Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions

Pepperdine University; Malibu (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Pepperdine University is seeking an experienced admissions and recruitment professional to manage the full cycle from inquiry through enrollment within the School of Public Policy’s Office of Student Services. The role includes coordinating with the senior director, supervising student workers, and handling office operations and communications with prospective students, applicants, and admitted students.

The position emphasizes high-touch, student-centered service, data-driven recruitment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of experience in admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, student services, or related field.
• Exemplary communication skills, including proofreading and editing, written and oral communication.
• Proven track record of making independent decisions.
• Experience with CRM databases and online admissions applications; familiarity with Salesforce and PeopleSoft is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee full admissions process from inquiry to enrollment with accurate file management.
• Lead recruitment initiatives and coordinate graduate recruitment events and campus visits.
• Manage administrative functions of the Office of Student Services including invoicing and vendor communications.
• Coordinate with OISS for F-1 Visa processing and onboarding for new students.
• Hire, train, and supervise student workers and program ambassadors.
• Plan and execute new student orientation and recruitment information sessions.

Skills

Admissions experience

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

CRM databases

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

The purpose of this position is to execute the primary functions of the Office of Student Services related to the tasks associated with admissions, recruitment planning and organization, and office management, collaborating with the senior director and director of recruitment and program relations in providing full-service recruitment and admissions services to prospective applicants and students to the School of Public Policy and administrative office management of the Office of Student Services.

Duties

• Admissions: Oversee and manage the full application and admissions process from initial inquiry through enrollment. Create, organize, and maintain student application files; ensure accurate and timely entry of applicant information into CRM and PeopleSoft; and follow up on recommenders and missing application materials to complete files for committee review. Collaborate with the admissions and scholarship committee to schedule, coordinate, and facilitate applicant reviews, provide required documentation, and ensure compliance with established procedures. Maintain and update applicant checklists, monitor admissions progress, and proactively resolve incomplete files. Deliver high-touch, student-centered service by providing timely communication, guidance, and support throughout the admissions process, responding to inquiries and resolving issues. Prepare admissions reports, metrics, and recommendations for senior leadership to support strategic decision-making. Lead recruitment and admissions initiatives, manage stakeholder communications, and identify opportunities to improve admissions processes. Ensure the timely distribution of acceptance packets, deposit notifications, denial letters, and other applicant communications, and manage communications with prospective students, applicants, and admitted or denied students throughout the admissions cycle. Maintain admissions documents and systems, including PeopleSoft queries, Historical Submitted/Completed/Admit/Intent charts and graphs, Admit reports, and Admission Rubric Scoring sheets throughout the admissions cycle. Oversee the accurate transfer of admitted student data between Salesforce and PeopleSoft.
• Recruitment: Develop and implement comprehensive recruitment strategies that align with the school's goals and objectives. Identify target markets and develop outreach plans to attract prospective students from diverse backgrounds. Analyze market trends and demographic data to adjust recruitment strategies accordingly. Develop and maintain recruiting calendar for graduate fairs and other recruitment events; set up school visits and campus tours for interested candidates; responsibilities include recruiting students to SPP's growing presence in Washington, DC, and any other academic and professional programs created at the School of Public Policy. The recruitment strategic plan should build and maintain an enrollment based on University goals. Establish and maintain relationships with undergraduate institutions, professional organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. Represent the graduate school and travel to regional and local recruitment events, graduate fairs, and other promotional activities. Engage with alumni and current students to leverage their networks in the recruitment process. Monitor and analyze recruitment data in CRM to assess the effectiveness of various strategies including information sessions, journeys, and graduate fairs. Troubleshoot CRM issues, and analyze recruitment data to identify trends and assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Use data-driven insights to refine recruitment tactics and improve outcomes.
• Office Management: Manage the administrative functions of the Office of Student Services, including reconciling all departmental credit card statements, ordering all business cards, managing inventory, setting up mailings for the Office of Student Services-including GRE list pulls, developing and maintaining files, answering phones by fielding prospective student, applicant, and current student questions; and assisting all "walk-ins," maintaining appointment calendar and planning travel (as necessary) for the director of recruitment and program relations. Pay all invoices and act as the primary point of contact for the University Cashier's Office and process cash and check deposit transactions. Maintain clean and organized office areas, including the student resource room and relevant conference room space, and replenish recruitment supplies. Provide a welcoming reception to all current students at all times.
• Enrollment: Partner with the Office of International Student Services (OISS) for F-1 Visa processing and requirements to ensure that students are in compliance with federal immigration requirements. Oversee orientation management onboarding for new students and Ensure all newly admitted students are ready for matriculation and enrollment and smoothly transition to the School of Public Policy. Regularly report information on all of these responsibilities to the senior director and suggest business process improvements.
• Supervision: Hire, train, and manage student workers in the Office of Student Services and provide day-to-day supervision of the SPP Student Admissions Ambassadors.
• Events: Plan, organize, and execute new student orientation; welcome week activities; recruitment open house events and conferences; and SPP recruitment and admissions information sessions in the University CRM platform Salesforce.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of experience in admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, student services, financial aid, higher education administration, or a related academic/policy environment.
• Skill and diplomacy in interacting with students, prospective students, alumni, donors, employers and other internal and external constituents.
• Exemplary communication skills, including proofreading and editing, written and oral communication.
• Proven track record of making independent decisions.
• Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to work as a team member; demonstrated professional record of taking initiative, providing counsel, and a quick learner.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to multi-task.
• Knowledge of Pepperdine University, the School of Public Policy, and academic policies.
• Knowledge and understanding of public policy and policy analysis and the industries of public policy.
• Knowledge of internet and software for admissions, recruitment, and financial aid, including CRM databases and on-line admission applications; experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Education suite (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Docs, Hangout, Sites).

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in management, marketing, or related field to the School of Public Policy (i.e., public administration, public policy, history, political science, economics, statistics, most social sciences).
• Work experience in the public policy or academic arena of at minimum 3 to 5 years.
• Experience working in a graduate admissions or recruitment setting.
• Experience in developing strategic plans within an academic/policy environment and working with others to achieve challenging goals.
• Ability to analyze broadly defined policies/activities and formulate plans for implementation of recruitment, financial aid, and student services issues; ability to initiate and take independent action.
• Knowledge and understanding of recruitment strategies, admissions processes, financial aid processing, academic advising, marketing and communication techniques, public policy analysis, and professional development coaching.
• Experience working in the policy environment; experience working in the academic environment.
• Preference given to those with broad experience in software used in the position:
  • Recruit/Admission: Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, Oracle/PeopleSoft, Etrieve, Zoom/Adobe Connect/GotoMeeting
  • Career/Alumni/Relationship Development: Handshake and Raiser’s Edge
  • Financial Aid: US Department of Education Origination and Disbursement, National Student Loan Data System (clearinghouse), and Oracle/PeopleSoft.

This is a Regular, Nonexempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $30.28 - $32.21 per hour

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.