Director, Visitor Center

Join our community and experience Emerson College!

The Director of the Visitor Center is the architect of the “aha” moment for a visiting prospective student and family. Reporting to the Vice President of Enrollment Management, the Director plays an integral role in providing the first on-campus experience for many prospective students and their families. The Director develops and refines campus tours, Student Ambassador training and management, and ensures that every guest receives personalized attention. The management of the Visitor Center includes a daily briefing with the Student Ambassadors and Admissions Counselor of the Day, highlighting visitor profiles and reviewing their agenda. The Director serves as the liaison for the Enrollment Management Division in planning on-campus recruitment events, ensuring that they also maintain the highest level of attention. This is a highly visible position that collaborates closely with other leaders in the Institutional Advancement, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management Divisions.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Design and continuously reimagine a signature visit experience strategy aligned with enrollment goals and institutional brand standards.
• Lead multi-year strategic planning for the Visitor Center, including capital improvement recommendations, aligned with the Emerson 2030 Strategic Plan.
• Incorporate cutting-edge technology and immersive experiences for guests.
• Lead recruitment, training and talent development across the Student Ambassador program, making it a highly competitive and desirable student employment position.
• Serve as the divisional lead for cross-campus experience design, partnering with academic, and other institutional leaders to curate a Visitor Center experience that authentically reflects institutional distinction and differentiates the College from peer institutions.
• Oversee a comprehensive visit management system, directing cross-functional coordination across campus units to deliver seamless, high-touch service at every stage of the visitor journey — from initial scheduling through post-visit follow-up.
• Serve as a senior institutional ambassador, engaging prospective students and families in personalized, consultative conversations that connect individual aspirations to the College's academic strengths, culture, and outcomes.
• Design and execute a post-visit engagement strategy that leverages CRM data to advance prospective students through the enrollment funnel, while continuously refining the visit experience through structured feedback analysis and quality benchmarking.
• Lead an ongoing staff training and knowledge development program, ensuring all visitor-facing team members are equipped to serve as credible, confident, and compelling representatives of the College's academic offerings and student experience.
• Benchmark against peer and aspirant institutions; participate in professional trade associations, and author an annual State of the Visit Experience report with data-driven recommendations
• Analyze visit data and yield correlations to inform enrollment strategy and report outcomes to senior leadership.
• Serve as a strategic partner and divisional liaison, co-leading cross-functional enrollment initiatives
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job.

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing or related field required.
• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in a university or college admissions office or with proven event planning experience.
• Experience in set production or highly engaging guest experiences preferred.
• Experience with technologies that will enhance an immersive guest experience.
• Experience in a higher-education setting preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

• Executive presence and ability to represent the institution to external audiences, donors, and community partners.
• Strategic vision with the ability to translate institutional priorities into guest experience design
• Demonstrated management and leadership experience.
• Data fluency and the ability to analyze visit to yield conversion metrics and present findings to VP level leadership
• Experience in managing large-scale visit programs and events.
• Budget management and fiscal accountability
• Change management skills to lead programmatic innovation
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Adept at collaborating in a matrix environment.
• Effective communicator who can collaborate across functional teams while demonstrating initiative and a mindset focused on continuous improvement.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to move/lift light objects such as chairs and boxes occasionally
• Ability to sit/stand for long periods
• Ability to provide a walking tour of the campus
• Intellectual and mental concentration for extended periods
• Work on Saturdays as needed for special enrollment events.

WORK ENVIRONMENT – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• On-campus
• Some evening and weekend work required occasionally
• Office setting with infrequent travel

Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws.  Certain job duties described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

IN-OFFICE EXPECTATIONS
This position requires an in-person presence on the Boston Campus during the work week.

Compensation: $104,000.00 - $130,000.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

 

Grade of Position: 23-12E

Employment Category: Regular

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Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week. 

Emerson Employment Categories influence work schedules, benefits eligibility, and time off policies. Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits, such as life and disability coverage and commuter offerings, are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.