Director of Admissions

Director of Admissions

Enrollment, Marketing and Communications 

Position Overview 

Westmont College seeks a Director of Admissions to lead our strategic recruitment efforts into a new era. This is not a traditional administrative role; it is a high-performing sales leadership position poised to attract and recruit undergraduate students seeking a college education that will help shape enrollment and hit targeted goals. We are looking for a leader who possesses a rare blend of "winsome and woo” with the ability to authentically embody Westmont’s Christian liberal arts mission while maintaining an energetic competitive drive to hit enrollment targets in an increasingly complex higher education global market. 

The ideal candidate understands that admissions is a team sport fueled by data, grit, and cutting-edge technology. You will be the "Head Coach" of our admissions counselors, motivating them to actively engage, using high-touch and conversion-focused experiences, strategies, and recruitment efforts. 

The director is responsible for strategic planning of admissions counselors’ day-to-day activities, focus, plans, schedules, and regional territories, as well as recommending and maintaining admissions policies, processes, and practices. Heavy emphasis is placed on student recruitment and customer service; noting and responding to trends in higher education and Christian higher education; overseeing the strategic recruitment of students; working with key feeder schools, managing daily operations related to the processing of leads and applicants; and supporting data and technology infrastructures to ensure an effective, innovative and data-driven admissions process. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead Recruitment Officer: Must represent the mission and values of Westmont 
• Admissions Strategy: Develop and implement data-driven annual goals for Admissions to achieve enrollment targets that align with the strategic plan for the Division of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications (EMC) and Westmont College. 
• Outreach to High Schools, Community Colleges: Serve as the lead Westmont ambassador and establish networking opportunities and relationships with high schools in identified regions; Create a mapping system that establishes Westmont’s presence and manage those relationships monthly and annually; visit and travel to locations and schools where there is opportunity for close alliances and partnerships with guidance counselors, teachers, principals. 
• Management and Training: In collaboration with the EMC Vice President, coach, manage, and develop a high-functioning, goal-oriented admissions team. Alongside the teams in marketing, technology, and events, lead the data-driven daily activities of admissions counselors, including tracking data and monitoring week-to-week individual and monthly goals. 
• Recruitment and Systems: Provide direction and support for a comprehensive recruitment program that services prospective students from inquiry through matriculation, with a keen strategic emphasis on increasing conversion and yield rates. Monitor data analytics and indicators to inform sound decision-making strategies. Establish and evaluate recruitment territories for admissions counselors, coordinate outreach at college fairs, conventions, churches, summer camps, and conferences, and collaborate with faculty, alumni, and parent relations to extend outreach and a visible presence when possible. 
• Admittance Decisions: Oversee the admittance and scholarship decisions process and make final decisions as needed, in collaboration with the vice president of enrollment. 
• Collaborate with Student Financial Services: Work in tandem with the financial aid team, strategic initiatives and decision making annually to maintain Westmont’s scholarship and aid goals for incoming new students. 
• Professional Development: Cultivate the skills and professional growth of the admissions staff. Focus heavily on core competencies, interpersonal engagement, team building, self-initiation, job knowledge, sales training, and alignment with Westmont’s community standards. Track individual performance results across territories, inquiries, admits, confirms, and enrollees. Utilize all KPI’s and observe patterns, trends, and respond to them. 
• Data Systems & Infrastructure: Support the strategic effort of the Salesforce CRM system and the work of the Admissions IT Operations teams. Select and support an effective data management architecture to deliver clean, actionable reporting on enrollment goals. Leverage these systems to gather the critical data that fuels recruitment strategies and efforts, generates information for institutional goal setting, facilitates weekly/monthly progress reviews, and populates institutional reports and presentations. 
• Cutting Edge and Marketing Forward: Is aware of trends and behaviors in marketing that pertain to undergraduate audience groups and higher education; maintains a high level of awareness and engagement with digital media, innovative media strategies that are popular and influential for key market segments 
• Collaborative Partner: Work alongside EMC’s leadership team in the various roles relating to recruitment, events planning, preview days, marketing, digital and web media, community outreach. 
• Budget Management: Directly manage operating budgets, including professional development, recruitment travel, data management, and digital application systems. 
• Outreach to Leadership Participation: Participate on the college’s strategic plan committee to plan for the key objectives and goals for the institution. 
• Develops Partnerships: Create collaboration across campus and divisions—faculty, other staff offices, for the purpose of cultivating a culture of recruitment across the campus. 
• Plan Lead Generation: oversee lead and acquisition strategy through the effective combination of capturing organic interest and vendor partnerships.   

Knowledge and Skills Required 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred. 
• Experience: Proven experience running a multi-faceted admissions or sales program with a proven track record of success in a highly competitive industry. 
• Leadership Capabilities: Successful management experience in a competitive market, demonstrating clear effectiveness in achieving goals. Must possess the ability to exercise initiative, set strategic priorities, work independently, and collaborate seamlessly with faculty, staff, students, and external constituencies. 
• Technical & Strategic Skillset: Ability to forecast trends, evaluate the ROI of recruitment activities, and collaborate for effective marketing strategies and communications programs. Deep familiarity with computerized admissions information systems/CRMs, statistical and analytical aptitude, and a track record of improving student-centered customer services. High attention to detail and accuracy is required. 
• Communication & Presentational Skills: Exceptional organizational, personal and professional presentation, oral, and written communication skills in English. Ability to multi-task, meet strict deadlines, and thrive as both an independent strategist and a collaborative team player. 
• Mission Alignment: Must express a personal affirmation of the Christian mission of Westmont College, the Community Life Statement, and a willingness to adhere to its behavioral expectations. 
• Travel Requirements: Ability to travel by airplane and rental car with recruitment literature and display materials when needed; must be willing to travel and work nights and weekends as required for preview days and other opportunities as they arise.   

Leadership as a Supervisor: Supervises the Office of Admissions, directly managing: 

• Admissions Counselors and Assistant Director structures 
• A guest relations and campus visits coordinator 
• An events planner for preview days (6 per year) 
• A supervisor for student interns responsible for the daily campus visits and group visits by high schools and college bound programs   

Institutional-Wide Leadership and Partnership 

The Director represents the admissions department across key campus entities, including: 

• All Academic Programs 
• Athletics 
• Strategic Planning Committee 
• Provost and EMC Planning Team 
• Board of Trustees EMC Committee   

Reports To: 

Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications