Atsu - Director - Residential Admissions Recruitment & Retention

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Description

This leadership role is responsible for directing the development, execution, and continuous optimization of strategic nationwide recruitment plans, holistic admission processes, and impactful retention strategies for ATSU's residential programs. The Director will lead a dedicated team of recruitment professionals to attract high-caliber, mission-aligned candidates, successfully guiding them through the enrollment lifecycle, and fostering early engagement to optimize retention from prospective applicant to matriculation.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Recruit, train, and supervise a multi-campus team, including 2 Assistant Directors, six Admissions Counselors (three in AZ, two in MO, one in CA), two Admissions Coordinators, and two Administrative Support staff members.
• Drive recruitment efforts by providing prospective students with comprehensive academic advising and financial assistance guidance.
• Travel nationally to cultivate strategic relationships and establish robust feeder pathways with undergraduate colleges and universities.
• Develop and execute data-driven, comprehensive recruitment and retention strategies to meet or exceed targeted enrollment goals across all ATSU residential programs.
• Identify, establish, and cultivate strategic pipelines with undergraduate institutions, pre-health advisors, and healthcare industry partners to build a sustainable network of prospective applicants.
• Oversee high-impact outreach, including attendance at national conferences, graduate school fairs, and regional college visits.
• Optimize the "lead-to-applicant" and "applicant-to-matriculant" conversion rates through targeted communication flows, leveraging the university's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in partnership with the Director - Admissions & Enrollment Engagement.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate a high-performing team of admissions counselors, coordinators, and administrative support staff.
• Manage the department budget efficiently, allocating resources strategically to high-yield recruitment and retention activities.
• Develops, facilitates, and oversees all training for Admissions Recruitment staff on advising applicants, competitive applications, conducting campus tours, presenting, promoting ATSU programs, interviewing, travel/recruitment, and all other aspects of their positions. Facilitates comprehensive training for ATSU faculty and staff on admissions interview protocols and legal compliance.
• Collaborate closely with Academic Deans, faculty committees, and program directors to continuously refine admissions criteria in alignment with evolving industry trends.
• May serve as a member of program(s) admission committee(s).
• Work with Admissions leadership team (AVC, Directors, Asst Directors) to develop business processes, updates, and training for admissions department.
• Bridge the transition between accepted student status and full matriculation by partnering with ATSU divisions to design intentional engagement programming (e.g., orientation events, open houses, and white coat ceremony integration).
• Partner with academic program partners, Student Affairs, Student Support Services, and Financial Aid to proactively identify potential barriers to enrollment or retention and establish immediate interventions.
• Track, analyze, and report on student retention metrics, translating enrollment data into insights to refine recruitment criteria for long-term student success. Evaluate assessments/surveys/feedback related to applicant cancellations/interview feedback.

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• Master's Degree required
• A minimum of 3-6 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, preferably within admissions or student services.
• Experience implementing and maintaining policies and procedures in accordance with industry best practices, regulatory and higher education compliance.
• Candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, unofficial college transcripts, and 3 professional references.

ATSU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverages, among more. If eligible, employee-elected benefits would begin the first of the month following hire date. For more information, please visit: atsu.edu/employment/benefits.

A.T. Still University (ATSU) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities.