Executive Director, New Student Strategy & Engagement

Cuyahoga Community College•Cleveland, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Director of New Student Strategy & Engagement serves as the strategic leader responsible for the day-to-day management and continuous improvement of Tri-C’s centralized new student experience model. This role translates the institutional strategy in partnership with the Associate Vice President (AVP) into a coordinated, high-performing student-centered engagement operation by providing leadership and oversight for Welcome Center operations, Admissions Navigation, New Student Engagement Operations, and Virtual Student Engagement. The Executive Director ensures alignment across service channels, operational excellence, and the development of staff culture, systems, workflows, and practices that support a seamless student journey from inquiry through enrollment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Business Administration, or related field. Significant related experience may substitute for education.
Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in enrollment management, student services, or related higher education function.
Minimum of three (3) years in management or director-level role with direct supervision of staff and operational accountability.
Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional teams and building collaborative workflows across institutional departments.
Experience with CRM systems (Element451, Slate, Salesforce, or equivalent), early alert platforms, and student information systems (Banner preferred).
Possess strong data literacy with the ability to read and act on KPI dashboards, melt trend reports, and pulse survey results in real time.
Intimate familiarity with community college student populations, particularly first-generation, Pell-eligible, and adult learner experiences.
Intermediate-level proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Possess comprehensive knowledge of enrollment strategy, student success models, and higher education operations.
Ability to think strategically and execute a vision into actionable practices.
Strong leadership, organizational, and change-management skills.
Ability to lead across organizational boundaries and influence without direct authority.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to manage sensitive issues with professionalism and discretion.
Possess sensitivity to appropriately respond to the needs of students and the community.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Business Administration, or related field.
Possess knowledge of college admission procedures and college resources.
Demonstrated leadership experience in first-year, exploratory, or pathway-based advising, including responsibility for major exploration, academic pathway alignment, or early momentum initiatives.

Responsibilities

Leads the operational execution and continuous improvement of the Welcome Center model, ensuring alignment with institutional strategy and delivery of a seamless, student-centered experience.
Provides direct supervision and leadership for Admissions Navigators and Welcome Center student employees, including coaching, performance management, training, and professional development to ensure consistent, student-centered service delivery.
Provides leadership, direction, and performance oversight for the Director of New Student Engagement Operations and Director of Virtual Student Engagement, ensuring alignment of services, operational effectiveness, and a seamless student experience across engagement channels.
Provides executive oversight for the onboarding experience from application through the Day 15 milestone, ensuring alignment of the point-person assignment model, proactive student outreach strategy, and escalation protocols across Welcome Center functions.
Establishes and monitors service-level agreements across Welcome Center functions, ensuring consistent execution of student engagement standards, timely outreach, registration completion, and Financial Aid readiness milestones.
Monitors Navigator performance, caseload management, and key operational metrics to evaluate onboarding effectiveness, identify improvement opportunities, and ensure achievement of student engagement milestones.
Serves as the primary cross-functional partner for Financial Aid, Academic Advising, Student Affairs, Enrollment Operations, and IT/CRM partners, ensuring alignment of handoff agreements, data-sharing practices, and operational workflows that support an integrated student experience.
Leverages data, dashboards, student feedback, and operational metrics to evaluate performance, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement of Welcome Center processes, services, and student outcomes.
Leads the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, supervision, and ongoing professional development of Welcome Center staff, embedding Appreciative Advising, customer service excellence, cultural responsiveness, and student-centered practices throughout the operation.
Ensures consistent implementation of Welcome Center policies, procedures, and operational standards while fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and student-focused team culture.
Represents the Welcome Center and new student experience in institutional committees, strategic initiatives, accreditation activities, and equity-focused planning efforts.
Performs other duties as assigned.