Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions for VCUarts

Position Information

University Code 35412 University Title Director 2, Student Services University Job Family Student Services ORP Eligible Yes For more information on ORP, visit: Retirement Plans
Recruitment Pool All Applicants Recruitment Type Single Title Scope of Search National Working Title Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions for VCUarts Position Number 589170 Is this employee on a H1B Visa? No Position Type Staff Job Status Full-Time FLSA Indicator Exempt Employee Group University Employee Department Dean's Office Organizational Overview

At VCU, we Make it Real through learning, research, creativity, service and discovery — the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity, VCU is a great place to work. It’s a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.

Position Primary Purpose and General Responsibilities

The School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCUarts) seeks a collaborative, people-centric, data driven and seasoned administrator with experience working at an advanced level who will provide innovation and leadership to the School’s recruitment and admissions activities. The Executive Director for Recruitment and Admissions will be committed to attracting and identifying talented undergraduate and graduate students with a high potential to be successful at a top ranked art school which is embedded in a research university and surrounded by a culturally rich, synergistic, urban environment. The successful candidate will spearhead an assessment and design and implement a strategy which builds on the School’s current practices. In doing so, the Executive Director for Recruitment and Admissions will take a systematic and analytical approach to understanding the changing higher education landscape, demographic shifts, student interests and needs in order to develop a long-term sustainable framework.

This position reports to the Executive Associate Dean for Administration and will work closely with the Dean and other academic and administrative leadership and key stakeholders to support and execute the School’s admissions and enrollment initiatives.

Major Responsibilities:

• Serve as the key point person and strategic leadership partner with the deans and academic units related to all activities to support the recruitment of and transition of accepted applicants to enrollment.
• Proven ability in growing and sustaining a racial, ethnic, and economic diversity in a student body and a deep understanding of the value of an inclusive community.
• Integrate a deep commitment to inclusive excellence into every aspect of the unit’s work.
• Present and analyze data regarding student admissions to assess status toward goals, areas of concern, relevant trends, and use of that data to direct recruitment initiatives mid-cycle and for future planning.
• Initiate and participate in wide-ranging recruiting activities for all programs throughout the year both locally and nationally requiring travel which will include: National Portfolio Days, targeted high school visits and information sessions; college fairs and program-specific information sessions.
• Develop, oversee and coordinate campus visitations, tours, and other on-campus, university recruitment related events.
• Oversee all activities related to the determination of admissions decisions.
• Coordinate with the School’s Office of Communications on print, media and online communications to develop a dynamic institutional communications platform.
• Design and implement a strategic communication plan for prospects, parents, applicants, and admitted students in collaboration with the Office of Communications and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate with Admissions and IT staff to ensure best practices are implemented and upheld including the adoption of new technology to effect positive change to the business processes.
• Commit to advance the School’s brand and reputation locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
• Utilize statistical reports to analyze and enhance recruitment strategies, yield management, projections, and operational efficiencies.
• Lead and manage the functions of recruitment and admissions for undergraduate, graduate and transfer students.
• Explore opportunities for international recruitment with VCU Strategic Enrollment Management.
• Oversee the three-week summer pre-college program and supervise its director.
• Lead and manage the Admissions team emphasizing teamwork, collegiality, accountability, and student-centric results.
• Coordinate recruitment events engaging current students, faculty, administrators and alumni.
• Create a strategic recruitment strategy based on the uniqueness of the School’s disciplines and one that systematically seeks to attract a diverse, talented and engaged student population locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Utilize the university’s newly implemented Slate ( CRM ) system
• Build understanding of and maintain strong lines of communication with the School’s diversity of programs to achieve recruitment and enrollment goals.
• Coordinate with the Office of Development and Financial Aid to identify competitive scholarship opportunities for prospective students.
• Analyze and report on admissions statistics throughout the admissions cycle.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

VCUarts:
The Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions will have the opportunity to join a highly energetic, engaged and talented faculty, staff and student population. The school, with a graduate arts program that has the highest U.S. News & World Report ranking ever achieved by a public university arts and design school, has established itself as a creative force, locally, nationally and internationally. The school encompasses a wide spectrum of disciplines whose distinctiveness fosters opportunities for premier collaborations and synergies within the school, across the university and around the globe. The faculty, students, staff and community set high aspirations for themselves, individually and as a school, and will expect the same from the new Director of Communications.

The School of the Arts educates approximately 3,000 undergraduates and more than 100 graduate students through programs both in Richmond and in Doha, Qatar. In Richmond, students are taught by over 175 full-time teaching and research faculty members and more than 175 others who bring direct artistic experience into the classroom on a part-time basis, as well as over 50 staff members that assist in daily processes. The school is organized into groups, offering 18 bachelor’s degrees, six master’s degrees and one doctoral degree.

The School of the Arts is a catalyst for innovative collaborations across campus and the community. VCU is one of only 54 universities and only 19 public universities nationwide to achieve both “Community Engaged” and “Highest Research Activity” designations by the Carnegie Foundation. It is the recipient of the prestigious Peter McGrath Award for University Community Partnerships from the Association of Public & Land-grant Universities. Within this dynamic university, the School of the Arts adds significantly to, and is supported by, the vitality of Richmond — a thriving capital city marked by innovative expression in art, theatre, design, dance, film, architecture and more. Ultimately, the work of the School of the Arts extends globally and across the humanities, health care and business.

