Director of Graduate Admissions

Director of Graduate Admissions


Benedictine University is an inclusive academic community, inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition and Benedictine values. We seek employees who will contribute to the advancement of our mission by helping students shape lives of meaning and purpose as engaged citizens who care for the Earth, welcome people of diverse faiths and cultures, and promote the common good.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Job Title: Director of Graduate Admissions

Department: Admissions

Reports to: Chief Enrollment and Retention Officer

Status: Full-Time, Benefit Eligible

Location: Lisle Campus

Position Summary: The Director of Graduate Admissions, reporting to the Chief Enrollment and Retention Officer is a member of the senior enrollment leadership team. The Director leads, trains and supports a highly professional and service oriented organization in the achievement of incoming student enrollment goals. The position will provide direction, leadership and training to the graduate counselors as it relates to daily seasonal activities including interviewing, file review, travel as well as recruitment and yield related programs. This position identifies new strategies to improve productivity and efficiency throughout the organization and works collaboratively with various University constituencies ensuring the efficient execution of enrollment growth strategies. This position is highly entrepreneurial, so the ability to think quickly, critically, and strategically is of vital importance.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

1. Design, develop, implement, and sustain innovative efforts that facilitate increased graduate student enrollment. Develop and implement annual goals and objectives for the department including descriptive measures to assess departmental initiatives. Lead the effort to develop outreach and recruitment strategies for all graduate and certificate populations. Determine production, productivity, quality, and customer-service strategies; designing systems; accumulating resources; resolving problems; implementing change

2. Provide leadership for the Graduate Admissions staff to include hiring, supervision, evaluation, professional development, programming, and scheduling. Identify and develop the admissions operational infrastructure to support new program initiatives for emerging partnerships with other academic institutions.

3. Collaborate with the Marketing department on effective communication and outreach strategies to prospective students including standardization of email, mail, texts, and use of social media. Develop and implement strategies to recruit and enroll high-quality graduate students. Specifically, develop and execute recruitment strategies to meet application, admission and yield targets of assigned programs. Maintain and refresh admissions information and activities located at the College's website.

4. Partner with Deans and Academic Program Directors to seek out opportunities for enrollment growth, goal setting and measurement of success. Serve as a liaison to our online partner to ensure a cohesive enrollment plan.

5. Create dynamic on campus events to drive graduate admission prospects collect applications, convert admitted students and assist in registration/orientation of new graduate students. Seek out and attend off-campus events for recruitment efforts. Some evenings and weekend events are required

Other Functions:

1. Must have a keen orientation to goal achievement, strong organizational and communication skills, capability to work in a fast-paced environment, high energy, enthusiasm, and self-motivation.
2. Exercising good judgment in establishing priorities; making appropriate decisions and problem-solving; effectively managing own time, territory and projects; and accepting or overcoming obstacles creatively and patiently
3. Represent the Enrollment Management Division on various committees both internally and externally.
4. Perform other duties and responsibilities as required, assigned, or requested.

Required Qualifications:



Education: Master's Degree Required

Experience: 5-7 years of sales and management experience.

Specific Skills: Proficient in written and oral communication and delivering presentations;; work independently; maintain confidentiality; demonstrate a high level of professionalism; multi-task with numerous areas of responsibility; ability to work collaboratively; ability to proactively identify and react to problems; work in a team environment; ability to resolve conflicting committments; effective time management and organization skills. Proficient in technology used and supported by Benedictine (Salesforce, Peoplesoft)

Specific Knowledge, Licenses, Certifications: Yes. Candidate must be goal oriented. Must be personable, outgoing, and professional in demeanor. Must be an excellent communicator (both oral and written) and possess excellent public speaking skills. Must work collegially with university faculty and staff across Benedictine University.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds. Use of computer screen, phone and customer service. May require bending, or sitting for long periods of time. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Per Gov. Pritzker’s Executive Order proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing is required.

Travel (If applicable): Yes. Regionally

Supervisory Responsibility (if applicable): Yes. Recruitment team and office staff

Working Conditions: Office environment, evening & weekend hours to support events

Benedictine University does not discriminate in its admissions or educational policies, programs or activities; scholarship and loan programs; athletic and other University administered programs or employment practices on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, military or veteran status, marital status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The laws applicable to Benedictine University include constitutional and statutory protections of the University's rights as a religiously sponsored institution. This policy of equal employment opportunity applies to all employment and personnel practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, promotion, training and compensation.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Per Gov. Pritzker’s Executive Order proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing is required.

Benedictine University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.