Graduate Admissions Counselor

Job Description: The Graduate Admissions Counselor is focused on the recruitment and yield of graduate students. Direct recruitment involves the management and implementation of a recruitment plan for graduate recruiting events and prospect management. The position carries relationship management responsibility for timely communication via emails, phone calls, and decision communication to prospective graduate students. In addition, evaluation and review of graduate admissions applications is required. The position collaborates closely with the Director of Graduate Admissions, graduate departments, and OPM partners to maintain strong relationships and provide graduate enrollment data updates. The Graduate Admissions Counselor participates in online, off, and on-campus recruitment events and provides information about both undergraduate and graduate admissions academic programs and assigns work to the student workforce.

Location: Glenside

Essential Functions

• Admissions/Recruitment Responsibilities:
• The Graduate Admissions Counselor will serve as the principal travel recruiter for graduate programs and will be expected to build and sustain positive working relationships with leads, applicants, families, outside organizations, and other relevant stakeholders via high volume incoming and outgoing outreach.
• They will be knowledgeable of all graduate programs, admission/deadline processes and monitor website and communications for accuracy and relevancy.
• They will communicate regularly with graduate applicants with frequent outreach focusing on application generation, application completion and yield cultivation.
• They will meet and collaborate regularly with the academic departments and OPMs to provide data, assist with recruitment, enrollment, and yield strategies, problem-solve unique admissions cases, and to help improve processes.
• The Graduate Admissions Counselor will develop and manage a travel recruitment plan that includes participation in evening and weekend graduate recruitment and community events.
• They will also plan, prepare and participate in on-campus and virtual graduate recruitment events and participate in evening and weekend on-campus undergraduate recruitment events.
• Several key performance indicators will be used to evaluate the individual including percent of completed applications and conversion of admits to enrolled, among others.
• Relationship Management:
• The Graduate Admissions Counselor will execute relationship management with prospective graduate students from point of contact through enrollment focusing heavily on lead to applicant, application completion and yield conversion.
• A variety of communication strategies, including phone, email, and text outreach and scheduling individual appointments with prospective graduate students in person, via zoom or phone will be conducted on a regular basis.
• This individual will use high frequency touchpoints with prospective and admitted students, and work to ensure consistent messaging and execution of the consultative sales process during all relationship-building campaigns.
• Performance indicators, via conversions in the enrollment funnel and number/quality of communications, will measure the Graduate Admissions Counselor effectiveness of relationship management.
• Application Completion:
• Monitor graduate applications and admissions credentials and applicant reports/dashboards to guide workload. Work closely with OPM partners and students to provide additional support as needed for successful application completion.
• Yield Nurturing:
• Make timely and regular contact with newly admitted graduate students driving them to accept offers, make deposits, and take necessary next steps.
• Troubleshoot and assist newly admitted students.
• Check indicators to determine the student's intention to enroll.
• Transition communications to graduate departments, the Registrar, and other stakeholder groups by various means (i.e., reports or email updates).
• Troubleshoot with the Registrar, IT, Graduate departments, and other stakeholder groups related to common concerns about new students.
  

Marginal Functions

• Other Duties as Assigned:
• Assign tasks to student workers and graduate student employees and monitor them to completion.
• General support of the Enrollment Management Office taking on additional work during times of high-volume activity or need.
  

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Communication:
• Able to give clear and timely information to the appropriate stakeholders in compliance with state and federal laws that safeguard personal information.
• Able to professionally communicate via written correspondence, telephone or video, online media, and face-to-face, and tailoring the message appropriately to the medium used and the audience (example: coworker, parent, student, other University employees).
• Also able to give clear and complete presentations and engage large groups, including varied audiences.
• Customer Service:
• Able to work professionally with prospective students, current students, parents, high school representatives, and university employees.
• Provides clear and timely information and answers to questions, following up as necessary or being able to refer an individual to a more appropriate team member.
• Able to empathize with others, understand the various perspectives that individuals bring to a situation, and address those perspectives.
• Project Management:
• Able to organize tasks in the right order to reach the right outcome at the right time.
• Monitor progress in projects and plans and adapt appropriately to changes or challenges.
• Communicates workload and status of projects effectively and timely. Is well organized and manages assignments to a successful conclusion.
• Technology:
• Able to use appropriate software for efficient completion of work objectives.
• Demonstrate beginner-level mastery of core MS Office programs and have general background knowledge about social media platforms.
• Cultural Understanding:
• Able to demonstrate respect for and engage with people of diverse backgrounds to create a stronger community.
• Emotional Intelligence:
• Ability to understand how this role fits into the overall goals of the EM office and the University, as well as how the quality and consistency of individual efforts affect other staff in the unit.
• Able to respond positively to direction and performance-related critiques.
• Able to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere on campus and when conducting University business off campus.
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• Valid driver's license with a vehicle available for recruitment travel
• Successful completion of a background check and motor vehicle record check
• Available for regular evening and weekend programs and activities as well as overnight travel.
• 1-2 years of admissions, financial aid, or enrollment management experience at a postsecondary school preferred.
• Other Requirements: (e.g., certificates, license required)
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs with or without reasonable accommodation.
  
  

Application Instructions

• Applications must be submitted online through Arcadia's Human Resources portal to receive full consideration. Please do not email application materials to the hiring manager. Due to the volume of applications received, communication will generally be limited to candidates selected for additional consideration.
• Application review will begin immediately. Posting will be removed from the website once we've established a sufficient talent pool for consideration.
  
  

Arcadia University is a top-ranked private University in Greater Philadelphia that provides a values-based educational experience by placing students at the center. The Institute of International Education has ranked Arcadia first nationally in study abroad for 10 of the last 13 years, and the Princeton Review has ranked Arcadia among the "Best in the Northeast" for eight consecutive years. The University's Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs are nationally ranked in their respective categories by U.S. News & World Report, which cites Arcadia for being among the top study abroad programs and among the "most innovative," and "best value" colleges. Arcadia promises a distinctively global, integrative, and personal learning experience that prepares students to contribute and lead in a diverse and dynamic world. Through its community of practice and commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) and to combating anti-Black Racism, Arcadia has made facilitating a safe and welcoming environment a priority. Learn more about our vibrant community at www.arcadia.edu.

Our belief and experience is that there is strength in diversity and we are committed to building a welcoming and inclusive environment for students and employees alike. We are a community built on varied experiences and perspectives that benefits from open-minded discussion and cultural humility. Guided by our University's values, we are committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and we are working towards dismantling anti-Black racism/white supremacy and other forms of interpersonal and systemic discrimination and oppression.

We welcome candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our community. The successful candidate will demonstrate examples of ways they will incorporate our values. in their work.

At Arcadia University, our JEDI principles (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) are the foundation of our highly regarded, values-based learning community, which reflects the world in which we want to live. As such, Arcadia actively seeks and welcomes candidates of diverse backgrounds and abilities. Arcadia prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, age, gender identity, military or military veteran status, disability, family medical or genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic. All offers of employment are conditional based on the successful completion of a background check. Employment may not begin until the University accepts the results of the background check.

AC0068