Position Description:

The Graduate Admission Counselor serves as an integral part of the growth of Valparaiso University. This position will have an emphasis on building a pipeline for enrollment in all graduate programs offered by the university. Working in partnership with the Director of Admission and the Academic Deans, the Graduate Admission Counselor is responsible for managing the recruitment process from inquiry to matriculation for prospective students seeking admission into the university.

In close coordination with the Director, the Graduate Admission Counselor has the following primary responsibilities:

• Execute graduate admission strategy to build prospective student funnels; conduct recruitment and outreach activities in person and virtually within an assigned territory and program portfolio. Specific activities include webinars, campus visits, information sessions, and a variety of educational graduate fairs off campus.
• The counselor will provide a high level of customer service that guides prospective students through the application process from inquiry to enrollment, aiding with required documentation, deadlines, admission requirements, and other determining factors for enrollment.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to become a subject matter expert for the assigned program portfolio and effectively guide prospective students through the graduate admission process. They must be able to provide continuous communication via email, phone, web-based meetings, text, and individual appointments with students throughout the enrollment funnel to cultivate a strong student engagement experience and to assist with financial aid processes.
• The role will assist in designing, organizing, and refining recruitment events and programs to engage prospective students. Additional responsibilities may include contributing to the training and development of new team members, sharing insights and best practices to support the team's overall success.
  

Major Responsibilities:

Prospective/Lead Generation- 30%

• Strategize with the Director of Admission to build prospective student funnels.
• Conduct recruitment and outreach activities within an assigned territory and program portfolio via in-person and virtual events and activities. This will include local and national travel.
• Develop and maintain relationships with targeted feeder universities, community organizations, businesses, key influencers, and professional associations.
• Provide innovative and creative ways to increase awareness of Valparaiso University graduate programs; implement recruiting strategies at the regional and national levels to generate new leads.

Student Relationship Management- 60%

• Provide a high level of customer service that guides prospective students through the application process from inquiry to enrollment, aiding with required documentation, deadlines, admission requirements, and other determining factors for enrollment.
• Follow up, track, and communicate with prospective students, active applicants, and admitted students through email, phone, test, individual and group appointments; provide timely responses to all student inquiries and communications via excellent customer service; reach out proactively to maintain student engagement.
• Actively own prospect records and update student information throughout each stage of the enrollment funnel; prepare and maintain records and reports to assigned activities and program portfolio; maintain and update student data into CRM and develop expertise in trends in domestic recruitment.

Campus Relationship Management- 5%

• Work closely with university partners to provide information about the graduate student experience at the university; serve as liaison between graduate admission and university stakeholders; monitor admission funnel and partner with the broader graduate admission team to achieve enrollment targets.

Special Projects- 5%

• Will be assigned special projects related to increasing enrollment of specific student populations or markets, campus engagement activities/collaboration, or other responsibilities as assigned.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• A minimum bachelor's degree is required. An earned graduate degree at the master's level is preferred.
• 2 to 5 years of professional experience in student recruitment/college admissions, or sales experience within an educational setting or company is preferred; willingness and ability to travel regionally and nationally is necessary for this role; a valid driver’s license and ability to work some evenings and weekends are required, especially during high recruitment periods.

Other Qualifications:

• Experienced public speaker, comfortable in front of groups big and small; high level of energy and drive; entrepreneurial spirit is required; a mindset for marketing and promotion is very valuable.
• Strong writing and interpersonal communication skills; creativity; time-management and prioritization; teamwork and the ability to meet deadlines; ability to plan, manage, and execute initiatives; extreme attention to detail and ability to document student engagement accurately and consistently with a CRM is required; ability to organize workflow and handle frequent interruptions and still be attentive to details is highly desired.
• Experience working with CRM application management processes and systems preferred.
• Adaptability: The ability to react positively and effectively to change. Welcomes a fast-paced environment and can learn and incorporate new information quickly; ability to multitask and handle a wide variety of job duties and prioritize based on the supervisory direction.
• A valid driver's license is also required.

All offers of employment with Valparaiso University are contingent upon the clear results of a thorough background check. Background checks may include criminal history, motor vehicle reports, prior employment verification, and personal/professional references. If applicable to the position, they will also include credit history. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates for employment.

To be considered for this position, you must upload:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of 3 professional references
• Answer all application questions

Please address the cover letter to:

Gwen Kozak, Director of Graduate Admission
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana