Executive Director of Graduate Enrollment - Department of Graduate School (22381)

Executive Director

00022381

08/25/2022

10/03/2022

SPS

Full-Time

1.00

Regular

1780

Non-Union

Graduate School

Grad Studies

Academic Division

WI 100

https://www.niu.edu/grad/index.shtml

Northern Illinois University (NIU) seeks a dynamic and creative professional interested in leading and directing the enrollment operation for the Graduate School. This inaugural position is an exceptional opportunity for a motivated and accomplished professional to join an innovative university and under the leadership of a new, progressive dean of the Graduate School. As outlined in the new Strategic Enrollment Management Plan 2.0, NIU is committed to developing a data-driven, forward-looking, comprehensive enrollment strategy that enables the institution to pursue strategic goals in an informed, integrated, and intentional manner.

Reporting to the Dean of Graduate School and Associate Vice President of International Affairs, the Executive Director of Graduate Enrollment provides direction and leadership to the enrollment management efforts of both domestic and international graduate students to include lead generation, inquiry cultivation, application management, pre- and post-admit communications, and retention. Working with key internal stakeholders, the Executive Director works to develop proactive and nimble strategies to adjust to changing environments and trends in recruitment and admission of graduate students; uses best practices and current technological solutions to manage search, inquiry, and applicant pools, and maintains communications throughout the student lifecycle to facilitate retention and timely degree completion.

Working collaboratively with the Dean of Graduate School, academic deans, graduate program directors, and the Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, the
Executive Director will develop a goal-focused and results-driven graduate enrollment management plan designed to meet enrollment targets related to quantity, quality, and diversity and will support other university enrollment initiatives. The Executive Director leads a team of professional staff focused on identifying, admitting, enrolling, retaining, and graduating graduate students.

Strategic Planning and Leadership – 35%

• Provide overall leadership, strategic direction, management, and oversight for activities related to pipeline development, recruitment, financial aid, admissions, yield, and on-boarding for the graduate student population.
• Bring models, methods, and mechanisms of strategic enrollment management to the Graduate School to instill discipline and intentionality into goal setting and enrollment management processes that will assist internal stakeholders in gaining a better understanding of the integrated and holistic nature of the enrollment process.
• Develop structure, strategy, and systems to ensure the collection and utilization of data across the institution that will guide planning, inform and evaluate enrollment and marketing strategies, assess competitive position and post-graduation student outcomes, and orchestrate change.
• Responsible for hiring, training, and developing a high-performance team that is data-informed and results-driven.
• Serve as a collaborative and innovative member of the Graduate School leadership team and assist in strategic goal setting and establishing metrics for both short- and long-term plans associated with the Graduate School.
• Develop an annual tactical business plan to ensure fiscal and human resources are aligned to achieve the university’s enrollment goals.

• Organize graduate enrollment management activities so that critical functions are optimally aligned, while maintaining program autonomy across a highly differentiated academic program portfolio.
• Architect and implement CRM strategies designed to communicate, build relationships with students and key influencers, and improve business processes and outcomes throughout all funnel stages.
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of programs and processes to assess impact on conversion and yield metrics and ensure alignment with strategic goals and direction of the unit.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of admissions policies, practices and procedures and their impact on university goals related to retention and graduation.
• Oversee centralized graduate admission operations, including the processing of applications, application review, admission decisions and notification for all graduate programs.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to graduate programs to assist them in assessing market conditions and matters impacting recruitment
• Collaborate with stakeholders to help them meet recruitment goals while providing best practices in student recruitment and yield activities

• Work collaboratively with units outside of the Graduate School to cascade enrollment management principles and practices to those units to better align and integrate enrollment management efforts.
• Liaison with academic units to ensure a comprehensive and student-centric approach to the recruitment, admission, on-boarding, persistence, and graduation of graduate students, while serving as a lead in developing and recommending new strategies.
• In collaboration with the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, develop an integrated communications strategy utilizing an approach that is scalable and sustainable across highly differentiated academic programs.
• Collaborate with peer institutions to share best practices and represent NIU at relevant regional and national forums and meetings.
• Oversee campus-wide plan for training, sharing best internal and external practices, and serving as the lead in connecting graduate enrollment management with graduate program staff, program directors, chairs, and other administrators working with graduate students and/or graduate programs.

N/A

N/A

N/A

• A master’s degree earned from an accredited college or university

• Five years of progressive leadership responsibility, including three years of significant progressive responsibility in college recruitment, admission, student success, or closely related enrollment management area.

• Three years of supervisory experience of a diverse staff, including hiring, evaluation, supervision, motivation, and training of professional staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

• Demonstrated excellent written communication skills

• Demonstrated experience to develop strategic relationships, assess the needs of stakeholders across the university, and develop an understanding of current and future requirements.

• Working knowledge of and experience working with the admission process, including recruitment/yield strategies, customer relationship management (CRM) software, student records, admission cycle, application processing and processing software.

• Demonstrated commitment and success recruiting students from diverse and traditionally underrepresented backgrounds which includes, but is not limited to, students of color, undocumented students, first-generation college students and students from marginalized gender identities.

• Experience with budget development and management.

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills and ability to analyze, summarize, and effectively present data, including analyzing relevant data from programming activities as part of strategic enrollment planning.

• Demonstrated excellent oral communication skills.

• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with students, faculty/staff, university administrators, alumni, community members and other university partners from varied backgrounds.

• Demonstrated experience in facilitating organizational development and change.

• Superior communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to serve as an articulate spokesperson for the mission, values and goals of the institution and the Graduate School.

• Possess the following skills and attributes: proven leadership skills; ability to handle multiple projects and processes simultaneously; strong attention to detail; student-oriented attitude; professionalism; strong work ethic; ability to work at a fast pace; adaptability; strong problem-solving skills; and willingness to continually learn and improve.

• Significant progressive responsibility specifically in graduate recruitment, admission, and student success.
• Demonstrated understanding of current issues in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience working with Slate (CRM), PeopleSoft and OnBase software platforms.
• Demonstrated experience advising graduate academic programs on best practices for recruitment, admission, and student success.
• Demonstrated understanding of innovative uses of technology and media in recruitment and admission processes.
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices in marketing/communicating to graduate student populations and other student influencers.
• Demonstrated experience with successful practices recruiting international graduate students.
• Successful record of exercising creative problem-solving and implementing innovation in an administrative setting.
• Record of accomplishment of achieving enrollment objectives in a higher education setting.
• Experience working in a large and complex, university setting.

• Regular office related duties
• Ability to perform sedentary work involving sitting the majority of the time.
• Ability to effectively communicate on a daily basis.
• Ability to work for extended periods at computer workstation.
• Occasional lifting and moving items weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Off-campus travel to various related events and/or meetings.
• Hybrid remote work is possible.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required

1.00

37.50

Commensurate with experience

Salary

For full consideration, applicants should submit application materials by October 3, 2022. Applications received after this date are welcome, but will be considered as needed.

Required application materials to be submitted:

• Cover Letter
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Vision Statement related to Graduate Enrollment Management
• List of at least 3 References

https://employment.niu.edu/postings/65567

Yes

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:


Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 230
TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu
815-753-5560

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form. For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) at ada@niu.edu.

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Read the Annual Safety and Security Report. Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-1649 for a hard copy.

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