Calvin University, a private liberal arts institution located in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, invites applications and nominations for the Director of Admissions position. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is a Christ-centered community of more than 3,700 students from across the nation and around the world. The university fosters scholarship that creates new knowledge, performs creative work, and sustains natural and cultural resources. A Calvin education, marked by scholarly engagement with enduring questions and emerging concerns, prepares students to answer the call to serve God as agents of renewal.
Ninety-nine percent of Calvin graduates are employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation. This result is driven through high-impact practices such as internship partnerships with employers and student-faculty collaboration that offers opportunities to engage in intensive research and creative work. And, in fall of 2017, Calvin further built on its success in preparing students for post-graduate life, with the introduction of a new program called Calvin LifeWork. The four-year, voluntary life-readiness program features learning tracks in vocation, career readiness, financial literacy and life skills, and leadership development. This unparalleled program takes the fear and uncertainty out of a student’s first steps into the post-grad world.
Clearly, Calvin makes a life-changing difference in the lives of its students, and U.S. News & World Report concurs, ranking the institution #1 overall among Midwest regional colleges in 2019 with high grades in commitment to undergraduate teaching, percentage of international students, undergraduate research, and financial value.
The Position
The Director of Admissions reports to the Vice President for Enrollment Strategy and is responsible for planning, implementing and executing effective strategies to attract and enroll new undergraduate students. The Director of Admissions supervises a team of Associate and Assistant Directors and provides leadership and supervision for the admissions department to ensure successful execution and meeting of enrollment goals; promotes the mission and vision of Calvin University to prospective students, their families and admissions staff in compelling ways, and partners with campus-wide units (Communications & Marketing, Alumni, etc.) and external constituents in collaborative recruitment efforts in order to meet strategic plan and enrollment goals. The Director of Admissions leads the admissions department in the continued cultivation of current markets and the identification and development of new target markets through various strategies, tactics and initiatives. The ideal director also tracks and measures progress and outcomes, ensures work is assessed and adapted for efficiency and effectiveness and understands the competitive market position and differentiators of Calvin in order to position and promote the institution. The Director of Admissions is also responsible for effectively managing a comprehensive, data-driven recruitment and admissions program and for providing regular reports on recruitment progress to college leadership according to needs and interests. Additionally, the Director of Admissions is responsible for ensuring the optimal deployment of allotted resources and for developing policies, procedures and practices to enhance recruitment, admission, scholastic performance, and retention of students. Effective communication and collaboration with college deans, vice presidents, faculty, staff, coaches and others involved with recruiting and admitting students is expected.
Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree and at least 10 years of progressively responsible management experience directly related to higher education admissions and enrollment management is required. Experience in analyzing and organizing information and deriving actionable insight from data to produce results, and demonstrated success in recruiting and enrolling an academically strong and diverse student population, is also required. The new director will be a collaborative professional who can articulate a complex vision with the confidence of a thought leader and will be eager to engage the Calvin University community, prospective students, and families in creative recruitment and enrollment experiences. He or she will demonstrate the desire to further develop and mentor a dedicated and talented staff. Candidates need to be highly energetic and demonstrate strategic leadership skills. The ideal candidate will have experience with delivering the freshman class and in change management as related to continuously improving business processes. The ideal candidate will be able to anticipate and effectively respond to all matters that influence enrollment. Excellent written and verbal communications skills, strong data and technology skills, integrity, ability to motivate staff and to foster collaboration across diverse groups of constituents are required. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development is also required. The successful candidate will demonstrate awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.
Application and Nomination
Review of applications begins May 8, 2020 and continues until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for the new Director of Admissions is June 2020. Interested candidates should apply for this position online via the Williams & Company website at: www.williamscompany.net Confidential inquiries and/or nominations may be directed to Martha Smiles at: Martha@williamscompany.net or (802) 497-0151.
Please visit Calvin University’s website at: www.calvin.edu
Calvin University is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to a diverse workforce.