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Assistant Vice President of Enrollment

Employer
Gwynedd Mercy University
Location
Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

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Located in picturesque Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, Gwynedd Mercy University invites applications and nominations for the role of Assistant Vice President of Enrollment. The new AVP will be an experienced, innovative, and student-centered professional who will lead the University’s recruitment office, with a particular focus on undergraduate admissions. The selected individual will be responsible for providing leadership and direction for the University’s admissions office, including the management of ten staff members, and partnering with academic, athletic, financial aid, student life and other departments to create an outstanding recruitment and enrollment experience for students and families.

Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment Management, the successful candidate will be responsible for the leadership, administration and operation of the University’s recruitment and enrollment process.  In addition to hiring, onboarding, training, and mentoring a motivated admissions team, the Assistant Vice President will manage the budget, and establish strong relationships with area high schools and community colleges, and other University departments and partners. The Assistant Vice President will work closely with the Vice President to set strategy, and ensure each student and family has an outstanding experience at each step of the admissions and enrollment journey.

 

Responsibilities and Priorities

The expectations for the Assistant Vice President of Enrollment require that the successful candidate possess the ability and experience to accomplish the following responsibilities and priorities in these key areas:

  • Provide guidance regarding changing demographics and lead the campus community in understanding the challenges of a highly competitive recruitment environment
  • Possess knowledge of current enrollment issues facing colleges and universities, with demonstrated experience implementing creative ways to address them
  • Identify areas of opportunity and challenge, and partner with campus partners to implement initiatives that address them
  • Direct the Gwynedd Mercy community in offering an authentic, engaging, and welcoming campus visit experience
  • Build strong, collegial relationships with other campus constituents; collaborate with faculty and deans to develop strategies to create a memorable experience for prospective students
  • Provide leadership, supervision and mentoring to all admission staff; lead, motivate and empower a talented and hardworking team
  • Represent the University in a professional manner as a member of internal and external committees and professional organizations at local, regional, and national events, programs, and panels
  • Possess the ability to generate, analyze, and use reports to make data-driven decisions; provide data-driven guidance for all aspects of student recruitment programs and initiatives
  • Partner with financial aid to implement strategies that support and advance the institution’s enrollment goals; understand how to navigate price and institutional aid to impact yield
  • Collaborate with marketing and communications to develop comprehensive marketing strategies and materials; partner with the alumni office to develop programs to recruit students who will become distinctive graduates; and partner with athletics in recruitment efforts
  • Oversee initiatives to enhance diversity among incoming students by expanding pathway programs and articulation agreements, and actively embracing the University’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

 

Qualifications, Abilities and Characteristics

The Assistant Vice President should have a proven record of success in positions of progressive responsibility and have held a prior management position, such as Director, Associate or Assistant Director of Admissions. Candidates for this position should possess experience in both budget management and staff supervision. A Bachelor’s Degree is required (an advanced degree is preferred). In addition, the Assistant Vice President should exhibit the following personal and professional qualities and characteristics:

  • Ability to motivate, inspire, drive change and make tough decisions; demonstrated experience effectively supervising the work and directing the actions of others
  • Deep appreciation and commitment to the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy and the mission and core values of the University; clear understanding of and ability to articulate the values and mission of the University
  • Possession of an action-orientation, as well as the important attributes of optimism and personal integrity
  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms
  • Collaborative team player with the ability to work in a high stress, deadline-driven environment; able to infuse daily work with levity and balance; and ability to achieve and celebrate success
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, and presentation skills; outstanding listener with strong relational skills
  • Personable, approachable, and accessible to team members, students, families, and other members of the University community
  • Commitment to innovation with the ability to implement creative and new approaches for achieving enrollment goals
  • Strong technical, organizational, and data management skills with a demonstrated understanding of and ability to use the latest technology, including experience with a CRM (Salesforce experience strongly desired)
  • Actively engage with institutional colleagues on the Moving the Needle initiative, in partnership with Credo, to develop, implement, and enhance conditions, practices, systems, and solutions that foster student success and retention
  • Fluency in Spanish is preferred but not required.

 

The University

Founded in 1948 and under the leadership of President Deanne H. D'Emilio, JD, Gwynedd Mercy University offers baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate certificates and certifications. The University offers more than 30 undergraduate majors, and more than 15 graduate programs, both on campus and online. GMercyU is home to approximately 1,600 undergraduate students and 800 graduate students from diverse racial, ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. The University is large enough to offer the academic, athletic, and real-world learning opportunities students are looking for, but small enough that professors know students by name. Students benefit from a mission-centered and inclusive culture that embraces its core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Social Justice.

