Associate Director, International Admissions

Rhode Island School of Design; Rhode Island; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhode Island School of Design in Providence seeks the Associate Director, International Admissions to lead strategic recruitment and admissions for a diverse, global applicant pool. The role oversees the I-20 process as a Designated School Official and collaborates with senior leadership to align enrollment with RISD's global mission.

The position requires building partnerships with international schools and education networks, reviewing applications, and using data to guide forecasts and

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and annually assess a multiyear international recruitment plan aligned with institutional enrollment goals, academic priorities, and available resources.
• Identify priority, growth, and emerging markets using enrollment trends, student quality, geographic diversity, affordability, mobility, risk, and institutional fit.
• Plan and conduct international travel and recruitment activities, including school visits, portfolio programs, fairs, counselor engagement, family information sessions, and virtual programming. Develop market-specific outreach and yield strategies with Admissions Communications, Student Financial Services, and other campus partners.
• Monitor geopolitical, economic, policy, and mobility developments; advise enrollment leadership on their potential impact; and manage assigned budgets and recruitment investments based on outcomes and return on investment.
• Lead or coordinate the review of assigned international first-year and transfer applications, including academic records, school context, English-language proficiency documentation and portfolio materials, and provide guidance for international graduate application review as appropriate.
• Develop guidance for evaluating international credentials and educational systems; train admissions readers in equitable, culturally responsive practices; and support quality assurance, committee preparation, and consistent policy application.
• Identify barriers affecting international applicants and recommend improvements to policies, communications, forms, and workflows. Maintain knowledge of ethical recruitment standards and regulatory developments, referring immigration matters beyond the position's authority to ISSA.
• Build and maintain relationships with international schools, art and design programs, counselors, EducationUSA centers, community organizations, alumni and other mission-aligned networks.
• Develop and manage an International Alumni Recruitment Network in partnership with Alumni Relations, including ambassador selection, training, communications, event participation, and program assessment.
• Represent RISD at international events, conferences, counselor programs and portfolio-development activities, and create year-round opportunities for counselors and educators to learn about RISD's curriculum, community, admissions process, and portfolio expectations.
• Track and analyze international inquiries, applicants, admits, deposits, and enrolled students by market, school, and recruitment activity, including conversion, yield, melt, market concentration, enrollment quality, event effectiveness, and return on investment.
• Produce regular market briefs and an annual assessment of recruitment activities, partnerships and outcomes. Partner with enrollment leadership to develop forecasts, enrollment targets and recommendations for future investment.
• Review domestic and international applications and portfolios, participate in the admissions committee, and support office-wide recruitment, yield, and enrollment priorities through tours, information sessions, portfolio programs, and advising.
• Maintain a regular presence in the Providence-based Admissions office and contribute to staff training, visitor experience, and cross-functional enrollment initiatives.

Job description

JOB SUMMARY:

The Associate Director, International Admissions provides strategic and operational leadership for RISD's international recruitment and admission efforts. Working with the Director, Admissions, and VP, Enrollment Management, the Associate Director develops and executes a data-informed, multi-year strategy to attract, evaluate, and enroll talented artists and designers from diverse countries, educational systems, and lived experiences.

As RISD's primary admissions leader for international recruitment, the Associate Director manages priority markets and partnerships, leads international application review, analyzes enrollment data, and represents RISD worldwide. The Associate Director serves on the Admissions leadership team and as a Designated School Official (DSO), overseeing the admissions-related I-20 process in coordination with the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO), International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA), and other campus partners. The position ensures that international recruitment and enrollment practices are culturally responsive, federally compliant, and aligned with RISD's enrollment goals and global mission.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/DUTIES:

International Recruitment Strategy and Outreach

• Develop, implement, and annually assess a multiyear international recruitment plan aligned with institutional enrollment goals, academic priorities, and available resources.
• Identify priority, growth, and emerging markets using enrollment trends, student quality, geographic diversity, affordability, mobility, risk, and institutional fit.
• Plan and conduct international travel and recruitment activities, including school visits, portfolio programs, fairs, counselor engagement, family information sessions, and virtual programming. Develop market-specific outreach and yield strategies with Admissions Communications, Student Financial Services, and other campus partners.
• Monitor geopolitical, economic, policy, and mobility developments; advise enrollment leadership on their potential impact; and manage assigned budgets and recruitment investments based on outcomes and return on investment.

International Application Review and Policy

• Lead or coordinate the review of assigned international first-year and transfer applications, including academic records, school context, English-language proficiency documentation and portfolio materials, and provide guidance for international graduate application review as appropriate.
• Develop guidance for evaluating international credentials and educational systems; train admissions readers in equitable, culturally responsive practices; and support quality assurance, committee preparation, and consistent policy application.
• Identify barriers affecting international applicants and recommend improvements to policies, communications, forms, and workflows. Maintain knowledge of ethical recruitment standards and regulatory developments, referring immigration matters beyond the position's authority to ISSA.

Partnerships and Global Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with international schools, art and design programs, counselors, EducationUSA centers, community organizations, alumni and other mission-aligned networks. Evaluate prospective partnerships based on access, mission alignment, student preparation, geographic priorities, scalability, and anticipated outcomes.
• Develop and manage an International Alumni Recruitment Network in partnership with Alumni Relations, including ambassador selection, training, communications, event participation, and program assessment. Provide alumni with approved messaging, ethical recruitment and referral guidance, and clear boundaries regarding admissions decisions and immigration advice.
• Represent RISD at international events, conferences, counselor programs and portfolio-development activities, and create year-round opportunities for counselors and educators to learn about RISD's curriculum, community, admissions process, and portfolio expectations.

Enrollment Data and Market Analysis

• Track and analyze international inquiries, applicants, admits, deposits, and enrolled students by market, school, and recruitment activity, including conversion, yield, melt, market concentration, enrollment quality, event effectiveness, and return on investment.
• Produce regular market briefs and an annual assessment of recruitment activities, partnerships and outcomes. Partner with enrollment leadership to develop forecasts, enrollment targets and recommendations for future investment.

Office-Wide Admissions and DSO Responsibilities

• Review domestic and international applications and portfolios, participate in the admissions committee, and support office-wide recruitment, yield, and enrollment priorities through tours, information sessions, portfolio programs, and advising.
• Maintain a regular presence in the Providence-based Admissions office and contribute to staff training, visitor experience, and cross-functional enrollment initiati