Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions - Office of Undergraduate Admissions

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions invites applications and nominations for a highly experienced and effective admissions professional to serve as the Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions. This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. Salary is commensurate with experience. Work authorization sponsorship is not available for this position.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-grant university, the state's largest and flagship institution of higher education, and a member of the Big Ten athletic conference and Big Ten Academic Alliance. The university is a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. Since its founding in 1867, Illinois has provided our undergraduate students with truly transformative educational experiences in the classroom, in the surrounding communities, throughout the state, and around the globe. Students leave this campus with the skills, knowledge and drive to become leaders in their fields of study and to lead lives of impact in the world. Illinois remains steadfast in its commitment to diversity, inclusion, access and removing barriers to higher education. For Fall 2023, we welcomed 35,467 undergraduate students and 20,936 graduate/professional students, and offered nearly 5,000 courses in more than 150 fields of study.

The Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions serves two primary functions. First, the Executive Director develops and executes strategies to recruit, admit and enroll an academically talented and diverse class of first-year and transfer students consistent with the enrollment priorities of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It should be noted that one ongoing enrollment priority is to expand access to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and full inclusion in the University community. Second, the Executive Director provides leadership, supervision and strategic direction for the full-time and part-time staff in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions while building and maintaining collaborative relationships across the University and with external constituencies who may partner in the admissions process.

Duties & Responsibilities -

• Plan, direct and evaluate the programs, services and operations of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. This entails providing leadership, supervision, strategic direction and professional development opportunities for 65 full-time staff, 75 seasonal employees, and 50 student employees. The Executive Director should build and maintain a positive, diverse, inclusive and team-oriented work environment, and provide fiscal oversight for the office operating budget totaling more than $4 million.
• Articulate a vision for all aspects of the University’s outreach, recruitment, admissions and yield activities. Guided by the enrollment priorities of the University leadership, the Executive Director develops and executes strategies to support the campus’ enrollment objectives. This would include fostering relationships across campus that are desirable to effectively lead in a highly collaborative and decentralized academic environment. The Executive Director also engages with academic colleges and departments to discuss enrollment trends, recruitment strategies and collaborative yield experiences.
• Develop admissions policies and guidelines, along with comprehensive recruitment and admissions plans, for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Working with other units of the Enrollment Management team and college-level admissions officers, the Executive Director utilizes admissions data and marketing resources to develop and implement data informed recruitment and yield strategies.
• Serve as the University Admissions representative. The Executive Director represents the University to multiple internal and external constituents. Internally, this includes representing Admissions before the Senate Committee of Admissions and in serving on the Enrollment Management Cabinet and other campus committees. Externally, the Executive Director represents University Admissions to high school counselors and community college personnel in the state of Illinois, nationally and internationally.
• Understand current best practices in higher education to promote clear and effective admission processes and services for students and their families. As a representative of a leading University, the Executive Director is expected to serve on various professional practice committees and present at state, regional and national conferences. The Executive Director also should advise University leadership on national admission and enrollment trends and provide data driven analysis on enrollment priorities and strategies.

Required Qualifications -

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• At least ten years of combined experience working in Admissions and/or Enrollment Management;
• At least three years of experience managing people and leading collaborative teams in a university setting;
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity in the recruitment of students and staff; and exceptional written, spoken, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications -

• Advanced degree in education, higher education, or related field.
• Worked in/led a university admissions process in a selective admissions environment.
• Demonstrated experience and success in working collaboratively with faculty and staff in a decentralized environment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities -

• Must be able to collaborate with multiple administrative and academic offices across campus to coordinate a systematic recruitment, admission and enrollment effort.
• Apply research and technological tools in the strategic recruitment of target groups.
• Ability to analyze data, think critically, creatively problem solve, and make data informed decisions.
• Budgeting, planning and process management.
• Understanding enrollment management principles.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to maintain strong work ethic and handle high volume of work, execute projects simultaneously, set priorities and meet deadlines.

Nominations, Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Nominations should be submitted to provostsearches@illinois.edu and include the name, title, email address, and phone number of the nominee.

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on January 8, 2024. Upload a cover letter, resume, contact information for three professional references, and transcripts or proof of degree(s).

Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jennifer Steiling at steiling@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1021080
Job Category: Education & Student Services
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu