Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment

Western Colorado University invites applications for the position of Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment. This is an exempt, full-time, 12-month position. The Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment a Senior Cabinet level position that reports directly to the University President and leads the admissions, recruiting, marketing communications, financial aid and concurrent enrollment departments. The Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment plays a major role in shaping strategy and practice in the marketing and recruitment of students, including working with senior leadership to set the University’s enrollment goals. The Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment will work collaboratively with individuals and organizations for all Western programs and initiatives to achieve divisional and institutional short- and long-term goals tied to student, academic, partnership and operational success.

This position will require both broad oversight as well as a hands-on management style, including a working knowledge of current best-practices in student recruitment, data-driven admissions forecasting, and CRM expertise. Collaboration throughout the University on all matters concerning enrollment. The successful candidate will provide leadership in designing the University’s enrollment strategies and is expected to make sophisticated use of high-quality, data-driven, evidence-based enrollment decisions, utilizing best practices in admissions and enrollment management, while inspiring others on campus to work collaboratively in achieving enrollment goals. The Vice President will need to be innovative and adept at promoting current academic programs, as well as bringing forth recommendations for new recruitment ideas, marketing strategies and academic programs that match the University’s mission, resources and market demand.
Duties: Specific responsibilities include:

• Development and implementation of a strategic enrollment plan including marketing, enrollment and financial aid optimization strategies using industry analysis and best practices to meet institutional goals.
• Leads metrics-driven efforts to identify the most desired qualities and optimal mix of students enrolling at Western in order to meet or exceed annual enrollment and revenue goals.
• Develops enrollment forecasting models for segmented student populations and leads campus conversations about long-term enrollment goals; chairs the enrollment management committee.
• Manages senior-level personnel and empowers direct reports to effectively lead and support their respective teams.
• Generates and presents comprehensive institutional enrollment reports to senior organizational decision makers, including the Cabinet, Faculty Senate and Board of Trustees.
• Offers innovation in strategy and decision-making to impact the application life cycle, with the intent of yielding improvement to meet both enrollment and university budget goals.
• Identifies and develops strategies related to advancing the division’s mission.
• Lead the execution of a cohesive and differentiating brand strategy, built on a culture of data-driven, high-impact, results-oriented marketing practices, in order to meet and exceed nrollment, retention, and student engagement goals. Assess capacity and focus resources and efforts to deliver on measureable goals.
• Sets and monitors progress toward achieving financial aid optimization goals for both need and merit based institutional funding.
• Develops and manages the division budget.
• Collaborates with senior-level leadership (within the unit, in other units and outside of the university).
• Oversees the analysis, presentation and utilization of data, especially related to actual and projected student enrollments.
• Works closely with campus reporting units to identify enrollment trends, develop projections and establish effective strategies for recruitment, admission and financial aid decisions by strategically utilizing statistical models.
• Serves as a member of the university’s executive leadership team and maintains a strong working relationship with the president and key senior leaders.
• Advances the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Work collaboratively and proactively to develop appropriate messaging and communication strategies and execution.
• Effectively represent Western with stakeholders, outside agencies, on-and-off campus groups, media and other constituencies as necessary and appropriate.
• Manage third party vendors, freelancers, and consultants as needed.

Qualifications: Qualifications:

• Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) required.
• Significant experience in a senior management position leading a successful admissions team at a college or university.
• Experience supervising enrollment management functions such as admissions, financial aid, retention or marketing.
• Knowledge of current enrollment management practices and issues.
• Ability to use enrollment trend data in establishing priorities, and developing strategy and objectives.
• Understanding of federal financial aid guidelines and requirements and experience with complex financial aid strategies and leveraging.
• Experience with academic record management.
• Outstanding leadership and team building skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong budget management and supervisory skills.
• Working knowledge of online/web/interactive marketing techniques.
• Strong analytic and quantitative skills.
• Experience in digital media buying and audience analysis and measurement.
• Demonstrated ability to work with all levels of academic, administrative, and corporate management.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Additional Application Information: Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience. The position is FLSA exempt. This is a benefits eligible position.

Preferred Start Date: On or prior to March 1, 2020.

Application online at http://www.western.edu/jobs. Required attachments to the application include: Letter of application, resume including examples of past work, transcripts and a reference list with names and contact information of three professional references.

Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during screening. Official transcripts are required prior to employment.

Please direct questions via email only to Joy Kean at jkean@western.edu

Application Deadline: Screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Western is a residential, public university with an enrollment of 3000 students who come from across Colorado and all fifty states. Faculty members share a strong commitment to personalized education with the liberal arts as its core. They are student-oriented, collegial, energetic, and engaged in the campus and community. The curriculum provides flexibility where experiential learning and interdisciplinary approaches are valued. Western supports diversity, equity, and inclusivity of all types including ability (physical, mental), social class, racial/ethnic, linguistic, religion, sexual orientation, age, experience, gender, and cultural. Please see our diversity statement, and our DEII Committee charge. The University is located in Gunnison, Colorado, a rural community 200 miles southwest of Denver. At an elevation of 7,700 feet in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Gunnison Valley provides exceptional year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. Professionals have chosen Western because of the quality of life combined with rewarding careers. Visit http://www.western.edu to learn more about the university.

Western Colorado University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive campus.