Trinity, a comprehensive university in the nation’s capital, seeks a confident and savvy Vice President for Recruitment and Marketing to serve as the chief enrollment officer of the institution. The vice president is responsible for planning and supervision of enrollment marketing, recruiting, admissions, and yield of students in Trinity’s historic women’s college, known as the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as Trinity’s professional programs in the coed School of Nursing and Health Professions, and School of Professional and Graduate Studies. Trinity offers a range of credentials including certificates, associate, baccalaureate and master’s degrees. With a strong foundation in liberal arts, Trinity is increasingly known and respected for its programs in Nursing, STEM disciplines, Psychology, Global Affairs, Business, Education, Occupational Therapy, Health Services and Data Analytics, among other disciplines. Approaching its 125th Anniversary in 2022, Trinity serves a majority of students from the metropolitan Washington region. Trinity is the only university in D.C., and one of a few across the country, that qualifies as both a predominantly Black and Hispanic-serving institution. Trinity is a Catholic university welcoming persons of all faith traditions.

Reporting to President Patricia McGuire and working in close cooperation with leadership team colleagues, the vice president is responsible for developing marketing strategies for prospective student recruiting that strategically align Trinity’s programs and degrees with target markets in the Washington region and other locations. From that alignment, the new vice president will develop the student recruiting strategies and tactics that will increase the volume of prospective and enrolled students for all units and programs. The vice president supervises a team of 15 professionals including admissions directors, recruiters, and core data management staff. The vice president will have a deeply collaborative relationship with Enrollment Services (financial aid and student accounts services) for developing enrollment strategies; and will partner with both public relations and creative services in developing recruitment and marketing strategies.

Responsibilities, Duties and Priorities:

The expectations for the Vice President for Recruitment and Marketing require that the successful candidate possess the following responsibilities, duties, and priorities:

• Work in partnership with the President to establish clear, data-driven policies and processes that further the strategic plan of the University; develop and analyze admissions and enrollment datato inform and shape recruiting efforts in an effort to reach a strategic goal of 2,500 students in all degree programs by 2025.
• Ensure the effective strategic alignment of Trinity’s top academic programs with major target markets to drive larger enrollments in programs including Nursing, STEM disciplines, Business, Health Services, Global Affairs, Occupational Therapy, Data Analytics, Strategic Communication and other programs that appeal to regional student markets and employers.
• Develop a clear and comprehensive program for marketing and recruiting adult students in the Washington regional workforce for enrollment in professional studies programs at all degree levels; include in this plan the establishment of effective partnerships with major employers in the private corporate, nonprofit and governmental sectors to open opportunities for recruiting and program delivery at work sites.

• Supervise the continuing development of the program for marketing and recruiting talented young women from high schools in the Washington region and select other regions for enrollment in the daytime College of Arts and Sciences; identify and strengthen the network of top feeder schools through more active programming and special events with those top schools.
• Lead, educate and hold accountable the team of recruiters and other Admissions Office personnel to ensure the effective implementation of strategies and tactics to reach enrollment goals, including creation of a professional development program for the team as well as a systematic management plan to assess and measure the performance of each recruiter;
• Possess a hands-on approach to collaboration, customer service and supervision.
• Exhibit open and communicative leadership style that builds trust and strong relationships, provides transparent communication and builds bridges among colleagues.
• Possess knowledge of financial aid leveraging and provide financial literacy in order to show how a Trinity education can provide pathways that can change the economic status of students and their families.
• Honor Trinity’s commitment to equity for women and racial equity in keeping with the Catholic social justice teachings that infuse all teaching and learning at Trinity.

Qualifications, Abilities and Desired Characteristics:

Successful candidates must demonstrate success in admissions and enrollment development, preferably in similar types of private colleges and universities. A bachelor’s degree is required (master’s degree is strongly preferred). A deep commitment to Trinity’s mission is essential. In addition, the vice president must possess the following qualifications, abilities and characteristics:

• Knowledge of current enrollment trends, practices, and regions (familiarity with the metro DC region is preferred) as well as the capacity to understand the complex issues facing higher education.
• Mastery of strategic marketing including strong ability to identify target markets aligned with Trinity’s top academic programs, and the ability to utilize multiple communication channels to communicate with prospective students
• Knowledge of (and preferably experience working directly with) strategies for the successful recruiting, enrollment and retention of adult undergraduate and graduate students, including the ability to create partnerships with major employers.
• Proven ability to hire, mentor, and manage staff for success, including the ability to evaluate and provide feedback, and provide professional development opportunities in order to instill a culture of professionalism.
• An understanding and appreciation of a minority serving institution with a culture that values diversity and has a commitment to social justice.
• Evidence of effective communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to listen well in an effort to engender trust with colleagues across the institution.
• Dedication to student centered environment.
• Flexible and adaptable professional who is willing to patiently understand context, as well as the students Trinity serves, and then enthusiastically implement change in an evolving environment.

