Director of Graduate Admissions and Outreach Initiatives

Santa Clara University•Santa Clara, CA

About The Position

This position reports to the Senior Assistant Dean. In collaboration with the Sr. Asst. Dean, the Director for Graduate Admissions and Outreach Initiatives, is responsible for executing strategies to recruit and matriculate highly qualified graduate students to the SoE. This role oversees all aspects of graduate admissions operations, including application processing and evaluation, while overseeing the implementation of outreach initiatives to strengthen institutional visibility and engagement with prospective students. In concert with the Sr. Asst. Dean, the Director monitors recruitment KPIs, tracks graduate market trends, and collaborates with marketing to implement approved communications strategies to international and domestic prospective students.

Requirements

The ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.
Enthusiasm for the mission of the School of Engineering and demonstrated excitement about the opportunity to promote the School of Engineering's programs to its constituents.
A commitment to diversity and excellence through inclusion.
Broad experience with higher education admissions and an understanding of the graduate admissions landscape at a private institution.
Demonstrated working knowledge of strategic enrollment management strategies
Demonstrated experience recruiting domestic and international student populations.
Demonstrated understanding - or willingness to acquire such of the Jesuit mission, and its implications for student services and admissions.
Understanding of and commitment to the vision, mission, and values of the School of Engineering.
Exceptional communication skills and the ability to relate to a diverse population, to effectively promote the school (including recruitment travel), and to work collaboratively with faculty, other administrators, and administrative staff.
Demonstrated strategic planning capability
Excellent administrative, organizational, and administrative management skills.
Must be able to handle difficult situations with a professional demeanor and communicate effectively to multiple audiences and diverse groups.
Must be entrepreneurial and able to motivate faculty and staff.
Ability to gather and analyze quantitative and qualitative data in an Excel environment.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and to handle sensitive matters with judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
Ability to work under pressure and prioritize, manage multiple projects and tasks, and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
Ability to forge relationships with faculty, students, and administrators within the SoE.
Ability to engage external partners in collaboration to support our graduate enrollment.
Ability to think strategically while balancing attention to detail, anticipate needs, and demonstrate excellent organizational skills.
Bachelor's degree required or equivalent work experience focusing on higher education administration, marketing, or a related business field is highly preferred.
6-8 years of experience in Higher Education recruiting, admissions marketing, financial aid, student records, etc.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with Microsoft and Google Office software; familiarity with Slate, and Workday platforms is a plus.
Supervisory or management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee the application review process and ensure timely and holistic review of candidates.
Utilize Slate CRM and Workday to streamline operations and enhance the applicant experience.
Ensure compliance with SoE, University and accreditation standards.
Manages assigned operating budget allocations related to admissions and outreach, under the direction of the Senior Assistant Dean.
Suggests and implements assigned allocations for outreach, recruitment and admissions functions.
Implements and maintains admissions policies, procedures, and processes to ensure efficient record-keeping and timely delivery of application decisions.
In concert with the Sr. Asst. Dean, participate in monitoring current admissions and enrollment trends and adjusting strategies to align marketing and communications planning for recruitment.
Work with appropriate SoE partners to implement and maintain admissions standards and procedures established by senior leadership for monitoring efforts to improve the visibility of existing programs and cultivate new academic initiatives and collaborations.
Serve as a liaison with appropriate units on campus, including Records, Financial Aid, and ISS.
Contribute to the assessment of graduate program rankings and coordinate data collection for external reporting.
Serve on local, regional, and national associations to ensure best practices in graduate admissions.
Execute a strategic recruitment plan that is well aligned with the academic goals of the School of Engineering and its departments and geared toward achieving program-specific net tuition revenue and enrollment targets.
Cultivate regional, state, national, and international recruitment relationships to support enrollment goals.
Contribute to the monitoring of current graduate education markets with goals of collaborating with Sr. Asst. Dean to understand trends, and forecasting future recruitment directions.
Be knowledgeable about each department's academic programs and collaborate with faculty and school administrators in implementing recruitment and admission plans.
Collaborate with Sr. Asst. Dean and Sr. Asst. Dean of Partnerships to gather relevant information needed to present to groups and individuals, including those in industry and those at other universities, about our programs and their benefits.
Work with Sr. Asst. Dean and Assistant Director of Admissions, Outreach and Recruitment to determine appropriate outreach efforts (Graduate Fairs, Diversity Fairs, etc.) and identify staff and support needed for these efforts.
Provide metrics to evaluate the ROI when using these resources.
Collaborate on the development of all admissions management marketing materials such as online print and radio advertising, and manage subcontracted agencies as necessary.
Oversee the execution of outreach efforts to targeted prospective student populations.
Develop, track, and report on the strategies to gain inquiries.
Manage recruitment funnel activities to support inquiry, application, and enrollment yield goals.
Keep statistics and analysis on various points for candidates recruited within each degree and certificate program and subprograms (i.e., program concentrations).
Regularly prepare reports on the relevant data for appropriate parties.
Coordinate financial aid awards for incoming and current students and work with department academic managers and the student services team to monitor financial aid.
Lead the admissions staff to ensure timely management of matriculation processes.
Will collaborate with the Senior Assistant Dean on student affairs topics and programming changes.
Serves as the primary owner for assigned graduate enrollment portfolios, with responsibility for recruitment planning, market positioning, and enrollment outcomes.
Develops portfolio specific recruitment strategies aligned with School of Engineering priorities and approved enrollment targets.
Monitors portfolio level performance, including inquiry generation, application conversion, yield, and enrollment sustainability.
Identifies underperforming markets or programs within assigned portfolios and recommends corrective strategies to senior leadership.
Collaborates with department chairs and program directors to align portfolio recruitment strategies with academic goals and capacity.
Translates approved enrollment strategies into operational recruitment plans and timelines across assigned portfolios.
Leads periodic performance review cycles to evaluate recruitment effectiveness and alignment with enrollment goals.
Diagnoses gaps between enrollment targets and outcomes and proposes corrective actions to senior leadership.
Serves as the primary escalation point for admissions performance issues requiring strategic intervention.
The Director provides work direction for admissions staff in the Admissions Office