Summary
The Director of Undergraduate Admissions works closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management to achieve the College's undergraduate enrollment goals. The Director leads the Admissions team and is responsible for implementing, executing, and managing recruitment and admissions strategies and initiatives. This position oversees day-to-day admissions operations, monitors progress toward enrollment and revenue goals and ensures effective follow-through across the recruitment and admission cycle.
Essential Job Functions
- Provide leadership in the development, implementation, and execution of a dynamic undergraduate search, recruitment, and admission strategy aligned with the College's strategic enrollment and revenue goals.
- Lead recruitment efforts to increase the size, quality, diversity, and geographic reach of the undergraduate applicant pool.
- Identify and evaluate new markets, populations, programs, and recruitment opportunities at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
- Establish recruitment priorities and performance expectations for the Admissions team and monitor progress throughout the recruitment cycle.
- Analyze enrollment data, market trends, recruitment activity, and outcomes to inform decisions and recommend adjustments to recruitment strategies.
- Prepare and present comprehensive weekly and monthly enrollment reports, forecasts, and analyses, including strategy, progress, policy, and procedure updates, to the Vice President for Enrollment Management and other campus leaders.
- Oversee undergraduate recruitment and admission activities, including prospect engagement, application review, admission decisions, scholarship consideration, yield, and enrollment conversion.
- Oversee recruitment territories, travel planning, counselor activity, school and community outreach, and other student engagement strategies.
- Work closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Director of Financial Aid to implement enrollment, financial aid, and net tuition revenue strategies.
- Collaborate with academic leaders and campus partners to support recruitment and enrollment initiatives for academic programs and institutional priorities.
- Develop, evaluate, and implement Admissions policies, procedures, and practices that support an efficient and student-centered admission process.
- Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Admissions staff; establish performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching and professional development.
- Foster a collaborative, student-centered, and results-oriented culture within the Admissions Office and ensure effective coordination of team responsibilities.
- Collaborate with outside vendors and Marketing and Communications to develop and evaluate recruitment communications, digital strategies, advertising, and other enrollment materials.
- Oversee and evaluate campus visit programs, recruitment events, prospective student engagement, and other prospective student and family experiences.
- Serve as the primary lead for planning and implementing admissions events, collaborating with the Vice President for Enrollment Management to develop event strategy and content.
- Plan and implement all admissions events, from initial concept through execution, to support recruitment and enrollment goals.
- Collaborate with Financial Aid, Academic Affairs, Student Success and Retention, Athletics, Marketing and Communications, and other campus partners to advance enrollment goals; represent the College with external constituents and professional organizations.
- Manage Admissions resources and assess the effectiveness of recruitment activities, including travel, events, technology, and communications; participate in strategic enrollment projects and other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
- Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in undergraduate admissions, enrollment management, recruitment, or a related field, preferably within a private, liberal arts college.
- Demonstrated success in student recruitment and enrollment, with experience developing and implementing strategies that support institutional enrollment goals.
- Demonstrated leadership experience, including supervising, developing, and motivating professional staff.
- Strong analytical and organizational skills, with experience using enrollment data, metrics, forecasting, and reporting to inform recruitment strategies and decisions.
- Experience with CRM systems, enrollment management technology, and digital tools used to support student recruitment and engagement.
- Knowledge of undergraduate admissions practices, recruitment trends, financial aid, and net tuition revenue strategies.
- Strong communication, presentation, interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, adapt to changing enrollment conditions, and effectively move initiatives from planning through implementation and follow-through.
- Ability and willingness to travel and participate in evening and weekend recruitment activities and events as needed.
Colby-Sawyer College is a comprehensive liberal arts-based institution located in the scenic Lake Sunapee area of New Hampshire. We have friendly people, beautiful nature, and small-town amenities and shops. We are located about 35 minutes south of Dartmouth College and just 1 hour 30 minutes from Boston. For more information see Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, NH.
We strive to always be a people-first organization. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all employees. If you are looking for a place where you will feel welcome and that you belong, Colby-Sawyer College is that place.
Colby-Sawyer is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution. Applicants are encouraged to share what they can offer and how they can help us to achieve and maintain these values in their cover letter.
Interested candidates may also visit Human Resources in Colgate Hall Room 230, Monday through Friday from 8am - 5pm, to alternatively complete a paper application.
Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Colby-Sawyer College is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment which celebrates multiple perspectives. Under institutional policy, as well as under state and federal law (including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Age Discrimination Act), Colby-Sawyer College does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices or its admission practices on the basis of race or ethnicity; color; national origin; religion; age; mental or physical disability; parental, family or marital status; veteran status; or sex (including pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or gender expression). Further, Colby-Sawyer College prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates.
The college recognizes that harassment related to an individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression can occur in conjunction with misconduct related to an individual's race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, or disability. Targeting individuals on the basis of these characteristics is also a violation of the college policy. Under these circumstances, the college will coordinate the investigation and resolution efforts outlined in the college's Sex-based Discrimination and Sex-based Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedures as well as the Code of Community Responsibility (for students) and Employee Handbook (for employees), to address harassment related to the targeted individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression together with the conduct related to the targeted individual's race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age or disability.