Director of Enrollment

 

JOB SUMMARY  

 

The Director of Enrollment - Graduate at Southeastern University is a key leader within the enrollment division, responsible for strategic oversight and management of the university’s graduate enrollment initiatives. This role involves developing and implementing innovative recruitment strategies to attract and enroll a diverse and qualified student body for graduate and doctoral programs. The Director collaborates with academic program chairs, faculty, and various university departments to ensure alignment of enrollment goals and effective resource management.

The Director of Enrollment - Graduate oversees the day-to-day operations of the graduate admissions team, guiding staff in the execution of recruitment plans and enrollment processes. This includes making admissions decisions, managing application reviews, and ensuring a seamless applicant experience from inquiry to enrollment. The Director is also responsible for creating and maintaining policies and procedures that comply with institutional and regulatory standards, supporting the university’s mission and objectives.

Key responsibilities include monitoring market trends, analyzing enrollment data, and adjusting strategies to enhance recruitment efforts. The Director will also lead initiatives to build pipelines through community engagement, corporate partnerships, and other outreach activities. Exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and the ability to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions are essential for success in this role.

 

 

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS 

 

Reports to: Chief Enrollment Officer

 

Supervisory Responsibility: Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment

Indirect Supervisory Responsibility: Enrollment Counselor - Graduate

 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES - May include, but are not limited to the following: 

 

Strategic Recruitment Planning: The Director of Graduate Enrollment is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic recruitment plan that aligns with the university's mission, academic priorities, and financial objectives. This involves conducting thorough market analysis and demographic research to understand the evolving needs and preferences of prospective graduate students. Leveraging this data, the Director tailors recruitment strategies for academic program offerings to meet the demands of current and future student populations. Establishing clear enrollment targets, the Director breaks these down into measurable goals for each department and program, regularly reviewing and adjusting these targets in response to internal performance metrics and external market conditions. Continuous monitoring and reporting systems are implemented to track the effectiveness of enrollment strategies and initiatives, using data-driven insights to make informed decisions and adapt strategies in real-time to optimize enrollment outcomes.

Event Participation and Innovation: The Director will participate in prospective student events both on and off campus, as well as online, exercising creativity and innovation in recruitment and admission activities. This includes planning and executing engaging and informative events to attract prospective graduate students. The Director will take a leadership role in organizing recruitment events, training staff on recruitment event protocols, and continuously improving event effectiveness. Additionally, the Director will collaborate with other departments to develop and implement new recruitment strategies.

Team Management: The Director will manage and oversee the graduate enrollment counselors, collaborate with office support staff, and provide feedback to senior enrollment leadership on enrollment processes, suggesting improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The Director will mentor and train new enrollment counselors, share best practices, and support the professional development of the enrollment team.

Stakeholder Collaboration: The Director will build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and university leadership, to support enrollment objectives. Engaging faculty, staff, and current students in the recruitment process, empowering them to be ambassadors for the university, and highlighting the unique academic, cultural, and social opportunities available is crucial. The Director will also engage with external partners, such as community organizations, churches, and industry partners, to expand the university's reach and influence, effectively creating pipelines of qualified applicants. Developing outreach programs and partnerships that enhance the university's visibility and reputation among potential students and educational communities is a key responsibility.

Decision Making: The Director makes data-informed decisions when developing and implementing the university’s strategic enrollment plan. They provide consistent feedback to enrollment leadership on enrollment processes, suggesting improvements to enhance future efforts. The Director provides information, analysis, and recommendations for strategic enrollment direction, analyzes enrollment trends and market data, and works in partnership with the Chief Enrollment Officer to set and achieve annual enrollment goals.

Operational Policy and Budget: The Director develops and recommends department operating budgets and ensures that the department operates within allocated funds. They maintain required records, reports, and files, and build a cohesive, integrated, and collaborative enrollment function that promotes high standards of customer service. This ensures that prospective students have an excellent experience from the first point of contact through enrollment. The Director maintains admission guidelines by writing, updating, and recommending changes to admission criteria, policies, and procedures.

 

 

ADDITIONAL/NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES 

 

N/A

 

All remaining duties are considered "nonessential" within the context of the ADA, which means that the function could be reassigned to another employee in order to allow a disabled individual to hold the position.  Alternatively, the manager could try to provide a reasonable accommodation so that the disabled individual could perform the function.

 

LOCATION 

 

Downtown Hybrid (some remote, some downtown)

 

Qualifications:

 

EDUCATION   

 

Required Education:

 

Bachelor's in Education, Marketing, Business Administration, or other related field.

 

Preferred Education:

 

Master's in Education, Marketing, Business Administration, or other related field.

 

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

 

N/A

 

EXPERIENCE 

 

Required:

 

5 years of prior experience in an enrollment-related role. Experience in team leadership, management, and strategic decision making. 

