Vice President of Enrollment Management

JOB TITLE

Vice President of Enrollment Management

LOCATION

Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME

Provost Office

DIVISION NAME

Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) invites nominations and applications for the position of VP of Enrollment Management. This is an exceptional opportunity for a strategic enrollment leader to drive growth and expand WPIs national and international reach at a premier STEM institution known for its distinctive project-based learning and outstanding student outcomes.

The VP of Enrollment Management will join WPI during a period of significant momentum. This leader will build upon recent achievements including Carnegie R1 research status ranking 18th nationally on U.S. News & World Reports Colleges with the Best Return on Investment and recognition among LinkedIns Top 50 Colleges for 2025 based on student outcomes. The successful candidate will capitalize on the universitys solid enrollment foundation while spearheading operational excellence initiatives.

This position reports to the Provost with a dotted line to the President and serves as a member of the Presidents Cabinet. The role represents a unique opportunity to shape WPIs enrollment strategy at the highest levels of university leadership and elevate WPIs national prominence.

The VP of Enrollment Management will collaborate with academic affairs student affairs and marketing communications to oversee comprehensive undergraduate enrollment operations while coordinating graduate enrollment initiatives. This leader will manage a dedicated team of 54 enrollment professionals across admissions financial aid and analytics with oversight of a substantial annual operating budget. The successful candidate will strengthen data-driven recruitment approaches build robust domestic and international pipelines and establish WPI as a first-choice destination for top students.

This role offers the opportunity to advance a strong regional institution into a nationally recognized enrollment leader capitalizing on WPIs unique strengths in STEM education hands-on learning and exceptional return on investment.

For full application instructions and the executive search profile please see the link below.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Serve as a key member of the Presidents Cabinet contributing to university-wide strategic planning and institutional policy development
• Drive comprehensive enrollment strategy that elevates WPIs institutional visibility and market positioning on a national scale
• Partner closely with Marketing & Communications to revolutionize how WPI tells its story to prospective students and families
• Lead and inspire a collaborative enrollment team of accomplished professionals managing substantial operational and financial aid budgets
• Develop and execute integrated domestic and international enrollment strategies that expand WPIs presence beyond its traditional New England base
• Maximize international undergraduate enrollment by leveraging WPIs distinctive network of 54 global project centers across 30 countries and competitive advantages
• Direct undergraduate admissions financial aid enrollment analytics recruitment operations and pre-collegiate outreach programs across multiple states
• Coordinate graduate enrollment initiatives to support university-wide growth objectives while maintaining primary focus on undergraduate enrollment excellence
• Build strategic partnerships with high schools community colleges and educational organizations across diverse geographic markets
• Systematically analyze and enhance every stage of the enrollment process from initial inquiry through enrollment and first-year retention
• Advance enrollment technology platforms and data systems to enable sophisticated analytics and support evidence-based recruitment decisions
• Establish clear metrics and accountability systems to measure progress toward enrollment goals and optimize yield strategies
• Build resilient enrollment strategies that position WPI to thrive despite higher education challenges including demographic shifts and evolving policies
• Partner with Board of Trustees on enrollment-related strategic initiatives and institutional positioning
• Collaborate with academic leaders student affairs and graduate studies to align enrollment priorities with institutional goals
• Work closely with student success teams to ensure enrollment strategies align with retention goals
• Represent the institution effectively to students families colleagues and external stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required; advanced degree preferred in education business marketing or related field
• Minimum 10 years of progressive enrollment leadership experience in higher education with demonstrated success in strategic planning team management and enrollment growth at complex institutions
• Proven track record expanding enrollment pipelines and enhancing institutional visibility particularly in competitive STEM and business markets and diverse geographic regions including international markets
• Strong collaborative leadership experience managing cross-functional teams and substantial budgets with expertise in financial aid strategy development and implementation
• Experience working with institutional leadership including Board of Trustees President and Provost on strategic enrollment initiatives and institutional positioning
• Expertise with enrollment technology systems CRM platforms and data analytics with ability to leverage insights for strategic decision-making and operational excellence
• Successful experience partnering with marketing and communications teams to strengthen institutional brand develop compelling campaigns and execute integrated outreach strategies
• Deep understanding of contemporary enrollment challenges including demographic shifts policy changes and evolving student expectations in higher education
• Experience leading organizational transformation initiatives and building high-performing teams with cultures of innovation and accountability
• Proven experience managing pre-collegiate outreach programs and building partnerships with secondary education institutions
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with ability to represent the institution effectively across diverse audiences and articulate compelling value propositions
• Strong cultural competency and ability to engage authentically with diverse communities including first-generation college students and international populations
• Detail oriented and data driven with refined interpersonal skills that foster strong relationships with students families and institutional stakeholders
• High ethical standards emotional intelligence and deep commitment to WPIs mission values and distinctive educational approach
• Executive presence appropriate for cabinet-level leadership and high-stakes external representation
• Willingness and enthusiasm for extensive national and international travel for recruitment partnership development and professional engagement

For full application instructions and to view the executive search profile please click here.

Compensation: $260000 $350000 per year

Salary is based on related experience expertise and internal equity; generally new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.

Compensation at WPI

FLSA STATUS

United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color age religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin veteran statusor disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity collaboration inclusion problem solving innovation high performance and change is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.