Executive Director, Graduate Enrollment

Xavier University • Cincinnati, OH

1d

About The Position

The Executive Director for Graduate Enrollment provides strategic and operational leadership for recruiting and enrolling graduate students across Xavier University’s portfolio of certificates, online programs, professional programs, and doctoral degrees. Reporting to the Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management, the role leads graduate recruitment and drives enrollment growth through strategic planning, business development, data-informed marketing, and relationship management. The Executive Director works closely with the Provost, Deans, academic program directors, and university partners to turn academic priorities and market opportunities into measurable enrollment results. This hands-on leadership role combines executive-level strategy with direct participation in recruitment and business development.

The position leads enrollment strategy and performance; develops external partnerships and recruitment initiatives; refines graduate program messaging and recruitment campaigns; uses CRM platforms, market intelligence, and analytics to optimize enrollment; partners with Financial Aid on pricing and scholarship strategies; and manages a small team, third-party vendors, recruitment resources, and budgets.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Significant experience in graduate enrollment, admissions, recruitment, sales, business development, or a related field, with demonstrated success achieving measurable growth goals.
• Ability to develop strategic partnerships, build recruitment pipelines, influence diverse stakeholders, and convert prospects into enrolled students.
• Experience using CRM systems, enrollment analytics, digital marketing strategies, and performance metrics to drive results.
• Leadership and team management skills, including experience managing external vendors, budgets, and multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, and relationship-building skills.
• Willingness to engage directly in recruitment and business development activities.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute graduate recruitment and enrollment strategies aligned with university priorities, academic program goals, and market demand.
• Lead enrollment forecasting, pipeline management, prospect conversion, and performance reporting, including establishing measurable goals and key performance indicators.
• Partner with Deans and academic program leadership to identify enrollment opportunities, strengthen recruitment plans, and share accountability for enrollment and revenue objectives.
• Build and cultivate strategic partnerships with corporations, nonprofit organizations, healthcare systems, and other employers to expand graduate enrollment pipelines and workforce development opportunities.
• Lead recruitment initiatives through digital and direct outreach, events, information sessions, and individual prospect engagement; participate directly in recruitment activities as needed.
• Identify emerging markets, prospective student audiences, and opportunities to grow enrollment across graduate programs and delivery formats.
• Define and refine Xavier’s value proposition and program-specific messaging for graduate students.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications and enrollment technology teams on targeted, data-informed recruitment campaigns and optimize the prospect-to-enrollment funnel.
• Use CRM platforms, market intelligence, purchased prospect lists, and analytics to improve outreach, conversion, and return on recruitment investment.
• Partner with Financial Aid to evaluate tuition pricing, scholarship strategies, and financial aid leveraging in support of enrollment goals and institutional financial sustainability.
• Lead, develop, and manage a small graduate enrollment team, fostering accountability, collaboration, innovation, and results.
• Direct third-party recruitment, marketing, and enrollment vendors; set performance expectations and evaluate effectiveness and return on investment.
• Manage recruitment resources and budgets, and assess processes, technologies, and tactics to improve efficiency and enrollment outcomes.
• Supervise direct reports and manage third-party vendors.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription insurance coverage.
• Health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and dependent care account.
• Life and long-term disability insurance, accident and illness insurance, and retirement savings plans.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Tuition remission for employees and eligible dependents.

What This Job Offers

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