Registrar

Merrimack College•North Andover, MA

24d•Onsite

About The Position

The Registrar provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and continuous process improvement for the Office of the Registrar at Merrimack College. The Registrar is responsible for the integrity, accuracy, security, compliance, and service effectiveness of academic records, registration, degree progress and conferral processes, and related student-facing academic administrative services. This role partners closely with Academic Affairs, Admissions, Finance, Student Affairs, Information Technology, Institutional Research, and other campus stakeholders to ensure a high-quality, student-centered experience from matriculation through graduation. The Registrar also serves as a key steward of academic policy implementation, data governance, and the effective use of student information systems, including Jenzabar J1.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Seven to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education registrar operations, academic records administration, or a closely related area.
Demonstrated success supervising and developing professional staff and leading cross-functional administrative operations.
Strong knowledge of Registrar operations, academic records administration, FERPA, and higher education compliance frameworks.
Demonstrated experience with student information systems; significant experience with Jenzabar J1 strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience creating efficient workflows, redesigning business processes, and implementing automation to improve service quality, compliance, and operational performance.
Some experience evaluating or leveraging AI and other technology-enabled solutions in student services, operations, or administrative processing, with sound judgment regarding privacy, ethics, and regulatory requirements.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, improve processes, and manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and change-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, families, faculty, academic leaders, and administrative partners.
High degree of judgment, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential student and academic information.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
Experience in a private higher education environment.
Experience leading technology-enabled transformation, including workflow optimization, process automation, or AI-supported service delivery in higher education administration.
Familiarity with accreditation reporting, National Student Clearinghouse reporting, veteran certification, and collaboration with institutional research and finance offices.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Office of the Registrar, ensuring accurate, efficient, and student-centered delivery of core academic administrative services.
Oversee all Registrar functions, including course registration, academic scheduling, grading, transcript processing, enrollment verification, transfer articulation, degree audit, graduation clearance, degree conferral, and academic records management.
Develop, document, and maintain policies, procedures, and service standards related to registration, grading, withdrawals, academic standing, records retention, and academic records administration.
Ensure compliance with FERPA and all applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations and reporting requirements related to academic records, privacy, and audit readiness.
Serve as the institutional authority on academic records compliance, data governance, records security, and appropriate access to student information.
Serve as the functional lead for Jenzabar J1 across academic records, registration, workflow, reporting, and data integrity functions within the Registrar's Office.
Partner with Information Technology to optimize system configuration, streamline workflows, implement enhancements, maintain data integrity, and resolve system-related issues affecting Registrar operations.
Lead the design and continuous improvement of efficient workflows, automated processes, and service delivery models to reduce manual effort, improve turnaround times, strengthen accuracy, and enhance the student experience.
Promote appropriate adoption of emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to support records processing, communications, and operational decision-making while maintaining compliance, privacy, and sound institutional controls.
Partner with the Provost's Office and academic departments to maintain the academic calendar, schedule of classes, curriculum updates, classroom assignments, and related academic operations.
Monitor service performance, processing timelines, and key metrics for Registrar operations and use data to improve efficiency, compliance, and student satisfaction.
Support institutional planning by providing accurate and actionable reporting on enrollment, registration activity, academic progress, graduation, and related student lifecycle metrics.
Maintain strong internal controls and prepare for internal and external audits related to academic records, registration, compliance, and reporting processes.
Lead, coach, and develop professional staff within the Registrar's Office, fostering accountability, collaboration, strong customer service, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Collaborate with campus partners to resolve escalated student matters involving registration, academic standing, degree progress, records, and continuation at the College.
Participate in institutional committees and planning efforts related to enrollment strategy, retention, compliance, academic operations, and student success.
Provide occasional evening or weekend leadership support during peak periods, including registration and commencement.