Dean Of Admission

JOB SUMMARY: The Dean of Admission provides leadership and strategic recruiting direction to meet first-year, transfer, graduate, and international enrollment goals. In collaboration with the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Dean of Admission is responsible for managing all aspects of recruitment and selection, working to improve efforts to address short- and long-term enrollment priorities inclusive of attracting and enrolling highly qualified students from all socio-economic, cultural, and geographic backgrounds. The Dean is required to maintain current with contemporary enrollment management practices and technologies to advance recruitment at Gustavus. The Dean provides innovative leadership and management to the recruiting team. This role requires a visionary leader with a deep understanding of higher education admissions, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to inspire and lead a team towards achieving institutional goals. The Dean of Admission reports to the Vice President for Enrollment Management and serves on the Division of Enrollment Management leadership team along with the AVP for Enrollment Management, Chief Marketing Officer, and Dean of Financial Aid.

Employment Type: Full-time (1.0 FTE), Benefits-Eligible, Exempt (Salaried)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership

• Recruit, develop, supervise, and create camaraderie among an admissions team composed of two senior associate deans, two assistant deans, and four admission counselors.

• Motivate and inspire, with a focus on retaining a high functioning and talented team through excellent training, professional development, internal coaching and mentorship.

• Create a culture of excitement and team-based success among recruiting staff, focusing on goals, helpfulness, and positivity.

• Represent Gustavus to internal and external audiences through panels, conferences, and professional organizations, as well as engagement with campus-wide committees.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to access, equity, and inclusion in enrollment and management practices.

• Support, contribute to, and strengthen a vibrant community of students, alumni, faculty, and fellow professionals.

Strategic Enrollment & Marketing

• Demonstrate experience in strategic recruitment and enrollment practices, including the management of all admission recruitment, selection, and yield initiatives, market analysis efforts, and sophisticated travel and outreach approaches.

• Oversee territory management, including planning and implementation. Maintain a recruiting territory.

• Assist with vendor management and assessment, including identification of new student sources and opportunities. Maximize vendor services.

• Possess an innovative mindset and the ability to evaluate admission marketing and enrollment trends. Remain competent and current through self-directed professional development.

• Provide data-informed recruiting proposals outlining standard and creative ways to achieve enrollment goals.

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Enrollment Management to set enrollment objectives and strategies.

Partnership, Recruitment, and Outreach

• Play a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and building partnerships both on and off campus.

• Represent Gustavus Admission Office to the high school counselor community, strengthening relationships with this key influencer group. Develop targeted programming to improve relationships with influencers who can advocate for Gustavus including high school counselors, alumni, parents of current students, high school teachers, etc.

• Lead and support the Athletic Recruitment Liaison team; work closely with the Athletic Director as a strategic partner to ensure that athletic recruitment aligns with Gustavus' broader admission goals.

• Work closely with the Vice President and Dean of Financial Aid to responsibly and effectively allocate the College's scholarship resources and evaluate their effectiveness to shape enrollment.

• Collaborate on international recruitment strategy development and implementation.

• Represent the College at national and international recruitment events, articulating the institution's value proposition to prospective students and their families.

Operations, Analytics and Data

• In partnership with the Vice President and AVP, ensure resources and prioritization are given to data reporting, analysis, and evaluation of all admission initiatives.

• Strategically analyze enrollment data and trends to ensure the Admission Office's outreach efforts are responsive to changing demographics and are designed to meet the goals of the institution.

• Appreciate and utilize technology to ensure systems and processes are aligned to effectively communicate with constituencies and to evaluate appropriate decision points.

• Develop and administer admission policies to ensure consistency and equitability.

• This position has been designated as weather- or emergency-essential. In the event of a closure of the College, it is vital that you report to work if scheduled. In addition, as a member of the Essential Weather Employee Team, you may be asked to work beyond your normal hours to ensure coverage within your department/office. As a salaried employee, this work will not be compensated with additional pay.