The Associate Vice President (AVP) for Traditional Undergraduate Admissions serves as the senior strategic and operational leader for all traditional undergraduate (TUG) recruitment at Azusa Pacific University. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Strategy/Chief Strategy Officer, the AVP provides vision, innovation, and bold leadership to advance APU's TUG enrollment goals. This newly created position reflects the university's commitment to ambitious enrollment growth, high standard of excellence, and the development of a high-performing admissions team. Span of care includes areas such as freshman and transfer recruitment, campus visit and event operations, dual enrollment, the Welcome Center, and strategic pipeline development.
Required Education- Master's degree preferred
Required Experience- Minimum eight to ten years of progressively responsible admissions, enrollment management, sales, or related leadership experience, with demonstrated success leading diverse teams who consistently meet or exceed ambitious enrollment goals.
- Demonstrated success building new feeder pipelines, establishing school and community partnerships, and developing transfer and dual enrollment pathways.
- Proven track record of designing and executing yield improvement strategies that measurably increase conversion from admit to enrolled student.
- Demonstrated ability to develop, mentor, and retain early-career enrollment professionals; commitment to building the next generation of admissions leaders.
- Demonstrated success collaborating across departments within an institution, including academic affairs, finance, financial aid, marketing, and Student Belonging.
- Experience using CRM systems and data analytics to drive strategic enrollment decisions; Slate CRM experience is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with parents of prospective students, including navigation of difficult conversations.
- Experience stewarding and staying within the parameters of a complex departmental budget to drive results.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively within an ethnically, culturally, and socioeconomically diverse campus and prospective student community.
- Experience in a mission-driven, faith-based, or private institutional context preferred.
Primary Duties/Essential Functions Strategic Leadership & Enrollment Growth- Serve as the primary strategic architect for TUG enrollment, translating a strategic vision into data-driven annual and multi-year recruitment plans with clear goals, metrics, and accountability structures.
- Identify and build new feeder pipelines, including high school partnerships, community-based organizations, community college transfer pathways, dual enrollment programs, and faith community networks, to diversify and expand APU's prospective student funnel.
- Lead the development and continuous refinement of a comprehensive yield strategy, deploying differentiated communication flows, personalized outreach, financial aid modeling insights, and campus engagement to convert admitted students to enrolled students.
- Monitor national enrollment trends, competitor positioning, demographic shifts, and emerging best practices; translate findings into innovative strategies that keep APU competitive and mission-aligned.
- Oversee the full recruitment cycle from partnering with marketing for inquiry generation through managing prospective students through the full enrollment funnel, ensuring each stage is optimized for conversion performance and student experience.
- Develop and manage the annual traditional undergraduate admissions budget with an ROI mindset, making strategic trade-offs and maximizing impact per dollar invested.
- Partner with the VP to set ambitious, achievable enrollment targets and provide transparent, data-rich reporting on progress toward those goals.
Team Leadership & Talent Development- Supervise functions and team members across freshman recruitment/admissions, transfer recruitment/admissions, campus visit and event operations, dual enrollment, and the Welcome Center.
- Hire exceptional talent with particular skill in identifying and cultivating emerging leaders.
- Design and implement a structured professional development program for all admissions staff, including mentorship, skills training, performance coaching, and clear career pathways.
- Establish clear, measurable performance expectations for every role; hold staff accountable through regular check-ins, coaching conversations, and formal review cycles.
- Foster a culture of excellence, urgency, and continuous improvement where staff are challenged to grow, empowered to innovate, and celebrated for results.
- Model servant leadership through presence, accessibility, and authentic investment in the success of every team member.
Cross-University Collaboration- Build strong working relationships with the provost, deans, faculty, and department chairs to develop program-specific recruitment strategies and connect prospective students with meaningful academic experiences.
- Partner with Marketing, Communications, and Engagement to ensure that the Welcome Center, admissions events, and all aspects of first impressions for prospective students thoughtfully and effectively represent APU's ethos, brand, and value proposition.
- Partner with Financial Aid to optimize aid packaging strategies, considering net tuition revenue implications alongside enrollment goals.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to ensure recruitment materials, digital campaigns, social media presence, and brand messaging authentically and compellingly represent APU's brand value proposition.
- Coordinate with Student Belonging, Housing, the Registrar's Office, Academic Advising and other administrative partners to ensure seamless student transitions from admit to the first day of classes.
