Job Description

VUU is nourished by its African American and Christian heritage and energized by a commitment to excellence and diversity. Its mission is to: 1) Provide a nurturing, intellectually challenging and spiritually enriching environment for learning; 2) Empower students to develop strong moral values for success; and 3) Develop scholars, leaders, and lifelong learners of a global society. 

Established in 1865, Virginia Union University gave newly emancipated slaves an opportunity for education, for establishing a community, and for gaining economic, political and social advancement. The University is the result of a merger among four historic institutions: Richmond Theological Seminary, Wayland Seminary, Hartshorn Memorial, and Storer College. Richmond Theological Seminary held its first classes at Lumpkin’s Jail, a former holding cell for runaway slaves. The Wayland Seminary was founded in 1865 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society in Washington, DC. Two years later Storer College was founded in West Virginia, and Hartshorn Memorial College opened its doors in 1883 as the first college for African American women in the country. After operating independently for three decades, these notable seminaries joined forces to form Virginia Union University in 1899. Hartshorn Memorial and Storer Colleges would eventually join this Union in 1932 and 1964, respectively.

Located in the heart of Virginia’s capital city, Virginia Union University, a Baptist affiliated private institution, is best known for its world-renowned graduate school of theology. It also offers a broad range of educational opportunities in the liberal arts, teaching, research, science, technology, continuing education, civic engagement, and study abroad. VUU’s commitment to student success has included an emphasis on student engagement and retention, and close interaction between faculty and students, both of which produce a synergy among scholarship, teaching, and learning.

At Virginia Union University®, we consistently search for and create growth opportunities that forge groundbreaking research, state of the art technology, or top-of-the-line curriculum. We welcome and encourage new ideas and processes that positively impact experiences. We require the following core values:  

Spiritual Formation, as a faith-based University, we welcome the regular practice of prayer, worship, silence, and mediation that matures one’s relationships, values, and life purpose that lead to ongoing spiritual growth and transformation.

Integrity, we value our commitment to fairness, honesty, and truth reflected in each person’s words and deeds while holding ourselves accountable for our personal and words and actions.

Diversity & Inclusion, as one of the nation’s oldest HBCUs, we value diversity in thought, perspective, and embodiment, trusting that we are stronger when various voices, traditions, and experiences are present. We value inclusivity and promote a safe with dignity, respect, and compassion.

Excellence, we provide the highest quality of experiences and interactions while remaining flexible, responsive, and open-minded in developing and delivering programs, services, and facilities committed to exceeding the standards of what it means to be Best-In-Class.

Virginia Union University seeks a data-informed, collaborative and attentive chief admissions officer functionally responsible for the facilitation of recruitment planning, strategy and outreach, and direct oversight for the office of undergraduate admissions’ team, budget and operations. This critical position serves on the senior leadership team within the enrollment management division and is a thought partner whose insight will provide guidance in the development of a copious recruitment strategic plan and financial aid-leveraging model that position the institution to be global option for a diverse student body.  The director will liaise between the offices of financial aid, student accounts, and the registrar to create an engaged culture in which prospects, current students and other constituents of the institution thrive. 

Reporting to the Vice President of Enrollment Management, the director will provide leadership in the development of a sound student recruitment and engagement approach that integrates the overall enrollment processes at Virginia Union University, and will ensure that the University responds promptly, efficiently, and thoroughly to all inquiries. 

 Duties and Responsibilities:

Specific duties may include and are not limited to the following:

Leadership Competencies: 

• Executive Communication: Capable of expressing ideas, vision and strategy, and use of language to procure institutional confidence.
• Execution and Results: Identify, organize, and allocate resources to complete key important enrollment objectives. 
• Influence and Collaboration: Motivates and encourages others to build a high-performance culture.
• Strategic outlook. Advances viewpoints: analyze data, monitor and improve pressures between daily tasks and strategic activities to establish balance.

