Senior Director of Admissions

The Senior Director of Admissions provides leadership for the Colleges undergraduate recruitment efforts leading a high-performing admissions team responsible for attracting enrolling and supporting the next generation of Stephens students. This position partners closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management to implement recruitment strategies that advance institutional enrollment goals and strengthen the student experience from first inquiry through enrollment.

Position Responsibilities:

I. Provide leadership for the recruitment team ensuring staff are aligned accountable and equipped to execute recruitment strategies effectively.

• Lead supervise and evaluate admissions staff by setting clear performance expectations providing ongoing coaching and feedback conducting performance reviews and taking appropriate corrective action as needed to support accountability professional growth and achievement of admissions goals.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with recruitment staff establish measurable performance expectations monitor progress toward individual and team goals and provide coaching to support success.
• Lead the execution of recruitment strategies and hold the recruiting team accountable for achieving inquiry application admit and enrollment goals.
• Ensure prospective students and families receive clear accurate and student-centered information about tuition fees financial aid scholarships and overall cost of attendance.
• Ensure timely accurate and student-centered communication with prospective students families and school counselors.
• Support and strengthen admissions policies procedures and best practices to ensure consistency equity compliance and operational efficiency.
• Train coach and evaluate recruitment staff on relationship-building admissions processes financial aid overall cost of attendance CRM usage and institutional messaging.
• Foster a collaborative student-centered culture focused on professionalism accountability responsiveness and continuous improvement.

II. Use data to monitor performance and guide recruitment efforts.

• Oversee the full admissions funnel including inquiry generation prospect cultivation application review admissions decisions yield activities and enrollment conversion.
• Monitor admissions data and funnel metrics to identify trends assess recruitment effectiveness forecast enrollment outcomes and recommend improvements.
• Prepare reports and recommendations to support recruitment planning enrollment forecasting and continuous improvement.
• Support strategic enrollment planning and implementation of recruitment programs and activities marketing plans technology and office goals related to the recruitment of first-time students transfer students international students graduate students and underrepresented students as well as the review of their applications.

III. Drive continuous improvement across recruitment operations and student experience

• Supervise and support recruitment staff in the management of recruitment territories including travel relationship development prospect cultivation and enrollment goal attainment.
• Manage a recruitment territory including travel relationship development and prospect cultivation.
• Collaborate with the marketing and communications team on recruitment messaging campaigns digital outreach and admissions materials.
• Plan and oversee admissions events including open houses campus visits information sessions admitted student events virtual visit days and enrollment days.
• Conduct all activities within the established guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act FERPA.
• Stay current with admissions trends best practices and professional standards.

IV. Increase institutional visibility with internal and external collaborations.

• Represent the institution at recruitment events community meetings conferences and partner organizations.
• Collaborate with academic departments and campus partners to support program-specific recruitment and enrollment goals.

• Bachelors degree required; masters degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience in admissions enrollment management student recruitment higher education or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading supervising coaching and developing recruitment or admissions professionals.
• Strong knowledge of admissions processes recruitment strategies CRM systems enrollment funnel management and yield strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement recruitment plans that support institutional enrollment goals.
• Excellent written verbal interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to inform decisions improve outcomes and guide recruitment strategy.
• Strong organizational project management problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with senior leadership academic departments marketing financial aid student services and other campus partners.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with prospective students and families about tuition fees financial aid scholarships and overall cost of attendance.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel as needed.
• Ability to meet the transportation needs of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Slate Salesforce Ellucian or another CRM.
• Experience developing recruitment plans and managing yield initiatives.
• Experience leading admissions strategy for multiple student populations.
• Experience in one or more of the following: first-time student admissions transfer admissions graduate admissions international admissions and/or performing arts admissions.
• Experience working in a tuition-dependent college or university environment.
• Experience recruiting to distinctive academic programs.
• Experience preparing admissions reports enrollment projections and recommendations for senior leadership.

Founded in 1833 Stephens College is the second-oldest womens college in the United States dedicated to providing innovative experiential and career-focused education across various disciplines. Located in Columbia Missouri Stephens College continues to be a leader in womens education fostering a community where students are empowered to lead innovate and excel. The college also provides flexible co-educational masters degrees and certificates for working professionals and is home to the co-educational Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Stephens College.

Ranked (over and over again) as one of the best college towns in America Columbia Missouri is home to 36000 college students and 118000 residents. Columbia conveniently located approximately 100 miles from both Kansas City and St. Louis has it all: big-time college sports film music and arts festivals a high-energy arts community amazing recreation and a great downtown with lots of places to eat shop snack and check out the latest bands. The Columbia community offers outstanding health care options as well as excellent educational opportunities for every level of student (including our own Childrens School).

Stephens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will recruit and employ qualified personnel without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation national origin age disability or status as a veteran.