Executive Director, Admissions - Western Washington University

Another Source • Bellingham, WA

10h • $137,968 - $179,359 • Onsite

About The Position

Western Washington University is seeking its next Executive Director of Admissions! Set in Bellingham, WA, Western combines an incredible Pacific Northwest location with strong academics, an engaged student population, and a highly personalized undergraduate experience. The Executive Director will lead an Admissions organization of approximately 30 team members and a recruitment operation generating approximately 15,000 applications annually. With goals of enrolling 3,200 first-year and 1,200 transfer students, this leader will have the opportunity to advance new recruitment and transfer initiatives and help shape Western’s next chapter of enrollment growth. The Office of Admissions is part of Western Washington University's Division of Academic Affairs and plays a vital role in advancing the university's enrollment goals and student success. The department leads the recruitment, admission, and enrollment of first-year, transfer, international, returning, and other undergraduate student populations, serving as the front door to the Western experience. The admissions team is made up of approximately 30 professional staff members, supported by a large student staff, and partners closely with Enrollment Management, academic colleges, Financial Aid, Marketing, and campus leadership to develop data-informed recruitment strategies and deliver an exceptional prospective student experience. The department is committed to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement while helping Western attract and enroll a talented and diverse student body. Western’s Admissions operation manages approximately 15,000 applications annually, with current enrollment goals of approximately 3,200 first-year and 1,200 transfer students. Recruitment efforts extend across Washington and key out-of-state markets and include hundreds of annual high school visits, college fairs, campus programs, and yield events. The Executive Director will join Western at an important time for enrollment, with opportunities to build on recent year-over-year growth and lead new initiatives focused on first-year recruitment, transfer pathways, and yield. As part of the Division of Academic Affairs and reporting to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the Executive Director of Admissions leads a team of about 30 permanent staff and a large team of student staff and is charged with developing and executing Western Washington University’s admissions and recruitment strategies. This role demands strong leadership, exceptional communication skills, technological fluency, a deep dedication to excellence in higher education, and a commitment to student success and development. The Executive Director is an integral part of the Enrollment Management Unit and a critical player in developing enrollment strategies for the university. In addition to leading the admissions team and being an effective manager, this leader will foster meaningful relationships across campus and in the community, always with a student-centered approach. The Executive Director will lead recruitment efforts in alignment with the university’s vision and strategic plan, working in partnership with campus stakeholders to attract and enroll a diverse and talented undergraduate student body—including first-year, transfer, international, visiting/non-matriculating, returning, and dual enrolled—for the Bellingham campus and other WWU locations. In addition to leading an efficient and effective admissions and recruitment operation, the Executive Director will be a collaborative leader and a diplomatic communicator who excels at bringing stakeholders together to support effective and data-driven decision-making in the search, outreach, recruitment, and yield of new students.

Requirements

• Master’s degree
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in college recruitment and admissions
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience supervising professional staff in higher education admissions.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated knowledge of the admission process, including recruitment/yield, application review, application processing, and applicant communication strategies
• Knowledge of higher education recruitment landscape
• Fluency in best practices for college recruitment
• Demonstrated leadership supporting diversity and multiculturalism and sensitivity to academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of applicants
• Excellent communication skills
• Understanding of innovative technology and media in recruitment and admissions processes, including knowledge and effective integration of CRM, student information systems such as BANNER, Parchment, etc.
• Demonstrated budget management experience
• Demonstrated understanding of the role of scholarships and other financial aid in achieving enrollment goals
• Demonstrated ability to establish collegial relationships with students, family members, faculty, administrators, staff and the community
• Experience analyzing and interpreting data to support decision making for building recruitment strategies
• Strong record of successful team-building and management of staff

