Director, Graduate Recruitment, Admissions & Outreach

Department: Education & Social Policy
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Target hiring range for this position will be between $100,000 -$110,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Job Summary:

The School of Education & Social Policy (SESP) is seeking a new Director of Graduate Recruitment, Admissions & Outreach who works primarily with our master's and professional programs, providing strategic leadership for graduate enrollment. The Director develops and implements recruitment and enrollment strategies that attract talented students, strengthen the school's visibility, and support enrollment goals across all SESP graduate programs.

Working collaboratively with faculty, program directors, SESP Marketing & Communications, Graduate Student Services, and university partners, the Director identifies opportunities to expand recruitment pipelines, enhance the prospective student experience, and advance SESP's enrollment objectives.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Enrollment Leadership

• Develop and implement graduate recruitment and enrollment strategies that support school-wide enrollment goals, in coordination with the Director of Marketing & Communications.
• Establish recruitment priorities and enrollment targets in partnership with the Dean, Associate Deans and program leadership.
• Analyze enrollment trends, market data, and competitive insights to identify opportunities for growth and continuous improvement.

Recruitment & Partnerships

• Lead domestic and international recruitment initiatives to expand and diversify the graduate applicant pipeline.
• Cultivate relationships with faculty, alumni, feeder institutions, employers, and community partners to strengthen recruitment efforts.
• Represent SESP at recruitment events, conferences, and other strategic outreach opportunities.
• Manages assigned operating budget allocations related to admissions and outreach. Suggests and implements assigned allocations for outreach, recruitment and admissions functions.

Admissions Leadership

• Partner with SESP Marketing & Communications to develop recruitment campaigns, prospective student communications, and enrollment marketing strategies.
• Collaborate with academic leadership on scholarship and enrollment initiatives.
• Oversees all admissions initiatives from prospective student outreach to admitted student matriculation.
• Oversee the application review process and ensure timely and holistic review of candidates.
• Implements and maintains admissions policies, procedures, and processes to ensure efficient record-keeping and timely delivery of application decisions

Enrollment Planning & Assessment

• Monitor enrollment performance, recruitment outcomes, and yield metrics to inform strategic decision-making.
• Present enrollment analyses and recommendations to school leadership and guide initiatives that improve recruitment effectiveness and student enrollment.
• Utilize CRM and Salesforce to streamline operations and enhance the applicant experience.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise and mentor the graduate admissions team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and service-oriented culture.
• Provide strategic direction to the Associate Director, Assistant Director and Enrollment Coordinator while partnering with Graduate Student Services to support students from admission through matriculation.
• Represent SESP graduate admissions on school and university committees.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, business, higher education, registrar operations, enrollment management, or student records.
• Experience with student information systems (CAESAR preferred), Salesforce, or similar CRM platforms.
• Documented success in meeting strategic enrollment, marketing, or target revenue goals for academic cycles.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of FERPA and higher education records management.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex operational priorities.
• Exceptional public speaking, networking, and cross-departmental collaboration skills to partner with faculty directors

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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