Director of Admissions

Department: Office of Admissions
Hours: 40 per week
FT/PT/Temp: Full-time
Status: Exempt, permanent
Work mode: Hybrid
Location: Pasadena, CA

Brief Description

The Director of Admissions is responsible for leading Fuller’s Office of Admissions in the areas of strategic planning, team and individual goal-setting, and prospective-student oriented recruitment strategies, all while demonstrating an overall commitment to service and excellence that supports and advances Fuller’s enrollment and missional goals. This position will apply management expertise and values-based admissions techniques in a way that supports new student enrollment growth in academic programs offered by Fuller’s School of Mission and Theology and Fuller’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The Director is responsible for maintaining and enhancing admissions policies, processes, and practices while placing an emphasis on servicing the prospective student. The Director provides leadership, coaching, and mentorship to the Admissions Counselors who are responsible to attract, recruit, and enroll students from across the United States and around the world who are interested in graduate-level certificate, masters, and doctoral degrees offered by Fuller in English, Spanish, and Korean languages.

Primary Responsibilities

• Prepare plans and implement strategies that ensure Fuller delivers on annual and quarterly new student enrollment growth goals.
• Manage, motivate, and coach Admissions Counselors to achieve individual and department goals that advance Fuller’s mission and enrollment targets for Fuller’s Pasadena campus, Fuller’s Phoenix campus, Fuller’s Houston campus, and Fuller’s online/global campus.
• Meet with admissions counselors regularly to review goals, projects, and counseling strategies including Fuller’s values-based counseling techniques and tools for persuasive conversations that leverage financial aid packages and awards to recruit new students.
• Review market research, proposed changes to Fuller’s academic programs, scholarship eligibility opportunities, and shifts in the broader graduate education landscape in various geographies across the U.S. and around the world to ensure Admissions Counselors are equipped with tools, resources, and information to reach their individual new student enrollment goals. 
• Prepare a comprehensive recruitment program that services prospective students from inquiry through matriculation with an emphasis on increasing the conversion rate of inquiries to enrolled students.
• Actively recruit and enroll new graduate students to specific graduate programs; meet with prospective students in admissions appointments, if needed.
• Guide admissions committee discussion around each application under review; offer available options for handling postponements, denials, and acceptances; serve as a liaison between committees and the dean when the committee needs higher-level guidance; communicate and enforce institutional and accreditation policies.
• Partner with the Director of Student Experience and the Welcome Center to ensure Student experience Coordinators implement telemarketing programs, conduct campus tours, and respond to prospective student inquiries related to academic programs, financial aid, and other topics in a way that is efficient, accurate, hospitable, and compliant.
• In partnership with Enrollment Systems and Processing and Enrollment Communications, assess Admissions Counselor workflows, communication tools, and information systems, and develop a long term plan for continuous improvements in counselor processes and supporting technology that supports Admissions Counselor productivity and student recruitment functions.
• In collaboration with the Director of Student Financial Services, set a compelling financial aid strategy for new students that aligns with recruitment goals, and equip Admissions Counselors with tools and resources necessary to serve prospective students with baseline knowledge about institutional scholarships.
• Collaborate and coordinate with Enrollment Data Science to ensure quality and integrity of data, processes, and reports for the Office of Admissions.
• Prepare reports on Admissions trends for Fuller’s Board of Trustees meetings, as requested.
• Develop collaborative working relationships across the seminary that contributes to an integrated student recruitment approach, including coordination with deans, program chairs, faculty, Student Financial Services, Office of Finance and Accounting, Information Technology Services, International Services Office, and Housing and Residential Community, and Enrollment Systems and Processing to ensure systems and processes are responsive to prospective students and applicants interested in Fuller’s academic programs.
• As a member of the Global Recruitment, Admissions, Marketing, and Retention (GRAMAR) Leadership Team, serve as a campus leader and strategist to advance GRAMAR’s shared vision to deliver the highest level of service and create the strongest sense of belonging for every student and learner who joins Fuller’s rigorous and formative learning community.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Master's degree required, preferably in a theological, missiological, or psychological area.
• Five years professional experience in higher education enrollment management, admissions, recruitment, marketing or related field required.
• Two years of successful management/supervision experience leading a multicultural team, with strong relational skills and ability to build relationships, manage teams, and work effectively with diverse staff.
• Demonstrated excellence in leading admissions and recruitment efforts, activities, and messaging that reflect inclusion and equity in a diverse setting.
• Experience working with prospective and matriculating students, marketing, data analysis, financial aid, academic policy, report writing, web applications, CRM or database management system, data input, word processing, and spreadsheets.
• Ability to work effectively with a variety of constituencies including students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, trustees, government and nonprofit officials, and business leaders in a manner that positively portrays Fuller and its programs, personnel, and mission. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; Spanish or Korean language skills a plus.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently with a high level of initiative.
• Strong customer service orientation and understanding of the needs of graduate students.
• Ability and willingness to travel on an occasional or regular basis; work nights and weekends as required.
• Must have the ability to handle multiple tasks on a regular basis.

Additional Remarks: 

• This is a hybrid position primarily working out of the Pasadena, CA campus with some availability to work from home. 
• Supervision of Others: Supervises Assistant Director of Admissions, Admissions Counselors, Admissions Recruiters
• Reports to: Chief of Global Recruitment, Admissions, Marketing, and Retention

Pay Scale: 

• Salary range the Seminary expects to pay: $94,000 - $105,000 annually USD

Fuller Theological Seminary is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. To the extent required by law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status. As a religious institution, Fuller Theological Seminary is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees or prospective employees for certain positions on the basis of religion. All positions must agree to Fuller's Community Standards for conduct, and certain positions must fully accept Fuller's Statement of Faith. Women and minorities strongly encouraged to apply.