 

Preferred:

 

Prior experience in higher education, graduate admissions, sales, customer service, or a related field. Experience with CRM recruitment or sales software.  Familiarity with analyzing and interpreting data. 

  

 

  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

 

Required:

 

The Director of Graduate Enrollment position requires a high degree of strategic leadership, initiative, and independent judgment, operating within the highest ethical standards and integrity in all aspects of the role. The Director must maintain ethical practices and ensure the confidentiality of student information. Essential skills include strong strategic thinking, independent judgment, and critical decision-making abilities. Superior interpersonal and public speaking skills are crucial, along with highly developed written and oral communication capabilities. The role demands exceptional organizational and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail. Proficiency in customer service and the ability to interface effectively with diverse populations are necessary. The Director must work independently, maintain a flexible schedule, and lead and collaborate within a team environment. The ability to use discretion within current policies and procedures, recommending and implementing process improvements, is vital. A valid driver's license is required.

 

 Preferred:

 

Preferred knowledge and skills for the Director of Graduate Enrollment position include advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office software, PowerBI reporting software, Salesforce CRM software, and/or Jenzabar SIS software. Comprehensive familiarity with SEU’s graduate and doctoral programs, online learning platforms, academic offerings, student activities, and other services and resources available to graduate and online students is highly valuable. A thorough understanding of the policies and procedures for distributing student financial aid, along with financial literacy skills for managing programmatic and work-related expenses and reimbursements, is beneficial. Knowledge of SEU's multicultural and religious diversity is important. Effective personnel management techniques, as well as advanced skills in project management, strategic planning, organization, and office management, are advantageous. Additionally, a deep awareness of the latest advances and effective methods in higher education recruitment approaches, strategies, and tools is preferred. Experience in leading and mentoring a team, developing and implementing strategic plans, and conducting data-driven analysis to inform decision-making is also highly desirable. The Director should possess a strong ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fostering a collaborative environment that supports the university's enrollment goals.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

 

All employees are responsible for maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, including sexual harassment. 

 

• This position is considered Non-Essential for the purposes of Emergency Response.

 

Physical Requirements: 

 

 

• Office Environment: Ability to work primarily in an office setting, which involves sitting for extended periods.
• Computer Use: Proficiency in using computers for various tasks, which requires hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity for typing and handling office equipment.
• Communication: Strong verbal communication skills for meetings, presentations, and interactions with staff, students, and parents.
• Mobility: Capability to move around the office and campus as needed for meetings and events.
• Lifting: Occasional lifting of large quantities of recruiting materials and display equipment that may weigh 30-50 pounds.
• Visual Requirements: Ability to read and interpret data on computer screens and printed documents.
• Hearing and Speaking: Adequate hearing to participate in conversations and phone calls, and clear speaking ability for effective communication.

 

Travel:

 

Yes 10%

 

Schedule:

 

40 hours per week is required. Regular hours are 9am - 5:30pm M-F. Some extended hours required during peak admission months.

 

TRAINING

 

All new hires and employees transferring into a new position will have a 90-day probationary period within which to learn the functions of the job and to be evaluated. Following the probationary period, the employee can transition to regular status, have the probationary period extended in order to receive more training, or employment can be terminated. Required compliance training is as follows:

 

SEU Onboarding

 

SAFETY 

 

• SEU promotes a safe working environment. Employees are responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and efficiently, and supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment. 
• Employees must report any unsafe work conditions or practices, as well as any near-miss incidents, to their supervisor and Risk Management. 
• Work-related injuries must be immediately reported to Security and Human Resources. When life or limb are at risk, please dial 911. Supervisors and employees should ensure that injury/accident reports are submitted to the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours of the incident. 
• Emergency Employees report for or must remain at work in emergency situations.  Dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to this position, unless instructed otherwise by your direct supervisor or a member of the Leadership Team.  

 

SCREENING

 

All full-time positions at SEU are deemed security-sensitive and require background checks. Employees required to drive their own personal vehicle, a rental car or an SEU vehicle in performance of their duties must pass an MVR records check and meet the requirements of the University’s insurance carrier in order to meet the requirements of the position.

 

DISCLAIMER

 

SEU is an at-will employer.  This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change. The employer retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

 

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

 

SEU is committed to providing a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. All forms of discrimination against or harassment of a person because of his or her identification within a protected category are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition applies equally to conduct by and against employees, vendors, visitors, and students.

 

Southeastern University is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. The equal opportunity policy will apply in University programs and activities, and all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. All employees of Southeastern University, by continued employment, agree to abide by the policies contained in the Employee Handbook and in the SEU Mission, Vision, Statement of Faith and Community Covenant.