Position OverviewThe Senior Director of Enrollment Management leads the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-year cohort strategic student recruitment, admission, and enrollment plan designed to meet annual enrollment goals for all academic programs. This role is responsible for driving data-informed, student-centered enrollment strategies across undergraduate, graduate, in-seat, and online programs.
Working closely with academic departments, campus partners, and community-based organisations, this position builds cohort-based enrollment pipelines and enhances funnel management across all student populations. The position directly supervises the Director of Enrollment and the Recruitment Marketing Project Manager. This is a full-time, exempt, on-site position based in Fremont, California.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Cohort Management - Lead the development and execution of comprehensive recruitment and enrollment strategies across undergraduate and graduate programs (in-seat and online).
- Design and implement multi-year cohort recruitment and enrollment plans aligned with broader institutional strategic priorities.
- Build and sustain strategic relationships with community-based organizations (CBOs), K-12 schools, and corporate partners (e.g., Cristo Rey, Start Up Scholars, LEAF, CollegeTrack) to build strong cohort pipelines.
- Establish clear definitions, goals, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and success metrics for each student cohort.
Funnel Operations & Systems - Monitor and optimize best-practice funnel management from prospect outreach (name purchases) through admissions decisioning and handoff to student onboarding systems.
- Assess and refine enrollment workflows and procedures to enhance consistency, efficiency, and prospective student experience across the recruitment lifecycle.
- Utilize CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and enrollment analytics to track funnel metrics, generate progress reports, identify risk areas, and inform leadership decision-making.
Outreach, Partnerships & Events - Manage recruitment and outreach activities across all institutional programs and target student populations.
- Strategize and maintain relationship-building initiatives with prospective students, families, school counselors, community leaders, and employer partners.
- Oversee and evaluate recruitment events, campus visits, virtual information sessions, webinars, and admitted-student programs.
- Represent the university at recruitment events, conferences, and community partner meetings (local and regional travel required).
Leadership & Team Management - Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate direct reports (including the Director of Enrollment and Recruitment Marketing Project Manager), staff, and student workers.
- Develop and implement structured training programs for direct reports to foster leadership growth, accountability, and continuous performance improvement.
- Promote a culture of inclusion, collaboration, transparency, and service excellence across the enrollment team.
Budget & Compliance - Manage recruitment budgets, name purchases, vendor relationships, and departmental resources effectively.
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies, privacy standards, admissions regulations, and equity-centered enrollment practices.
Qualifications Required - Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
- Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in university admissions/enrollment management, with a proven track record of meeting enrollment targets and supervising staff.
- Domain Knowledge: Deep understanding of domestic and international student enrollment dynamics and experience serving historically underrepresented or underserved populations.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Slate) and data analytics tools to drive funnel management and reporting.
- Partnership Building: Demonstrated success in developing community-based partnerships with high schools, community colleges, and CBOs.
- Operations: Strong budget management skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities under tight deadlines.
- Travel & Schedule: Willingness to travel (in-state and out-of-state) and work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends during peak recruitment cycles.
Preferred - Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field.
- 5 to 8 years of progressive leadership experience in enrollment management.
- Experience developing recruitment strategies for online and distance-learning degree programs.
- Track record of designing and executing cohort-based strategies that improve yield and retention outcomes.
- Fluency in an additional language relevant to the regional student demographics.
Success Indicators & Performance Measures - Achievement of target enrollment numbers and net revenue goals across academic cohorts.
- Conversion rate improvements across each stage of the enrollment funnel (Inquiry Applicant Admit Enrolled).
- Expansion and engagement quality of strategic community/K-12 partnerships.
- Data accuracy, reporting timeliness, and effective budget utilization.
- Positive feedback from prospective students, campus partners, and team members.
Working Conditions - Environment: Standard office environment with frequent campus movement, event attendance, and off-site travel.
- Schedule: Full-time exempt role; requires occasional evening/weekend hours during peak admissions periods.
Salary Range: $165,000 - $195,000 / yearThis position description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required by the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.
