Vice President for Enrollment Management

Albright College is seeking applications for Vice President of Enrollment Management. The Vice President for Enrollment Management is the senior administrator of Albright College who is responsible for providing vision, strategic direction, and oversight of the institution’s enrollment management efforts and bears ultimate responsibility for identifying, attracting, admitting, and yielding students who will attend Albright College undergraduate and graduate programs and ultimately become alumni. The VPEM develops the college’s strategic enrollment management plan and works collaboratively and effectively with other leaders, faculty, staff, and students to ensure integration of operational enrollment management initiatives that meet or exceed enrollment and revenue targets. The VPEM will be a leader who believes passionately in the value of a college education and is excited by the opportunities and challenges presented at a small college, whose mission is to provide affordable opportunities and high-quality education for students of academic promise.

The VPEM will provide leadership to the transition to combine graduate and undergraduate admissions and will ultimately have managerial responsibility and oversight for the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions, and Financial Aid and serves as a member of the President’s cabinet. On an ongoing basis, the VPEM will identify and implement best practices to improve and increase enrollment in graduate and undergraduate programs and will have a vision for effectively collaborating with Albright’s pre-collegiate (K-12) programs to enhance reputation and recruitment.

The VPEM will be ambitious and undaunted by the challenges facing small, yet impactful, colleges like Albright and will have significant and progressive experience in higher education admissions and financial aid with more than five years of relevant experience. A seasoned professional, they will have a sound understanding of current demographics and enrollment trends and will be grounded in enrollment best practices. A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

Essential Job Functions:

• Lead, inspire, supervise, hire and evaluate the members of the Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid teams, as well as the academic leaders of the Arts & Sciences college and the School of Professional Studies. Create a collaborative work environment and empower team to exceed expectations. Provide opportunities for staff training and professional development.
• Develop and execute a strategic enrollment plan aligned with the College’s mission and goals, as well as meeting the financial needs of the college. Collaborate meaningfully and effectively with colleagues in the Communication and Academic Affairs Divisions to develop and implement marketing campaigns that effectively communicate the Albright student experience and outcomes.
• Lead the identification and evaluation of creative and forward-thinking strategies and innovations
• that enhance the work and the outcomes of the enrollment management team.
• Support, partner with and foster the relationship with athletics (NCAA Division III) as an important extension of the recruitment effort.
• Creatively and effectively utilize, engage, and integrate all of the college’s academic programs, including the pre-collegiate programs, to optimize recruitment and enrollment into the college’s collegiate programs.
• Manage enrollment headcounts, net revenue, and discount rate targets. Provide oversight for admissions and financial aid operations, assuring compliance with external agencies, institutional policies and budget.
• Partner with key trustees and staff the Enrollment Management Committee of the Albright Trustees, in collaboration with the co-athletic director
• Collaborate with the Arts & Sciences faculty and the School of Professional Studies faculty, including through the governance committees, to enhance marketing of academic programs and positively impact enrollment.
• Lead members of the enrollment management division and collaborate effectively with colleagues in Digital Strategies and Infrastructure to continue to enhance and upgrade the enrollment data infrastructure and to effectively implement and utilize state-of-the-art technologies for engaging potential students.
• Create and sustain a culture of shared responsibility for enrollment management across campus by building strong interdepartmental relationships and effective, open communication.
• Communicate routinely and transparently and proactively with the President and the cabinet, staff and colleagues on current trends, enrollment numbers, providing updates, and impacts throughout the enrollment cycle.
• Ability to handle complexity, to work under turnaround situation, and to work under pressure and change directions, without any impeding anxiety.

Qualifications/Prerequisites:

1. COMMUNICATION
   1. Excellent written and oral communication skills. A compelling spokesperson for Albright and its mission.
   2. Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to integrate with the community easily.
   3. A demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion with a deep understanding of learning and working in a diverse community.
2. SKILLS
   1. Proven skills as both a coach and mentor for the staff; outstanding leadership skills and a collaborator across the campus.
   2. A belief in and appreciation for the liberal arts colleges as the best path for future success, as well as an
   3. understanding and appreciation of how such colleges need to evolve to meet today’s needs.
   4. Will be technologically astute and able to assure that technology supports the relational and strategic work of the department efficiently and effectively.
   5. Facility with data and data analytics for decision-making, predictive modeling and innovation.
   6. Results-oriented, mission-centric.
   7. Willingness to take calculated risks based on data and knowledge of enrollment trends. An out-of-the box thinker.
3. EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
   1. 5+ years relevant experience in higher education admission and financial aid
   2. Experienced in developing an effective strategic enrollment plan that includes recruitment with the goal of retaining students.
   3. Knowledge of enrollment and financial aid data systems, technology and research.
   4. An understanding of and appreciation for Division III college athletics building upon the strengths of a student body that boasts a 30% participation rate among its students.
   5. Experience in budget management.
4. EDUCATION
   1. Bachelor’s degree
   2. Advance degree preferred
5. LICENSES
   1. N/A

Review of applications for this position will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should complete an application by clicking “Apply Now”. Cover letter, a minimum of two professional references and any other supporting application materials can be uploaded in one document along with the resume. Optional documents may be submitted can include: proof of education/certification, licenses, and letters of recommendation. Albright offers a competitive benefits package, which includes tuition remission.

About Albright College
Founded in 1856, Albright College is the oldest institution of higher learning in Berks County and one of the most economically and culturally diverse colleges in the country. Nationally ranked as a top performer for social mobility, Albright is home to about 1,600 residential undergraduate students from across the nation and around the globe, working together to cultivate integrity, curiosity, connection and resilience. Albright students are encouraged to cross or combine majors to create individualized academic programs, without taking longer to graduate. The college’s flexible curriculum, close faculty mentorship and numerous experiential learning options are all designed to help students exceed their own expectations.

At Albright, we believe our differences make us stronger and empower us to better understand and respect one another in a just and fair manner. With this in mind, the college recruits, houses, educates, employs, supports and generally celebrates people of all statuses, identities and backUgrounds, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religious or spiritual identity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, marital and parental status, veteran status, political affiliation and physical and mental ability. Albright College is an EEO employer, committed to inclusivity.  In alignment with this commitment, we actively encourage diversity in all dimensions among applicants for this position.  Read the college’s Inclusivity and Equity Statement online and learn more our demonstrated commitment to building an inclusive and equitable academic community.

About Reading, Pa.

Ranked a “Best Place to Live” and “Best Place to Retire” by U.S. News & World Report, Reading is a medium-sized city in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Albright College’s 118 acre campus is located in the city’s historic northeast College Heights neighborhood. Catch a concert in Reading’s 9,000 seat Santander Arena or get up close and personal in the historical Santander Performing Arts Center (built in the 1870s – only 20 years after Albright was born!) Start a new art project with materials like hot glass, paint, wood and more at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, enjoy seasonal festivals or take a walk through West Reading’s artisan shops, restaurants and boutiques. See Pennsylvania’s spectacular autumn display from the top of Reading’s Pagoda, a kayak on Blue Marsh Lake, or from a scenic steam train ride. Or leave civilization behind with more than 125 miles of certified biking and hiking trails. The city of Reading is also home to the Philadelphia Flyer’s ECHL ice hockey team and the Philadelphia Phillies’ AA baseball team.