Virginia Commonwealth University: An Overview
Virginia Commonwealth University is a Carnegie I Research University and a designated top 100 Research University by the National Science Foundation. Many of the Universities, Schools and Colleges are among the top 100 in the U.S., including medicine, engineering, the arts and business. Located in downtown Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 30,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Twenty-two of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 11 schools and three colleges and a robust Division of Student Affairs to support student success and well-being. The VCU Health brand represents the health sciences schools of VCU, the VCU Massey Cancer Center and the VCU Health System, which comprises VCU Medical Center (the only academic medical center in the region), Community Memorial Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and MCV Physicians. Today, VCU serves an integral role in the economic health of the city of Richmond and the region by providing the highest quality education for the current and future workforce, advancing research across a broad range of academic disciplines and enhancing the translation of research to serve the needs of the Commonwealth and Nation.. The university and its health system combined contribute more than $6 billion annually to the region’s economy and therefore plays a significant role in regional development and community planning.

As an urban institution of higher learning, VCU and its partners have contributed immeasurably to the development of the fabric of the city of Richmond which has transformed into a center of artistic and cultural growth, business development and social services. In consequence, the city and its leadership in business, industry and cultural affairs have given extraordinary support to the university’s growth, complementing the support of the Commonwealth. Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is a diverse cultural city, surrounded by historic neighborhoods, parks and the scenic James River.

Strategic Plan:
The University is guided by Quest 2025: Together We Transform. VCU is a rare place of both access and excellence. The strategic plan charts the course over the coming years for VCU’s rise as a pre-eminent urban, public research university committed to equitable access to social, economic and health success. The plan addresses significant issues faced by all institutions of higher education, as well as those specific to VCU . The issues include:
• Growing cynicism that public higher education serves the public good and may not be worth the expense to individuals
• The significant challenge of the rising cost of education and providing affordable access and support for timely degree completion regardless of students’ particular demographic or group
• Increased competition in public higher education for students, faculty, government and philanthropic support and national prominence
• Dependence on urban universities to lead in solving vexing societal issues, including health and economic vitality
• A recognition that resourcing the plan’s strategic priorities will require an integrated, pan-university approach and will call for hard choices around resource allocation

Location:
Richmond became the Commonwealth of Virginia’s capital in 1779. The Richmond Region is a vibrant, diverse and growing community of nearly 1.3 million people and is the ideal combination of small town feel with intimate neighborhoods and local businesses and big city offerings that include myriad theaters, galleries, music events, festivals, sports attractions and more. The city borders the James River and offers more than 550 acres of parks making it the perfect place for outdoor recreation. Richmond’s location in the middle of the state allows for day or weekend trips to the beach, the mountains or Washington, DC. Travel + Leisure magazine recently named the Richmond region as one of five top wine regions to visit. The metropolitan area is also home to seven Fortune 500 companies and ten Fortune 1000 companies, a broad base of financial companies, hospitals and media firms, high-tech manufacturing companies, as well as state and local government agencies. The city is home to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, VCU’s Institute for Contemporary Art and additional cultural institutions that add deep enrichment opportunities.
For more information on the city of Richmond, please visit:
www.grpva.com/living-in-richmond
www.visitrichmondva.com

Minimum Hiring Standards

• Bachelor’s degree required from an accredited institution.
• Must demonstrate a professional presence and maturity in dealing with a variety of audiences, external and internal to the school and university.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU .
• Significant higher education admissions experience at both the undergraduate and graduate level at a selective accredited institution or relevant experience in marketing, recruiting, and admissions.
• Success in evaluating and improving the practices of the student admissions experience, including timely, effective, and positive engagement with students and families.
• Understanding of the current and future recruitment, admissions and enrollment landscape of higher education.
• Extensive experience utilizing data and applying technology with a CRM system to effectively recruit and enroll students.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills, and a proven commitment to developing collaborative relationships both on- and off-campus.
• Demonstrated commitment to outstanding customer service and professionalism.
• Excellent presentation skills, including the ability to effectively engage, inspire, and influence across a wide range of audiences and constituents.
• High personal energy level. Enthusiasm. Sense of humor. Personal presence. Poise and tact when working under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of team in a vibrant and diverse environment; experience in mentoring and retaining a talented team.
• Outstanding collaboration skills are required.

Preferred Hiring Standards

• Advanced degree preferred in one of the arts disciplines or closely related field.
• Experience with Banner and Slate are preferred.

Required Licenses/ Certifications Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with experience and qualifications Application Process/Additional Information

Procedure for Candidacy:

Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, applications are due by April 5, 2021. Candidates should complete the basic personal and demographic application through the VCU job site at VCU eJobs: www.vcujobs.com. Candidates should provide a resume, cover letter, a diversity statement*, and the names and contact information of three references. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates.

*Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to organizational diversity, equity and inclusion – an environment where all can thrive in their pursuit of excellence. Applicants are requested to submit a Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion providing your career aspirations and contributions toward promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. For additional guidance on writing a Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: https://provost.vcu.edu/faculty/prospective/.

For more information on VCUarts, please visit arts.vcu.edu. Virginia Commonwealth University, please visit vcu.edu and https://www.vcu.edu/about-vcu/facts-and-rankings/.

Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to providing accessible and equitable living, learning and working environments free from discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or disability.

Campus Monroe Park Campus Hours/Week 40 Normal Work Days/Hours Monday-Friday/8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Job Open Date 03/03/2021 Posting will close on or before Open Until Filled Yes Job Category Is this a restricted position? No Is this position eligible to participate in alternative work arrangements? Yes Sensitive Position No Resource Critical Yes Quick Link https://www.vcujobs.com/postings/104042 Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Optional & Required Documents
Required Documents

1. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
2. Resume
3. Diversity Statement (Required for all Faculty)

Optional Documents