Senior Manager, Student Recruitment & Admissions

McMaster University; Hamilton; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian university in Hamilton seeks a Senior Manager for Recruitment & Admissions. The successful candidate will oversee strategic planning for student recruitment and work closely with various stakeholders to meet enrollment objectives. The role requires a Bachelor's degree, preferably a graduate degree, and experience in enrollment management. This is a hybrid position requiring both on-site and remote work.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in business, education or a related field.
• A graduate degree is preferred.
• Experience in enrollment management and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with University central offices on student recruitment.
• Develop and implement strategic recruitment plans.
• Manage budget and operations for student recruitment initiatives.

Skills

Enrollment Management

Strategic Planning

Collaboration

Leadership

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

Overview

The DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, located in Hamilton, Ontario, offers undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs in business, including a well-regarded MBA program. DeGroote focuses on experiential learning, integrating real-world business challenges into coursework and providing students with opportunities to engage with industry leaders through internships, co-ops, and networking events. The school emphasizes leadership, ethics, and sustainability, preparing students to excel in a changing global business landscape. DeGroote’s research focuses on areas such as healthcare management, financial services, and business innovation, with strong connections to industry and a collaborative approach to learning.

The school’s diverse community of students, faculty, and alumni contributes to a dynamic and forward-thinking business education experience.

Position

Job Title: Senior Manager, Recruitment & Admissions

Job ID: 69932

Location: Ron Joyce Centre, Burlington and McMaster Main Campus, Hamilton

Reporting to: Associate Director, Academic Programs

Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Hybrid schedule)

Education Level: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in business, education or a related field. A graduate degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Enrollment / Admissions: Collaborate with University central offices and represent the faculty on policies, practices and procedures related to student recruitment and strategic input and oversight of recruitment-related admissions annually.
• Share the strategic recruitment direction for the Faculty with stakeholders, working with Central teams and departments to attain input and deploy recruitment activities.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships to support University strategies and meet enrolment targets; develop innovative programming and recruitment materials for domestic and international students.
• Advise on annual domestic and international enrolment targets in consultation with DoFA, Dean, Associate Deans, and Associate Director, using trends and market analysis data.
• Meet domestic and international enrolment targets for all programs, as set by the Faculty and the Enrolment Management Team.
• Strategize to meet targets, including setting admission averages, and coordinate with Registrar / Admissions to ensure targets are met.
• Assist with review and monitoring of admissions and entrance awards; manage annual enrolment management processes for incoming students and set program targets; review admission averages and implement recruitment strategies.
• Monitor admissions enrolment statistics for all programs and document analyses related to comparable faculties at other institutions.
• Evaluate, track and support student transition initiatives (webinars, info sessions, New Student Guide development, and deployment) in collaboration with central offices to support student retention.

Strategic Planning & Leadership

• Overall responsibility for undergraduate and graduate student recruitment for the Faculty.
• Develop and implement full-cycle strategic plans aligned with Faculty and University priorities; create systems to measure effectiveness and impact of programs.
• Identify, recommend, and implement new Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategies for outreach, recruitment, and admissions activities; report diversity data to senior leadership annually.
• Manage budget and operations for all Faculty Student Recruitment initiatives; oversee budgets, operational plans, policy, processes, and reporting.
• Lead managers and specialists, including coaching on HR aspects such as work assignment, hiring, training, performance management, and professional development of direct reports.

Recruitment & Admissions

• Develop and oversee deployment of all student recruitment activities and strategies in the Faculty.
• Build and maintain relationships with priority external schools and organizations, and coordinate with central McMaster recruitment and admissions teams.
• Design and implement marketing, communications, and outreach to increase diversity and recruitment outcomes domestically and internationally.
• Represent the Faculty as a lead international recruitment contact (travel required); explore and foster emerging markets in alignment with recruitment strategy.
• Develop annual marketing and communication strategies with central offices for each program at each stage of the student journey.
• Analyze data to determine future recruitment markets and guide campaigns, investments, and best practices.
• Review and revise recruitment and admissions strategies to align with Faculty and University priorities; advise departments on recruitment and outreach initiatives.
• Prepare statistical reports and cost/market analyses to guide recruitment cycles; share insights with central recruitment teams.
• Assist other recruitment managers with day-to-day tasks as necessary.
• Collaborate with Associate Directors and Deans to set admissions cut-offs using data-driven enrolment modelling.
• Partner with campus units to ensure a smooth applicant-to-enrolled transition and execute retention strategies to minimize melt.
• Review enrolment results against targets and provide guidance to improve outcomes.
• Coordinate with the Registrar’s Office and School of Graduate Studies on campus-wide initiatives and integrate new processes into operations.

Scholarships & Partnerships

• Manage Faculty-based entrance award programs for undergraduate applicants, including development of questions, criteria, and advertising scholarships.
• Partner with external organizations to create recruitment pipelines through outreach and scholarships; develop MOUs or sponsorships.
• Develop relationships with elementary and secondary schools to bring STEM programming to youth.
• Create funding strategies to support outreach and access programs; write grant proposals and coordinate partnerships across campus.

Marketing & Communications

• Collaborate with Faculty Marketing & Communications to develop materials (print and digital) for recruitment, including ads, videos, and viewbooks.
• Partner on content marketing initiatives to showcase student stories across platforms and lead recruitment storytelling opportunities.

Other

• Focus on high-level relationship building and strategic plan development; support program recruitment during peak periods.
• Serve as the Delegate of the Associate Director when requested.
• Participate in faculty or campus-wide committees related to recruitment and admissions.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.

The diversity of our workforce is central to our innovation and excellence. McMaster strives to embody respect, collaboration and diversity, and is committed to employment equity.

The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, and especially welcomes applications from Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.

Applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey during the online application process. For more information, please refer to the application page.

Job applicants requiring accommodation should contact 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247) or ext. 22207 or ext. 23679 to communicate accommodation needs.

Hybrid Work Language

The University supports flexible work arrangements but on-site work may be required for most positions to meet operational needs.

Interview Experience