Director of GPS Enrollment Operations

Job no: 524515
Position type: Staff Full Time
Benefit Status: Benefited-Union
Campus: UMass Lowell
Department: Grad & Professional Studies
Salary: Salary commensurate with experience and approved range
Applications Open: Aug 07 2024
Applications Close: Open until filled

General Summary of Position:

The Graduate, Online & Professional Studies (GPS) division at UMass Lowell services master’s students in online and on campus programs, on campus international students, online adult undergraduate students, and students enrolled through corporate partners. The division is responsible for all winter and summer session programming as well as online programming during the Fall and Spring semesters. The Enrollment Management (EM) enterprise in GPS includes recruitment and admissions, student advising and success, and course scheduling and works collaboratively with the Division’s marketing department and the Division’s Technical Services department.

Reporting to the Executive Dean, (GPS), the Director, GPS Enrollment Operations is responsible for optimizing enrollment operations at every stage of the student journey to achieve the following goals:

Improve processes within and between EM unitsGrow enrollmentsIncrease scalabilityImprove operational efficienciesLeverage and better use technologyStreamline how the individual functional areas of recruitment, admissions, enrollment, and retention are integrated to improve the student experience

In this matrix manager role, the Director will oversee the overall EM function, daily EM activity, and ongoing performance of the enrollment management units within the division; they will also be a key point-person with University functions outside of the division, including the Registrar, Financial Aid, and Student Financial Services. They will strengthen cohesion between enrollment management units, and identify and implement process improvements and efficiencies that enable growth and improve the student experience. The Director will serve as the liaison between the EM functional units and GPS Technical Services to ensure that EM systems are optimized and appropriately deployed and utilized to support each functional unit. The incumbent will work closely with GPS Technical Services and the EM functional units to ensure that future system changes are strategic, well-planned, and successfully executed.

The ideal candidate will have experience in process improvement, they will have strong technical skills and experience working with a student information system, a CRM, and standard office productivity software in a higher education environment. They will have experience leveraging technology to improve operations. The incumbent will be comfortable working in a matrix position; working collaboratively with GPS leadership and with counterparts in university offices to effect streamlined operations, processes, and enrollment growth. Using data to identify issues, improve operations, and then assess impact will be a key strength. The ideal candidate will have experience leading and managing business process improvement initiatives involving cross-functional teams.

Essential Job Duties:

Enrollment Operations: Current enrollment management operational units include separate undergraduate and master’s recruitment, admissions, application review, enrollment coaching, advising, as well as a course scheduling team. Works closely and continuously with the leaders of all EM units to actively problem-solve process and operational issues, fix/refine processes, and identify and implement modifications to improve operations.

• Creates an Operations Calendar for the division, overlaying key University-wide processes (e.g., billing, registration) so we assure GPS operations align with University Operations.
• Liaises and works with key offices across campus (e.g., registrar, billing) to ensure GPS processes align with university processes, and to advocate for institutional process modifications, where needed, to better serve GPS students.
• Examines EM operations and uses metrics to monitor operational performance of individual EM units, the overall EM function, and EM technology tools.
• Examines business processes to ensure they are aligned with strategic goals and works collaboratively with the leads of each EM unit and their staff to modify processes to ensure technology is used efficiently, and consistently. Suggests training for staff to ensure technology tools are used appropriately and consistently.
• Establishes a method for documenting processes and works with each EM unit to document key processes.
• Collaborates with marketing on campaign scheduling and data integration to ensure the communications calendar dovetails with EM operations, and that EM units are prepared to respond to activity resulting from campaigns.
• Identifies actions needed to improve operations and works with leaders of each EM unit to implement interventions as needed.

Enrollment Cycle Oversight: The Director is the lead person overseeing Enrollment activity for the division. The Director has daily oversight and responsibility for enrollment activity and participates in routine goal setting with the GPS Leadership team. A key focus of the Director is to facilitate cohesion among the separate operating units within GPS enrollment management to ensure:

Coordinated and seamless functioning through the entire EM process from prospect to graduationStrong integration between functionsImproved efficiencyOperations that support growth, scale, and exceptional serviceAn Enrollment Management operation that delivers an exceptional student experience

• Daily, uses data to actively monitor enrollment statistics (by term and trends) and activity of each unit within the EM operation as well as the overall EM process; works with EM leads to improve performance, trouble-shoot, and adjust operations as necessary to achieve goals.
• Daily, monitors enrollment funnel metrics including inquiries, applications, completed applications, accepts, registered and enrolled as well as retention and persistence rates, elevates areas of concern, then works with EM teams to address and resolve enrollment problems, reverse declines, and positively impact enrollment so that the division meets enrollment goals.
• Works with GPS leadership team during enrollment planning cycles to set new student recruitment, re-enrollment and retention goals for adult degree completers and master’s students pursuing programs online and on campus.

Enrollment Systems:

• Serves as the point-person with GPS Technical Services on matters related to EM technologies
• Monitors how each EM unit uses technology and works with each unit to ensure they are effectively using technology and following best practices, and that technology is deployed to complement and maintain consistency between and among EM units
• Partner with the GPS Senior Performance Analyst, GPS staff, and key University business units to ensure GPS’s business processes are utilizing and generating data and analytics that are predictable, reproducible, and reliable for use in operations.
• Works with GPS Technical Services, GPS staff, and key University business units to ensure EM staff have access to, and can appropriately manage, student data within enrollment-related systems
• Builds relationships and works directly with university offices outside of the division such as the registrar, student financial services, The Solution Center, and financial aid, to foster collaboration and represent the business needs of GPS. Work to ensure the University’s processes support or accommodate GPS’s operational needs so GPS can provide exception services to current and prospective GPS students
• Collaborates with GPS’s Senior Performance Analyst and GPS Operations Support team to ensure: 1) data are available and accurate for tracking and reporting metrics, 2) reports and visualizations to monitor and manage operations are developed for staff, and 3) staff understand how to use reports and data to improve enrollment and the student experience
• Collaborates with GPS’s Senior Performance Analyst to ensure data quality.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

Education:

EITHER

Master’s degree from an accredited institution and five to eight years of progressively responsible experience in enrollment management or a related field (e.g., recruitment, admissions, student success, enrollment, etc.)

OR

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum of eight to twelve years of progressively responsible experience in enrollment management or a related field (e.g., recruitment, admissions, financial aid, etc.)

AND

Enrollment management experience and solid knowledge of the various areas that fall within enrollment management including recruiting, admissions, advising, enrollment/retention, and student servicesA solid working knowledge and experience using various higher education-related computer systems/programs including a student information system and a CRM Must be analytical and results-oriented. Uses data to identify and solve problems and has a demonstrated ability to use data to manage and improve enrollment. Uses information to make data-driven decisionsAbility to prioritize based on multiple factors: strategic importance, business value, complexity, riskExperienced in implementing business process improvementsMulti-year supervisory experience including directly supervising teamsPossesses strong human relations/customer service skills and demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse constituenciesExcellent organizational skills and a superior ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing

Additional Considerations:

Experience working with graduate, adult, international, and online student populations.Familiarity with Salesforce and Marketing Cloud (or similar marketing automation platforms)Familiarity with PeopleSoft

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Only Internal Professional (SEIU 888 Professional Union) Bargaining candidates will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

This is an SEIU 888 Professional Union position, Grade P20.

Initial review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. However, the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applications is received.

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. Names and contact information of three references will be required during the application process.

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