Responsibilities

• Practices sound modeling, assessment, and strategic planning to support the university's vision, mission, and strategic goals
• In collaboration with university partners, builds recruitment plans, develops timelines, and executes admissions and recruitment plans
• Stays current with national and regional trends in university admissions and in high schools
• Serves as a key contributor to enrollment management planning for the university
• Develops strategies and plans to recruit new students in a changing enrollment landscape, with attention to changes in high school graduation volumes, community college enrollment levels, and shifts in student demographics and geography, among other factors
• Researches industry practices and implements procedures consistent with best practices
• Reviews applications for admission often providing decisions on the most complex files
• Oversees the design of processes to ensure the clear, efficient tracking of application review from beginning to end
• Serves as the final authority on appeals of admission and scholarship decisions
• Works with Enrollment Management and others to establish the scholarship model for recruitment
• Identifies and implements effective awarding strategies for Admissions scholarships and tuition waivers in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Admissions and Financial Aid colleagues
• Collaborates with Enrollment Management colleagues in aligning the work of the Admissions Office in supporting campus enrollment goals, including increasing access and diversity
• Researches, assesses, and prioritizes the university’s positioning on College Search platforms
• Guides and provides expertise in the development of communications strategies for admissions and as a part of enrollment management efforts (print, media, and web content), ensuring that they are clear, accessible, inclusive, and represent the university well
• Serves as spokesperson for admissions at recruitment events (on campus and off) as well as at other events
• Represents the office professionally and effectively among university and external constituents
• Serves on campus and external committees, boards, and/or task forces
• Establishes and maintains strong collegial relationships with students, families, faculty, administrators, and community members
• Actively participates in professional meetings, conferences, and workshops
• Meets and communicates regularly with colleagues in similar positions/roles at other institutions
• Consults with deans, directors, staff and faculty throughout campus on matters relating to admissions and recruitment
• Serves as the campus point of contact for admissions related matters
• Serves as a resource for all academic departments
• Routinely makes admissions presentations and participates in events related to admissions
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the university’s values of integrity, dedication, excellence, creativity, and teamwork
• Provides overall direction and supervision of staff with very different job responsibilities and skillsets, while demonstrating effective leadership in training, motivating, and counseling
• Works with a variety of stakeholders to assess change readiness and provides direct support and coaching through transitions
• Sets strong example and sets standards for excellent customer service
• Ensures the training of new employees and provides leadership and management best practices to develop a strong sense of teamwork, equity, and investment among the admissions team
• Sets clear performance expectations and holds employees accountable
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, coaching, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked for at least 3 direct reports within the department
• Communicates regularly with leadership team and all staff about issues impacting operations
• Approves all reporting on admissions to external organizations and/or national surveys prior to submission
• Compiles and distributes year-end reports on trends and patterns in recruitment as well as outcomes
• Leads annual assessment and strategic planning efforts for the office
• Develops strategies to track key performance indicators through the admissions cycle
• Anticipates problems where data/trends provide indications of issues and develops mitigation plans
• Routinely reports on progress to goals and on admissions activities to the Vice Provost and others
• Prepares reports for leadership, Board of Trustees, high schools, community partners, and others
• Analyzes data for long range and short range planning
• Understands and utilizes systems effectively to optimize the work of the team
• Analyzes data to determine effectiveness of outreach and marketing efforts and makes informed adjustments
• Formulates and applies research in developing admissions policies and procedures that promote recruitment, retention, and student success
• Monitors statutory, regulatory, and policy changes affecting recruitment and admissions in higher education
• Develops plans for implementation of changes to regulations and policies
• Advises leadership on implications of legislative policy proposals
• Takes steps to improve process efficiencies through the implementation of new technology and process enhancements
• Ensures the highest ethical standards of the profession are upheld by the team
• Has fiscal responsibility for the office operating budget including salaries and expenditures, providing long-term planning and budget projections to ensure operational stability

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision plans
• Retirement benefits through Washington State retirement systems, along with optional supplemental retirement savings plans
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and university holidays
• Tuition benefits for employees
• Professional development opportunities and support for continued learning
• Access to campus recreation facilities, wellness programs, and cultural events
• Family-friendly policies and programs that support work-life balance
• Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines, and the overall compensation package may include housing and travel assistance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive