Director Admissions

Title:Director of Admissions

School:School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

Department:Graduate Admissions

Location:Washington, DC – Dupont Circle

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Global Enrollment and Recruitment, the Director of Admissions provides strategic leadership and effective management of the Office of Admissions and its full-time staff, as well as graduate student employees. The Director works with a high degree of autonomy, yet also collaborates closely with internal administrative and academic stakeholders, as well as numerous external constituents to support a comprehensive approach to enrollment management.

Leadership & Management

• Design and implement marketing and recruitment strategies for SAIS Pre-Career and Early Career programs
• Promote SAIS programs through formal and informal interactions while collaborating with peer admissions team members at the SAIS Europe campus (Bologna, Italy) and Hopkins-Nanjing Center (Nanjing, China)
• Oversee processing of all admissions applications (including on-line programs) and directly evaluate a significant portion of all admissions applications, as well as oversee all application decisions
• Oversee management of the SLATE admissions platform and SIS database
• Collaborate with the Office of Marketing and Communications on the design and production of marketing publications including general and degree specific brochures
• Oversee the design and implementation of on-campus and virtual information sessions and the annual Open House for admitted candidates
• Participate in Financial Aid Committee meetings to select scholarship recipients
• Recruit an increasingly diverse and talented student body demonstrating high ability
• Represent the admissions office within the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) and Public Policy in International Affairs (PPIA) memberships
• Plan and travel for recruitment functions, including prospective student receptions, graduate recruitment fairs, and group travel with APSIA schools
• Develop strategies to engage prospects via social media, and provide online and offline content that will help generate applications and subsequently increase yield on admissions offers.
• Mentor and develop staff, advocating for needed resources that will enhance individual’s ability to contribute to their full potential
• Cultivate relationships with Johns Hopkins SAIS alumni and engage them in the ongoing work of the School through active participation in recruitment and yield activities;
• Provide the deans, other administrators, and faculty with detailed admissions data and reports
• Review and edit all content related to online applications and admissions web sites
• Counsel prospective and admitted students
• Organize Admission Committee meetings
• Manage the Admissions Office budget

Additional priorities include:

• Expand outreach to Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic American Colleges and Universities and other minority serving institutions
• Commitment to diversity and to serving the needs of a diverse population
• Participate in the ongoing institutional strategic planning process
• Actively solicit input from stakeholders, evaluate recommendations, implement changes as appropriate, and provide timely feedback on admissions policy, procedures, and/or practice
• Devise strategies for improving the balance between high demand academic programs (e.g., international policy programs) and those with current growth potential (e.g., regional programs).
• Improve admissions data collection, report generation, and data dissemination among institutional stakeholders
• Document process changes and maintain an updated operations manual

Networking & Travel

• Participate in the coordination of student recruitment activities and community outreach
• Represent SAIS to international, national, local audiences and speak on behalf of the Office of Admissions and Office of Financial Aid
• Create institutional buy-in while serving as an agent of change, demonstrating sensitivity to the wide range of experience and perspectives that both admissions staff and stakeholders bring to their respective roles
• Develop and maintain relationships with internal and external constituents
• Travel locally, nationally and internationally for networking and other SAIS related activities (i.e. admissions, seminars, meetings with alumni and companies/organizations etc.)

Other Duties

• Foster and support the ongoing development of staff by providing orientation, training, performance coaching, continuing education, and professional development opportunities
• Conduct independent research on matters related to Admissions and Recruitment
• Assist in counseling students as needed
• Perform other duties as required/assigned

Qualifications

• A minimum of ten years of relevant experience required, including five plus years of experience working in an academic enrollment management leadership role with responsibility for multiple programs.
• Eight or more years of experience in admissions, preferably in higher education
• Experience in an academic environment committed to the highest level of academic standards of integrity and quality preferred.
• Experience managing multiple direct reports and working within a matrixed organization required.
• Must consistently exercise sound judgment, demonstrate ethical conduct, and have the ability to work independently and in a team setting. Must have ability to work under pressure in a demanding academic environment. Ideal candidates will be flexible, creative, and energetic. Ability to establish effective working procedures and systems is essential.
• Experience in establishing successful partnerships with other campuses, academic units and other constituencies
• Intermediate to advanced skills with MicroSoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access; Preferred knowledge of SLATE and SIS.