- Serve as a key contributor in institutional planning conversations, bringing the student recruitment perspective to discussions about program development, campus initiatives, and strategic investment.
- Act with full delegated authority on behalf of the VP as appropriate, representing the division in university-wide meetings and advancing key enrollment initiatives.
Operations, Data & Technology- Partner with the Enrollment Operations and Analytics team to optimize end-to-end admissions operations workflows, designing and refining processes that ensure timely decisions, accurate data, and exceptional service for prospective students and families.
- Partner with the Enrollment Operations and Analytics team to establish and maintain enrollment dashboards, key performance indicators, and predictive analytics models; use data proactively to anticipate challenges and make course corrections in real time.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and institutional policies governing undergraduate admissions.
- Role model and guide the strategic use of the Slate CRM and other enrollment technologies, ensuring staff are trained and systems are optimized for maximum effectiveness.
- Drive a culture of process documentation and continuous improvement, systematically identifying inefficiencies and implementing scalable solutions.
- Manage relationships with external vendors and consultants, evaluating ROI and holding partners accountable for deliverables.
Faith, Mission & Community- Personally embrace and actively support APU's Christian mission, integrating faith and values into leadership practice and team culture.
- Articulate APU's distinctive Christ-centered academic mission, community, and outcomes compellingly to prospective students, families, school counselors, and community partners.
- Support, affirm, and sustain the beliefs, values, and mission of the university in all facets of leadership and through the university's daily living expectations.
- Regular, punctual attendance as required by the supervisor based on department needs.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Skills- Visionary and strategic thinker who can translate high-level enrollment goals into executable, data-informed action plans.
- Exceptional leader of people: inspiring, accountable, clear, and deeply invested in the professional growth of each team member.
- Demonstrated ability to meet and exceed enrollment goals in a complex, mission-driven institutional environment.
- Demonstrated ability to develop, interpret, and apply policy and regulations in a complex university setting.
- Highly collaborative and skilled at building trust across departments and levels of the institution.
- Outstanding analytical skills; able to interpret complex enrollment data and communicate findings clearly to executive and non-technical audiences.
- Exceptional customer service skills; excellent written and verbal communication, problem-solving skills, and ability to develop and deliver public presentations.
- Strong project management skills with a bias toward action, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to manage details, follow through, and work independently while reflecting the goals and standards of APU.
- Ability to integrate Christian values in all aspects of this leadership position and clearly articulate the values and identity of Azusa Pacific University.
- Ability to engage in critical thinking, exercise independent judgment, and maintain confidentiality with sensitive institutional information.
Mental Demands- In agreement with the purpose and goals of Azusa Pacific University in providing a Christ-centered education for its students.
- Possess a high level of initiative; ability to self-start and drive results without constant direction.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively to meet deadlines in a high-volume, high-stakes environment.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretionary skills in determining when to act independently and when to consult leadership prior to acting.
- Ability to work under pressure, exuding a mature and calm demeanor while multitasking in a deadline-oriented environment with accuracy and consistency.
- Ability to learn, retain, and document complex procedures, policies, and institutional information.
- Ability to cope with regular interruptions and shifting priorities while maintaining focus on strategic objectives.
Physical Demands- Intermittent sitting and standing.
- Requires keyboard work and extensive telephone and video conferencing usage.
- Ability to lift, pull, grasp, bend, and reach.
- Ability to lift up to 20 lbs.
- Availability to drive and travel locally, regionally, and nationally.
- Must be currently licensed to drive in the state of California.
Visual Demands- Computer monitor and reading.
- Reading and reviewing instructions, documentation, data reports, and printed materials in both physical and digital formats.
- Ability to drive and travel locally within the community and to other APU facilities.
Environment- Professional office environment with comfortable temperatures.
- Multiple conversations and transactions occurring simultaneously.
- Frequent travel to recruitment events, high school visits, and community partner meetings; occasional national travel for recruitment events and professional conferences.
Technologies- Proficient in Google Apps, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Experience with Technolutions Slate CRM or comparable CRM strongly preferred.
- Experience with PeopleSoft or comparable ERP preferred.
- Experience with enrollment analytics dashboards and business intelligence platforms preferred.
Compensation- Grade 22: $128,427 - $147,691 is the annual salary for this role and reflects what Azusa Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on the qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition to compensation, APU offers a competitive benefits package.
