Graduate Admissions Coordinator

American University•Washington, DC

3d•$26 - $27•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Director of Graduate Program Operations, the Graduate Admissions Coordinator provides operational support and is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day outreach and operational activities required to shepherd prospective students through the graduate admissions process. The Graduate Admissions Coordinator provides timely and thorough processing of graduate applications and helps maintain the university systems that support the student enrollment journey for on-campus and online graduate programs. This position works on prospective student engagement and application funnel management. The Graduate Admissions Coordinator is also responsible for post-admission processes including processing of merit aid, graduate fellowship applications, official transcript tracking and international student visa sponsorship requests. This position frequently partners with the Marketing & Communications team to plan admissions and yield activities throughout the year.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with advanced training in MS Office software applications or equivalent in education, training, and experience.
1 - 3 years of relevant experience.
Experience in a front-line customer service role including professional experience (post-degree) in a higher education environment or other relevant experience in a high traffic, customer contact position within a complex organization.
Experience with databases and acute attention to detail.
Proficiency in MS Office software applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and web-based research.
Commitment to working with diverse populations including international students.
Experience managing sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
Ability to gather and analyze data using basic research methods and databases.
Comfort and experience with computer technology and willingness to learn new computer programs.
Ability to manage a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment; be a proactive self-starter; adapt and operate at a high level of efficiency with moderate direction and supervision; complete multiple assigned tasks independently and on schedule.
Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written), with a customer service orientation and ability to communicate; effectively interact with people of all ages and diverse backgrounds.
Team-oriented with an ability to foster positive and productive working relationships in a professional and courteous manner with students, staff, and faculty.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or equivalent.
2 - 4 years of relevant experience.
Familiarity with Salesforce Education Data Architecture solutions preferred.

Responsibilities

Serves as the initial and primary point of contact for prospective students interested in the School of Communication's graduate (on-campus and online) and doctoral programs, responding to inquiries via email, telephone, text messaging, virtual chat, and other communication channels. Provides timely, personalized, and high-touch guidance throughout the recruitment process. Serves as a representative for the School at virtual and in-person recruitment, yield, and outreach events. Supports management of the Graduate Programs shared inbox and phone line, ensuring prompt, high-quality customer service while fostering prospective student engagement and contributing to enrollment goals. Partners with the Director of Graduate Program Operations to craft recruitment strategy and identify markets to best advertise prospective students.
Supports the administration of graduate admissions and enrollment operations by partnering with the Assistant Director, Graduate Admissions Operations and Analytics to process application materials, ensuring accurate admissions and enrollment records within the university's CRM and related systems. Partner with the operations team to mark application files for completeness and accuracy, prepare admissions decisions and applicant communications, and manages post-admission enrollment communications. Crafts and distributes onboarding materials to facilitate a seamless transition from admission to matriculation. Coordinates the administration of graduate financial assistance, including graduate funding awards, donor-funded scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, and partner tuition discounts, ensuring accurate data entry, award processing, and communication with students. Processes fellowship applications and supports scholarship tracking and reporting. Partners with campus stakeholders, including International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), to facilitate the I-20 documentation process for international students and monitor visa-related milestones. Contributes to the continuous improvement of admissions and enrollment processes, data integrity, and operational workflows.
Collaborates with the Graduate Academic Services team and the Marketing & Communications team to support the planning and execution of recruitment, admissions, yield, and student engagement events. Assists with event logistics, communications, and targeted outreach to prospective students through email and phone campaigns to increase participation and strengthen enrollment outcomes.
Performs additional duties and special projects as assigned in support of the strategic goals of the School of Communication. Contributes to cross-functional initiatives that enhance graduate recruitment, admissions operations, enrollment management, student success, and continuous process improvement.