In addition to participating in service, research and other experiential learning, GMercyU undergraduate students also participate in a unique program called The Griffin Edge. Built on the five E’s – Excellence, Engagement, Experience, Empathy, and Encouragement –  this Distinctive Mercy Experience encourages all students to set forth on an intentional, reflective, and proactive college journey designed to help them connect the dots between their curricular and co-curricular experiences and their future aspirations.  With the help of an e-portfolio, students also have the tools they need to talk about their college journey in concrete and meaningful ways so they can ace future job interviews and launch successful careers.

Mercy Mission and Core Values

GMercyU is a Catholic university rooted in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. Our learning community prepares students for successful careers and meaningful lives in a global society.

As a Mercy University committed to academic excellence, we value:

  • Integrity in Word and Deed
  • Respect for the Dignity of Each Person
  • Service to Society
  • Social Justice in a Diverse World

The University also has a special focus on the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy: Earth, Immigration, Anti-Racism, Non-Violence, and Women.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

GMercyU's Core Values place inclusive excellence at the center of its culture as a Catholic, Mercy institution. Inclusive excellence recognizes that to successfully advance our mission we must value, engage, and include the rich diversity of all the members of our community: students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the university.  Creating a culture of inclusive excellence begins with infusing diversity and equity into the GMercyU’s admissions, hiring, and promotion processes.  It is strategically integrated into the curriculum and co-curriculum, our student development and leadership, and into our administrative structures, practices, decision-making, and culture. Inclusive excellence is central to GMercyU’s mission to develop students with successful careers and meaningful lives in a global society. Challenging all community members to engage in this collaboration and transformative personal and professional work will help us continue to build a true Mercy community.

Statement of Beliefs

At Gwynedd Mercy University, we believe:

  • That education is a lifelong process that enriches the intellectual, moral, and spiritual life of the individual and prepares one for an active role in society
  • That a solid liberal arts foundation is the best preparation for life and work
  • That the cultivation of compassion, intellectual inquiry, dedication to truth, mercy, and justice is essential in improving the human condition
  • That education is a process of transforming oneself and society
  • That individual attention in a caring environment promotes learning

On the road to becoming Distinctive Mercy Graduates, Gwynedd Mercy offers a warm, welcoming and inclusive community in which each student can learn and grow.

Strategic Plan

Since 2018, President Deanne H. Emilio, JD, the Steering Committee, and University faculty and staff have been hard at work brainstorming, planning, and executing Gwynedd Mercy University’s new Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan serves as a five-year roadmap for the University, detailing how it will adapt to the constantly shifting higher education landscape. Amidst exciting projects and opportunities, the plan will also keep the University’s goals and growth in line with its mission and values.

Location

Gwynedd Mercy University is located in beautiful Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, just 30 minutes from Philadelphia and home to vibrant entertainment, shopping and restaurants in its own right.

Gwynedd Valley offers big-city access and all the amenities one needs: multiple eateries, activities galore, recreational facilities, plenty of spaces to study and socialize, nearby shopping, entertainment, and a local train to Philadelphia, one of the most vibrant cities in the country.

To Apply

Applications, nominations, and inquiries for the position of Assistant Vice President should be directed to Napier Executive Search. To arrange for a confidential conversation, please contact Laura Robinson (laura.robinson@napiersearch.com) or Mary Napier (mary.napier@napiersearch.com).  An application must include a detailed letter of interest, an up-to-date resume, and contact information for three professional references.  For best consideration, submit all application materials by email to: GMercyU@napiersearch.com  by November 19.  Materials will be reviewed beginning in late November, 2021, and the search will remain open until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is January 2022. All applications and nominations will be considered confidential and notice will be given prior to contacting references.

EEO Statement

Gwynedd Mercy University is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. Gwynedd Mercy University does not discriminate against any applicant for admission to or employment at the University because of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, color, marital status, veteran status, genetic characteristics, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (“Protected Classes”). This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, financial aid, educational services, and student programs and activities, as well as to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, hiring, placement, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, discipline, and termination. The University will not tolerate unlawful acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes, or related retaliation against or by any employee or student.

 

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