Operational Expectation: Day to Day 

• Provide regular and gainfully complex training to the Admissions Office staff members on an integrated approach to the enrollment functions.
• Effectively manage workflow as determined by enrollment cycles.
• Promotes the analysis and improvement of service operations by overseeing the ongoing collection of relevant metrics by implementing quality assurance practices.
• Plays a central role in building the recruitment capacity and efficacy of the University. 
• Leads in the development and creation of re-invigorated and progressive recruiting methods, techniques, and materials including the effectual use of technology to include student enrollment management system(s) and use of social media as both recruitment and communications tools with prospective students.
• Assures and is directly accountable for the performance of the Office of Admissions is successful in meeting the college’s annual enrollment targets as outlined in the Strategic Recruitment Plan.
• Leads the development of relevant budgets in a new era of recruiting.
• Assists the Vice President in identifying and evaluating international and community college transfer partnerships.
• Leads the upgrade of the technology used in the recruitment and admissions process.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the VP of Enrollment or University President. 

Outreach and Engagement Development: 

• Develops proactive strategies to adjust to changing environments and trends in Constituent Relationship.
• Management software and application processing using best practices and current technological solutions.
• Compiles admissions data analyzes trends and makes recommendations on new enrollment strategies as necessary.
• Coordinates and collaborates with the team responsible for campus visit experiences, including individual campus tours, group tours, and recruitment and yield events.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive communication plan for a variety of populations including but not limited to freshmen, transfer students, parents, high ability, out-of-area, etc.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive recruitment activity plan for both local, state, national and international markets.
• Coordinates collaborates and enhances internal staff development and training to ensure staff is prepared to recruit, enroll, and serve a diverse student population.
• Regularly analyzes recruitment and enrollment activities and reports on the effectiveness of initiatives.
• Participates in state/national associations that will promote and recognize Virginia Union University.

Data and Analytics: 

• Develop and implement data-driven marketing and recruitment strategies to achieve enrollment goals for undergraduate prospects (including transfer, domestic, and international markets) by effectively utilizing data from a variety of sources to evaluate student characteristics and trends, as well as the University’s market position and competition. 
• Organize strategic ways to increase the effectiveness of each step to enroll a student, including the steps from inquiry to application/application to admit/admit to enrolled student.
• Utilize student software systems, or other databases common to higher education and/or university admissions and financial aid to predict and project conversion targets to increase yield rate. 
• Employ Financial Services to effectively leverage financial aid packaging, process scholarships, train the admissions team, and provide financial literacy opportunities to prospective students and their families to convert into matriculants. 
• Lead the team of admissions professionals, offering mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities to ensure admissions team members are effective, strategic territory managers through data and analytical cultivation strategies. 

Development and Collaboration: 

• Facilitate and manage the development of a strategic recruitment plan that includes faculty, current students, staff, alumni, and all other constituents’ groups to ensure cross-divisional intersection. 
• Lead the recruitment and development of staff in admissions to ensure demonstration of sufficient expertise; outline develops a plan to improve gaps or areas of deficiencies timely and consistently; and provide customized professional training at least 2xs a year to keep the office current and in line with national, regional and institutional trends. 
• Attend institutional and divisional meetings to discuss, report out and review admissions data to procure support and inclusion in the work to recruit, engage and enroll new students strategically. Connect the message and opportunities to align how faculty, staff, alumni, and other constituents have a role in a strategic recruitment plan with specific targets and strategies to increase yield. 
• Develop operational networks and builds recruitment alliances that engage in cross-functional activities across boundaries through a common ground to meet specific targets in new student enrollment. 

Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in student affairs or higher education, business, humanities, sciences, or a closely related field that emphasizes analysis and critical thinking skills is required. 
• Possess a minimum of five years of experience with 3 or more years in a leadership role in admissions or enrollment management.
• At least five years of direct supervisory experience with full-time employees. 
• A personal and professional commitment to diversity as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, and allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity outcomes are essential. 
• An ability to work irregular work hours, including nights and weekends, and maintain a valid driver’s license. 
• Preferred qualifications include:
  • Earned a doctoral degree in higher education administration, education, student affairs, counseling, or related field. 
  • Familiarity with the complexity of student recruitment at a large institution; and campus visit programming experience or event planning experience. 
  • Evidence of experience leading an organization to develop and achieve the elements of a strategic plan, including strategies for target populations and goals is preferred. 
  • Demonstrated analytical skills in budgets, program/initiative assessments, and/or return on investment are desired.

Salary:  Commensurate with experience

Applications Deadline:

Review of candidate materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.  All applicants should complete an application at Human Resources | Virginia Union University (vuu.edu).  If you have any questions, please contact AskVUU@vuu.edu

The selected applicant may be required to submit to a background investigation. VUU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other protected class.

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