Trinity Washington University

Trinity Washington University has a strong reputation as an essential institution serving the educational needs of students of color in the greater metropolitan Washington region, with an emphasis on women’s education and advancement. Trinity educates more District of Columbia residents than any other private university, and is the only university in the region classified as both a Predominantly Black and Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. With academics firmly rooted in the liberal arts as the foundation for professional life, Trinity has responded to the workforce needs of the Washington region with well-respected programs in Nursing and healthcare, Education, science and technology, and other disciplines in high demand in the region.

History, Academics and Students

Founded in 1897 as Trinity College in Washington, D.C. by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Trinity was one of the nation’s first Catholic liberal arts college for women.

While primarily an undergraduate residential college in its early years, in the 1960’s Trinity developed graduate programs for teachers and principals and those programs for master’s degrees in Education remain strong. In the 1980s, Trinity launched the innovative Weekend College program, aimed at working women to earn their college degrees. Trinity today offers a full range of degrees and credentials for working professionals in the coeducational School of Professional and Graduate Studies. In 2010, working in cooperation with regional healthcare providers, Trinity created the School of Nursing and Health Professions with baccalaureate and master’s programs that meet the needs of the healthcare workforce in Washington. As Trinity diversified in the early 21st Century, the institution became Trinity Washington University to reflect more accurately the broad range of Trinity’s programs, credentials, and degrees.

Trinity continues its historic women’s college, now known as the College of Arts and Sciences, enrolling 1,000 young women who hail largely from the District of Columbia and the Washington region. Trinity proudly enrolls more D.C. residents and more graduates of D.C. public schools than any other private university in the city and in the nation. Trinity’s student body today is predominantly African American and Latina; about 80% of the undergraduate students are eligible for Pell Grants, and about 10% of the undergraduate women are Dreamers, undocumented students with DACA status.

Overall, Trinity enrolls more than 1,800 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs, and 95% are Black, Hispanic, and multi-racial. The student body is about 95% female across all programs. Reflecting the circumstances of poverty and marginalization that afflict communities of color, the median family income of full-time Trinity undergraduates is about $25,000.

Trinity has gained prominence in recent years for success in the education of low-income students of color, and has received recognition for this work including the Carnegie Corporation Award for Academic Excellence, grants from the Mellon Foundation, and a major grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for the development of curricula and pedagogy to advance more women of color in the sciences. In 2016 Trinity opened the Payden Academic Center with state-of-the-art laboratories for the sciences and nursing, and pervasive technologies available to all disciplines.

As a commitment to Trinity DARE: Driving Actions for Racial Equity which focuses on specific strategies and actions that Trinity is taking to promote racial equity for Trinity students and graduates, President Pat McGuire announced recently that Trinity Washington University used federal funds from the American Rescue Plan to fully pay off $2.8 million in Trinity balances for 535 undergraduate students who owe balances to Trinity.

Statement of Mission

Trinity is a comprehensive university offering a broad range of educational programs that prepare students across the lifespan for the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of contemporary work, civic and family life. Trinity’s core mission values and characteristics emphasize:

• Commitment to the Education of Women in a particular way through the design and

pedagogy of the historic undergraduate women’s college, and by advancing principles of

equity, justice and honor in the education of women and men in all other programs.

• Foundation for Learning in the Liberal Arts through the curriculum design in all

undergraduate degree programs and through emphasis on the knowledge, skills, and values

of liberal learning in all graduate and professional programs.

• Integration of Liberal Learning with Professional Preparation through applied and

experiential learning opportunities in all programs.

• Grounding in the mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Catholic

tradition, welcoming persons of all faiths, in order to achieve the larger purposes of

learning in the human search for meaning and fulfillment.

Location

Trinity’s campus is located in northeast Washington, just 2.5 miles from the U.S. Capitol and Union Station, minutes from downtown, and close to Washington’s Metrorail (Red Line, Brookland Station). Trinity is a vibrant part of the Washington D.C. community which provides students, faculty, and staff a diverse community and multicultural environment, numerous historic landmarks, and many venues for enjoying arts, entertainment, and restaurants. In addition, there are limitless networking and research opportunities, jobs, and internships in a wide range of fields. As the historic heart of the United States,

Washington D.C. is a political and cultural destination, which makes living and working there such an amazing experience.

To Apply:

Napier Executive Search is assisting Trinity Washington University with this search for Vice President for Recruitment and Marketing. For more information or to nominate someone for this position, contact Mary Napier (mary.napier@napiersearch.com) or Laura Robinson (Laura.Robinson@napiersearch.com) for a confidential conversation. Interested candidates should submit a résumé along with a cover letter expressing interest in this position. Candidates should provide the names and contact information of at least three professional references; references will not be contacted without permission. For best consideration, all application materials should be submitted electronically to Trinitydc@napiersearch.com by September 28. Materials will be reviewed in late September and the search will remain open until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is January 2022.

Trinity is dedicated to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its students, faculty, and staff. Trinity is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community and strongly encourages all qualified individuals to apply.