Regional Director of Admissions

Cotulla Education•Virginia Beach, VA

7d•$135,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Cotulla Education, home to the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College, Tidewater Tech, and American Lineman College, we are dedicated to transforming lives through hands-on, career-focused education. Our mission is to empower students to achieve their professional dreams in high-demand fields like aviation, healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades. With experienced faculty providing personalized support, our graduates emerge as future leaders ready to make a significant impact in their communities. Join us in shaping the careers of those who will build and maintain our world and embark on a transformative journey towards a fulfilling career. This role is ideal for a leader who enjoys spending time in the field, coaching managers, analyzing performance data, and helping teams consistently achieve exceptional results. Success requires balancing accountability with mentorship while leading through influence in a matrixed organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree preferred; degree in Business, Education, Higher Education Administration, or a related field preferred.
Minimum seven (7) years of progressive admissions leadership or enrollment management experience, including direct experience leading, coaching, and developing campus-level admissions leaders.
Proven success coaching teams across the full performance spectrum—from developing top performers to successfully improving underperforming teams.
Demonstrated ability to analyze admissions data, enrollment funnels, and operational metrics to drive measurable improvements.
Experience leading within a matrixed organization, building strong partnerships across multiple reporting relationships.
Working knowledge of higher education admissions compliance, including state, accreditor, and U.S. Department of Education requirements.
Demonstrated success leading structured coaching initiatives, performance improvement plans, and organizational change.
Strong communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills with the ability to hold candid accountability conversations while maintaining trust and credibility.
Ability to lead through ambiguity, establish structure in evolving environments, and confidently balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution across multiple campuses.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and experience with CampusVue or comparable CRM/admissions platforms.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 50%, maintaining a consistent in-person presence across assigned campuses.

Nice To Haves

Multi-campus higher education or career education organizations
Multi-site admissions leadership
Enrollment operations
Workforce or technical education
Change management and organizational development
Performance coaching and leadership development

Responsibilities

Coach and develop Directors of Admissions and their teams through consistent, in-person field visits.
Provide real-time feedback through observation, shadowing, and performance coaching.
Identify and develop high-potential leaders through stretch assignments and leadership development opportunities.
Partner with Campus Executive Directors to address performance gaps and recognize high-performing team members.
Lead structured Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) with clear expectations, measurable milestones, and ongoing coaching.
Conduct weekly file audits to ensure compliance, documentation quality, and execution of admissions standards.
Monitor admissions funnel performance, enrollment trends, and key operational metrics across assigned campuses.
Maintain structured performance dashboards and proactively identify risks and opportunities.
Diagnose root causes impacting performance and implement targeted action plans that improve results.
Build trusted partnerships with Campus Executive Directors and campus leadership teams.
Serve as the primary field partner for admissions execution across assigned campuses.
Maintain a consistent on-campus presence, providing hands-on coaching and operational support.
Lead through influence within a matrixed organization, fostering collaboration while driving accountability.
Analyze admissions data, file audits, and enrollment reports to identify trends and inform decision-making.
Differentiate between staffing, process, coaching, and market factors affecting campus performance.
Escalate systemic issues, supported by data, and recommend practical solutions.
Provide regular performance reporting to the AVP of Admissions, including audit findings, coaching progress, and performance improvement initiatives.