Executive Director of GPS Enrollment Operations

General Summary of Position:

The Graduate Online & Professional Studies (GPS) division at UMass Lowell services masters students in online and on campus programs on campus international students online adult undergraduate students and students enrolled through corporate partners. The division is responsible for all winter and summer session programming as well as online programming during the Fall and Spring semesters. The Enrollment Management (EM) enterprise in GPS includes recruitment and admissions student advising and success and course scheduling and works collaboratively with the University marketing department and the Divisions Technical Services unit.

Reporting to the Executive Dean (GPS) the Executive Director GPS Enrollment Operations (EXDR) is responsible for optimizing enrollment operations at every stage of the student journey to achieve the following goals:

• Improve processes within and between EM units
• Grow enrollments
• Increase scalability
• Improve operational efficiencies
• Leverage and better use technology
• Streamline how the individual functional areas of recruitment admissions enrollment and retention are integrated to improve the student experience

The Executive Director (EXDR)will oversee the overall EM function daily EM activity and ongoing performance of the enrollment management units within the division; they will also be a key point-person with University functional staff outside of the division including the Registrar Financial Aid and Student Financial Services. They will strengthen cohesion between enrollment management units and identify and implement process improvements and efficiencies that enable growth and improve the student experience. The EXDR will ensure that EM systems are optimized appropriately deployed utilized to support each functional unit and ensure that future system changes are strategic well-planned and successfully executed.

The ideal candidate will have experience working with a student information system a CRM and standard office productivity software in a higher education environment. They will have experience leveraging technology to improve operations. The incumbent will be comfortable working collaboratively with GPS leadership and with counterparts in University offices to effect streamlined operations processes and enrollment growth. Using data to identify issues improve operations and then assess impact will be a key strength. The ideal candidate will have experience leading and managing business process improvement initiatives involving cross-functional teams.

Essential Job Duties:

Enrollment Cycle Oversight & Planning: 30% -The EXDR is the lead person overseeing Enrollment activity for the division. The EXDR has daily oversight and responsibility for enrollment activity and participates in routine goal setting with the GPS Leadership team. A key focus of the EXDR is to facilitate operational cohesion among the separate enrollment units within GPS to ensure:

• • Coordinated and seamless functioning through the entire EM process from prospect to graduation
  • Strong integration between functions
  • Improved efficiency
  • Operations that support growth scale and exceptional service
  • An Enrollment Management operation that delivers an exceptional student experience
• Daily uses data to actively monitor enrollment statistics (by term and trends) and activity of each unit within the EM operation as well as the overall EM process; works with EM leads to improve performance trouble-shoot and adjust operations as necessary to achieve goals.

• Daily monitors enrollment funnel metrics including inquiries applications completed applications accepts registered and enrolled as well as retention and persistence rates elevates areas of concern then works with EM teams to address and resolve enrollment problems reverse declines and positively impact enrollment so that the division meets enrollment goals.
• Works with GPS leadership team during enrollment planning cycles to set new student recruitment re-enrollment and retention goals for adult degree completers and masters students pursuing programs online and on campus actively monitors those goals and makes in-stream adjustments as needed.

Enrollment Operations: 40% -Current enrollment management operational units include separate undergraduate and masters recruitment admissions application review enrollment coaching advising as well as a course scheduling team. Works closely and continuously with all EM units to actively problem-solve process and operational issues fix/refine processes and identify and implement modifications to improve operations.

• Creates an Operations Calendar for the division overlaying key University-wide processes (e.g. billing registration) to create a tool to understand the interdependence of operations that affect GPS and vice versa.
• Liaises and works with key offices across campus (e.g. registrar billing) to ensure GPS processes align with University processes and to advocate for institutional process modifications where needed to better serve GPS students.
• Examines EM operations and uses metrics to monitor operational performance of individual EM units the overall EM function and EM technology tools.
• Examines business processes to ensure they are aligned with strategic goals and works collaboratively with the leads of each EM unit and their staff to modify processes to ensure technology is used efficiently and consistently. Suggests trainings that help us achieve performance of an efficient customer-focused organization.
• Collaborates with marketing on campaign scheduling to ensure the communications calendar dovetails with EM operations and that EM staff are prepared to respond to activity resulting from campaigns.
• Identifies actions needed to improve operations and implements interventions as needed.
• Has direct oversight for the admissions and technical units in GPS and provides dotted line oversight to all other EM units.

Enrollment Systems: 30%

• Serves as the point-person with central IT and is supported by the GPS Technical Services unit on matters related to EM technologies.
• Along with the Executive Dean plans for enrollment-related technology updates changes and additions.
• Monitors how each EM unit uses technology and works with each unit to ensure they are effectively using technology and following best practices and that technology is deployed to complement and maintain consistency between and among EM units
• Partner with GPS staff and key University business units to ensure GPSs business processes are utilizing and generating data and analytics that are predictable reproducible and reliable for use in operations and which fulfill larger University needs for data reliability consistency and accuracy.
• Works with GPS staff and key University business units to ensure EM staff have access to and can appropriately manage student data within enrollment-related systems
• Builds relationships and works directly with university offices outside of the division such as the registrar student financial services The Solution Center and financial aid to foster collaboration and represent the business needs of GPS. Works to ensure the Universitysprocesses support or accommodate GPSs operational needs so GPS can provide exceptional services to current and prospective GPS students
• Collaborates with the GPS team to ensure: 1) data are available and accurate for tracking and reporting metrics 2) reports and visualizations to monitor and manage operations are developed for staff and 3) staff understand how to use reports and data to improve enrollment and the student experience
• Collaborates with GPSs Senior Performance Analyst to ensure data quality.
• Works closely with GPS technical consultants on projects that support enrollment systems.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

Education:

EITHER

• Masters degree with eight to ten years of progressively responsible experience in enrollment management or a related field (e.g. recruitment admissions student success enrollment etc.)

OR

• A bachelors degree and a minimum of ten to twelve years of progressively responsible experience in enrollment management or a related field (e.g. recruitment admissions financial aid etc.)

AND

• Enrollment management experience and solid knowledge of the various areas that fall within enrollment management including recruiting admissions advising enrollment/retention and student services
• A solid working knowledge and experience using various higher education-related computer systems/programs including a student information system and a CRM
• Must be analytical and results-oriented. Uses data to identify and solve problems and has a demonstrated ability to use data to manage and improve enrollment. Uses information to make data-driven decisions
• Ability to prioritize based on multiple factors: strategic importance business value complexity risk
• Experienced in implementing business process improvements
• Multi-year supervisory experience including directly supervising teams
• Possesses strong human relations/customer service skills and demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse constituencies
• Excellent organizational skills and a superior ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing

Additional Considerations:

• Experience working with graduate adult international and online student populations.
• Familiarity with Salesforce and Marketing Cloud (or similar marketing automation platforms).
• Familiarity with PeopleSoft and Slate.

Special Skills:

• Experienced in leading a team and coordinating different operational areas to ensure holistic delivery of services
• Diplomatic and tactful leader able to implement behavioral change
• Possess the ability to listen and exercise patience in a fast-paced environment
• Possess the ability to work effectively with diverse groups

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Initial review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. However the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applications is received.

This is a Non-Unit Professional position Grade P23.

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. Names and contact information of three references will be required during the application process.