Senior Director of Admissions

Westcliff University•Irvine, CA

About The Position

Westcliff is a leader in innovative global education, respected for its transformative, technologically advanced programs and initiatives with a focus on excellence, social responsibility, and diversity. The University's mission is to "Educate. Inspire, Empower." The Senior Director of Admissions provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all admissions operations across the University. Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, this role is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive admissions strategy that drives sustainable enrollment growth, optimizes conversion performance, ensures regulatory compliance, and enhances the student experience from inquiry through matriculation. This position oversees Assistant Directors of Admissions, Admissions Managers, Coordinators, and Advisors, and is accountable for achieving or exceeding institutional enrollment objectives. The Senior Director serves as a key architect of enrollment strategy, aligning admissions operations, financial forecasting, staffing models, and performance metrics with the University’s long-term strategic plan.

Requirements

Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills, and can quickly establish credibility with senior executives and line leaders throughout the organization
10+ years developing and leading training efforts with direct experience in program facilitation
Ability to use independent thinking to overcome department and organizational challenges
Demonstrated your ability to partner with Administration teams to design and implement efficient and effective learning and development programs
Adaptable, resilient, and flexible, and have built a culture of constant improvement and transparency as a LEADER
Drive success and achieve results by setting goals, using measurement methods to monitor progress toward goals, and tenaciously working to meet or exceed goals
Analyze and interpret data and leverage those insights into critical decisions
Lead others and help them learn to make sound decisions under conditions of uncertainty
Effectively change leadership behavior through influence and navigate toward results in a complex organizational structure
Flexible and willing to work within constantly changing priorities with enthusiasm
Well-informed on diversity and inclusion topics
Bachelor’s Degree required
10+ years progressive leadership experience in admissions, enrollment management, or higher education operations
Demonstrated success leading high-volume admissions teams and exceeding enrollment targets
Proven experience managing departmental budgets and enrollment forecasting models
Deep understanding of federal and state compliance requirements, including FERPA and Title IV regulations
Experience leveraging CRM systems and data analytics to drive measurable enrollment growth
Strategic enrollment management expertise
Advanced forecasting and enrollment analytics
Budget development and financial acumen
CRM optimization and admissions technology leadership
Regulatory and compliance mastery
Executive presence and cross-functional collaboration
Data-driven decision making
Change leadership in high-growth environments

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a multi-year admissions strategy aligned with institutional enrollment targets and market expansion priorities.
Partner with the VP of Strategic Enrollment to build data-informed enrollment forecasts, scenario modeling, and pipeline projections.
Lead strategic initiatives to improve inquiry-to-start conversion rates, speed-to-lead performance, yield management, and new student onboarding outcomes.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Financial Aid, Academics, International Programs, and Student Services to ensure alignment of messaging, processes, and enrollment goals.
Identify emerging market trends, competitive positioning insights, and enrollment risks; recommend proactive strategies to mitigate enrollment volatility.
Establish KPIs and dashboards to monitor admissions performance, including productivity, conversion ratios, cost per start, and enrollment mix.
Oversee daily admissions operations to ensure efficiency, regulatory compliance, and service excellence.
Ensure adherence to all federal, state, and accreditation requirements including FERPA, California Education Code, Title IV regulations, and institutional policies.
Evaluate and refine admissions processes, CRM utilization, workflow automation, and reporting structures to drive operational scalability.
Implement data governance and documentation standards to maintain audit readiness and regulatory integrity.
Lead service delivery improvements focused on student experience and enrollment velocity.
Develop and manage the annual admissions operating budget in partnership with the VP of Strategic Enrollment.
Oversee staffing models and compensation planning aligned with enrollment forecasts and productivity benchmarks.
Monitor expense-to-start ratios and return on investment across admissions initiatives.
Conduct resource allocation analysis to ensure optimal deployment of personnel and technology investments.
Provide regular financial reporting and enrollment performance updates to senior leadership.
Provide executive leadership to Assistant Directors, Managers, and Admissions staff.
Establish performance metrics and accountability standards tied to enrollment targets and student experience outcomes.
Lead workforce planning, succession planning, and organizational design initiatives within the admissions function.
Recruit, coach, and develop high-performing admissions leaders capable of scaling operations in a growth environment.
Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the VP of Strategic Enrollment on admissions performance and growth strategy.
Present enrollment data, trends, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership.
Act as liaison across academic leadership to align admissions targets with program capacity and faculty planning.
Participate in institutional strategic planning initiatives as a senior enrollment leader.
Other duties as assigned.