Director of Admission - Kalamazoo, United States - InsideHigherEd

Description

Primary Objective

Kalamazoo College is looking for a dynamic and visionary Director of Admission to join our team We're searching for someone who can lead a passionate and customer-focused admissions team, developing creative strategies to attract a diverse and talented student body. Reporting to the Vice President of Admission and Financial Aid and as part of the enrollment leadership team, you'll work closely with the Dean of Financial Aid to help achieve the College's recruitment goals while fostering a positive work environment and a supportive environment for students to thrive.

As the director, you'll oversee a motivated team of professionals and will build relationships across departments and with external stakeholders to meet enrollment goals. The ideal candidate will be a creative and energetic leader with experience leading a multi-faceted recruitment program, who is dedicated to quality service, continuous improvement, and helping students succeed.

Responsibilities and Priorities
Strategic Leadership

• Serve as an integral member of the Admission and Financial Aid leadership team and help strategically guide Kalamazoo College's student enrollment efforts.
• Exhibit a commitment to the institutional mission, a genuine passion for the liberal arts, and the ability to enthusiastically share the transformational power of a K education with interested and well-qualified students.
• Strengthen efforts to meet enrollment goals for both first-year and transfer students.
• Collect, analyze, and present data to inform and refine efforts that identify, recruit, and enroll a diverse domestic student body representing a variety of backgrounds, as well as a diverse mix of international students who bring a global perspective to campus.
• Oversee budget, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively.
• Educate the Kalamazoo College community regarding best practices, changing demographics, and the competitive landscape of recruiting and enrolling students.

Partnership and Collaboration

• Cultivate a strong sense of community by building bridges and fostering relationships of trust; serve on committees, nurture connections, and be a liaison with varying campus constituencies across the College to support enrollment.
• Maintain and manage strong relationships externally with school counselors and community-based organizations to meet enrollment goals.
• Manage a recruitment territory that includes travel to prospective student events from specific geographic regions.
• Prioritize the strong working relationship with the Dean of Financial Aid to execute financial aid leveraging strategies, increase communication and efficiency, and share information regarding costs, aid, and processes with prospective students and their families.
• Enhance the relationship between admissions and athletics to ensure the continued success of this critical partnership.

Supervision

• Provide leadership to the admission team, setting clear expectations and goals while fostering a supportive, collaborative environment.
• Grow, develop, and inspire a talented admissions team; provide training and professional development opportunities; work to optimize the skills of each individual team member and foster a culture of growth.
• Evaluate team performance, provide constructive feedback, and serve as an advocate, resource, and mentor.
• Lead the admissions team in efforts to evaluate, implement, and leverage technology to innovate, increase operational efficiency, and meet the expectations of students and families.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have outstanding interpersonal skills and experience, expertise in the administration and management of recruitment programs, demonstrated proficiencies in information technology appropriate to admissions offices, and a commitment to the core values of the College.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in post-secondary admissions or enrollment, including management and supervisory roles. The director will also demonstrate many of the following skills, abilities, and characteristics:

• Experience effectively supervising, managing, developing, and motivating a diverse team of admission officers and administrative support staff.
• Appreciation and support of the mission of a private liberal arts college, along with the ability to speak vibrantly and persuasively about the value of this type of education in today's context.
• A proven ability to develop rapport and work collaboratively with the leadership and faculty to bring forward the best of Kalamazoo College in the shared effort of recruiting and enrolling students.
• Ability to create, maintain, and operate within a well-defined fiscal budget that adheres to division-wide goals and policies.
• Strong verbal, written, interpersonal, and collaborative skills; excellent communication skills with a wide range of audiences including students, parents, and counselors and the ability to adeptly manage both external and internal relationships.
• Knowledge of current trends and issues in the state, regional, and national landscape of admission and financial aid.
• Utilization of technology in admission work, including knowledge of and experience maximizing a CRM (familiarity with Slate is preferred); ability to analyze and use data to inform and implement recruitment and admissions strategies and tactics that meet targeted enrollment goals and attract a talented and diverse student body.
• Willingness to foster a culture of best practices within the admission office, especially in appropriately leveraging data and transparently sharing information within the campus community.
• Passion for assisting students in their academic journey and contributing to their success.
• Familiar and comfortable serving students with a highly personalized approach.

Application Instructions

Applicants are asked to upload a resume and cover letter, in PDF format. A list of references will be requested of semi-finalist candidates. Completed applications received by June 7, 2024, will receive full consideration, with later applications reviewed as needed until the position is filled.The target start date for successful candidate will be determined by mutual agreement.

Benefits
Kalamazoo College is proud of offer a robust and reliable slate of benefits. A continued goal is to maximize our benefits while minimizing costs to employees, families, and the College.

About Kalamazoo College

Nationally renowned and globally oriented, Kalamazoo College is the home of the K-Plan, an individualized and integrated approach to the liberal arts and sciences. The K-Plan combines exceptional scholarship, study abroad, career development, civic engagement, and independent research in a flexible curriculum that allows students to make the most of their unique interests and gifts. At K, administrators and faculty embrace our motto—More in Four. More in a Lifetime.—by offering students more opportunities to explore, more faculty and staff mentorship and support, and more preparation for meaningful careers that make a positive impact on the world. Wherever students want to go in life, their K-Plans can take them there.

The campus of Kalamazoo College is located midway between Chicago and Detroit in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a metropolitan community of 261,000, which supports multiple college and university campuses along with numerous civic arts and cultural associations and sports teams. Thirty-five miles from Lake Michigan, the area offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, a walkable downtown, outstanding restaurants, and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Kalamazoo College encourages candidates who will contribute to the cultural diversity of the College to apply and to identify themselves if they wish. An equal opportunity employer, Kalamazoo College is committed to equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal protection under the law. Please be invited to review our full EEO statement by visiting Kalamazoo College is an E-Verify participating employer. Please select Notice and Rights for more information.