and creates intentional opportunities for prospective and incoming students to experience the University community. This includes developing signature recruitment and engagement events, veteran-specific campus visit experiences, incoming student programs, community stakeholder events, and other initiatives designed to position UST as a university of choice for veterans and military-connected students nationwide. The Director works collaboratively with Enrollment Management, Admissions, the Veteran Success Center, Marketing and Communications, academic programs, and other University partners to create a coordinated approach to veteran recruitment, enrollment, transition, and engagement. This position requires an individual who is highly relational, externally focused, comfortable developing partnerships and representing the University publicly, and capable of translating relationships into measurable enrollment and community-engagement outcomes.

Requirements

Minimum of four (4) years of experience in higher education admissions/recruitment, military or veteran services, or a combination thereof; or four (4) years of active-duty military service combined with relevant higher education experience.
Strong communication (verbal and written)skills, vibrant personality, and strong problem-solving skills are essential.
Ability to work in a goal-driven and measured performance environment.
Possessing high energy, attention to detail, and the ability to organize effectively.
Can manage multitasking and priorities as it pertains to engagements and recruitment.
A valid driver's license
Bachelor's degree required.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Prior military service
Experience using customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to support recruitment, outreach, and relationship management.
Experience planning and executing large-scale events, recruitment programs, or community engagement initiatives.
Practicing Catholics who will advance the mission of the school are preferred for this position.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive national recruitment strategy to increase enrollment of veterans, transitioning service members, active-duty personnel, reservists, National Guard members, and other military-connected students.
Build recruitment pipelines through military installations, Transition Assistance Programs (TAP), education centers, veteran-serving organizations, community colleges, military education networks, and other veteran-serving entities.
Represent UST at military and veteran recruitment events, education fairs, transition events, conferences, community gatherings, and other recruitment opportunities throughout Texas and nationwide.
Develop targeted recruitment strategies for geographic markets and military populations with strong potential for UST enrollment.
Create consistent outreach and follow-up strategies that move prospective veteran students from initial contact through application, admission, and enrollment.
Collaborate with Admissions and Enrollment Management to monitor veteran recruitment pipelines, applications, conversion, yield, and enrollment outcomes.
Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop veteran-specific campaigns, digital outreach, promotional materials, storytelling, and messaging that communicate the value of a UST education.
Serve as a primary external ambassador for UST within the Houston-area veteran and military community.
Develop and sustain relationships with veteran service organizations, military organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare and behavioral health organizations, employers, community leaders, veteran advocates, and other veteran-serving organizations.
Maintain a strong UST presence throughout the Greater Houston veteran community through community events, advisory groups, professional associations, veteran initiatives, and collaborative programs.
Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships, referral relationships, articulation agreements, community collaborations, and other initiatives that strengthen veteran enrollment and engagement.
Develop relationships with organizational leaders and key stakeholders who can expand UST's reach within the veteran community.
Establish a systematic approach to partner engagement through regular communication, campus opportunities, follow-up, and assessment of outcomes.
Develop and execute large-scale signature events that bring veteran leaders, military organizations, community partners, prospective students, alumni, employers, and other key stakeholders to UST.
Create an annual calendar of veteran and military engagement events that increases UST's visibility and establishes the University as a gathering place for Houston's veteran community.
Host stakeholder events, networking opportunities, veteran leadership gatherings, educational programs, community conversations, and partnership events that deepen relationships between UST and the veteran community.
Develop recruitment-focused events for prospective veterans and transitioning service members, including veteran open houses, information sessions, campus experiences, and academic program showcases.
Coordinate with University leadership, academic programs, Advancement, Alumni Relations, Marketing, and other campus partners to ensure institutional participation in signature veteran events.
Develop intentional programming for newly admitted and incoming veteran students that introduces them to UST before their first semester and strengthens their connection to the University.
Create veteran-specific admitted student experiences, welcome events, campus visits, information sessions, and relationship-building opportunities designed to increase enrollment yield.
Connect incoming veterans with current veteran students, faculty, staff, alumni, academic leaders, and the Veteran Success Center prior to enrollment.
Partner with the Veteran Success Center and other campus offices to ensure a seamless transition from recruitment and admission into UST's veteran support infrastructure.
Maintain intentional communication with admitted veteran students between admission and matriculation to strengthen engagement and reduce enrollment melt.
Establish annual goals and measurable performance indicators for veteran recruitment, enrollment, partnerships, events, community engagement, and prospective student conversion.
Maintain accurate records of recruitment activity, prospective student pipelines, community partnerships, events, referrals, and enrollment outcomes.
Use enrollment and engagement data to evaluate recruitment strategies, identify emerging markets, and improve results.
Provide regular reports to University leadership on recruitment activity, enrollment trends, partnerships, community engagement, and progress toward established goals.
Collaborate closely with the Veteran Success Center to ensure recruitment messaging accurately reflects UST's veteran services, resources, benefits support, and student experience.
Work across University divisions to integrate military and veteran recruitment into broader institutional enrollment and community-engagement strategies.
Perform other duties and strategic initiatives related to military and veteran recruitment and community engagement as assigned.