Assistant Director - Admissions

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Admissions

Department: 100175 - Admissions Office

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 03/03/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Office of Admissions at James Madison University is accepting applications for an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Recruitment. This experienced position is responsible for recruiting first-year and transfer students through on- and off-campus recruitment events, executing strategic recruitment travel (6-8 weeks in the fall and 2-3 weeks in the spring), reviewing admissions applications, overseeing one or more office initiatives, and supervising 1-2 Admissions Counselors and/or Senior Admissions Counselors. This position offers the option to work remotely one day per week.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serves as the primary point of contact for an assigned recruitment region. This involves answering emails, phone calls, online inquiries, and in-person questions from prospective students, their families, and high school counselors in a timely fashion.
• Represents JMU positively at high school visits, college fairs, on-campus recruitment efforts and panels to connect with prospective students and families. This involves delivering presentations to prospective students and families about what JMU has to offer and clearly articulating the admissions process and criteria.
• Helps prospective students and families navigate application processes, select competitive courses for admission to the university, and identify potential majors that align with desired career goals.
• Evaluates freshman applications for assigned recruitment region and makes admissions decisions. This requires the ability to analyze transcripts; develop an understanding of different schools’ offerings and grading scales; follow-up with school counselors; make accurate, consistent decisions; use professional judgement; participate in admissions application committees; and support building a diverse student population.
• Responds to and develops entrance pathways for applicants not initially offered admission to JMU. Requires an ability to listen, understand, and validate conversations with families to provide counseling and advising.
• Utilizes PeopleSoft, OnBase, and other JMU software and technologies to analyze application information, communicate with prospective students and applicants, record notes, and maintain accurate data.
• Works with the Senior Assistant Director for Recruitment Travel to develop a strategic travel plan that maximizes outreach to prospective students. Requires an ability to analyze historical data and reports, keep current with regional changes, and identify potential new markets for recruitment.
• Manages regional travel logistics by building fall and spring travel schedules, booking hotels, reserving and driving a JMU-owned vehicle to/between/from recruitment events, and utilizing software to enter events and record event attendance.
• Uses Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other technologies to meet virtually with prospective students.
• Oversees one or more office initiatives. These include, but are not limited to, Alumni Recruitment Volunteers, the Counselor Education Program, Out-of-State Recruitment Receptions, Scholarships, Student Recruitment Tele-center, and/or JMU PreK-12 Programming Outreach.
• Supervises 1-2 Admissions Counselors and/or Senior Admissions Counselors.
• Serves on ad hoc office committees as needed, which can include hiring committees for vacant positions, working groups evaluating office processes, and/or other collectives focusing on areas identified by office leadership.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 2 years of demonstrated experience in undergraduate admissions.
• Some evening and weekend availability.
• Valid driver’s license.
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs with or without an accommodation.

Preferred:

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with keen attention to detail.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Customer service experience.
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Supervisory experience.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.