Athletic Recruiting Liaison

Aurora University; Aurora (IL); Hybrid; USD 46,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurora University seeks an Athletic Recruiting Liaison to recruit and enroll prospective student athletes. You will work with coaches to guide applicants through the admissions process, coordinate campus visits, and participate in recruitment events across multiple sports.

The role emphasizes collaboration with admissions, athletics staff, and families to ensure a diverse, qualified class aligned with AU’s access and student success priorities. Hybrid work options may be available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience in higher education admissions is important.
• Knowledge of Aurora University programs preferred.
• Experience in sales is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify, recruit, and enroll a specified number of prospective students in an assigned sport, collaborating with athletic coaches.
• Assist with enrollment strategies and campaigns to meet institutional goals.
• Coordinate campus visits, open houses, and recruitment events with coaches and staff.
• Guide prospective families through the financial aid process and develop a plan for attendance at Aurora University.

Skills

Communication skills

Time management

Self-motivated

Customer service

Microsoft Office

Confidential information handling

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Colleague/Slate

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Purpose:

The Athletic Recruiting Liaison supports the Institution’s missionby recruiting a diverse student population of student athletes toundergraduate programs. In collaboration with coaches, the liaisonfacilitates the enrollment of prospective student athletes bytaking them through the admission process. This role is essentialto building strong incoming classes aligned with AU’s commitment toaccess, academic quality, and student success.

Core Competencies:

1. Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner withprospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers andthe community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse groupof faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service,learns and uses operating practices of the department and AuroraUniversity.
2. Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, oursingular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personaland professional success. We do this by being an inclusivecommunity dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As ateaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate andgraduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful andpurposeful lives.
3. Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizesthe confidential nature of university business.
4. Supports learning through performance of essential jobfunctions and performing other duties and functions as necessary oras assigned, including voluntary participation in universitycommittees, activities and events.

Essential Job Functions:

• Identifies, recruits and enrolls a specified quantity ofprospective students in an assigned sport and works in concert withthe athletic coaching staff on the co-recruitment of undergraduate(freshman and transfer) athletes.
• Assist with special programs and research projects;participates in the development and implementation of enrollmentstrategies to achieve institutional enrollment goals.
• Achieve assigned recruiting metrics, including visits forassigned territory.
• Timely follow up at all levels of the enrollment funnel toyield the correct call to action for the next required step.
• Provide accurate information about Aurora University’s degreeprogram and admissions procedures.
• Evaluate high school transcripts, some test scores (ACT/SAT),provide recommendations on athletes in order to advise coaches,students, and family on student admission and scholarships.
• Attends college fairs and in house phone nights, and providesimpactful communication with prospect families to build strongpersonal relationships.
• Assists coaches with the coordination of athletic relatedrecruiting events including, but not limited to: open houses, gameday events, overnight campus visits and junior prospectevents.
• Works with the Assistant Vice President for Freshman Admissionto keep coaches informed about open houses, AU4U events, and otherkey events, as well as providing updates on admissions andinstitutional matters as needed.
• Communicate Aurora University’s advantages to variouspopulations in varying situations.
• Provides the Assistant Vice President for Freshman Admissionwith territory, monthly, weekly benchmark report, and communicationreport per sport and coach.
• Recommends promotional materials needed to promote each sport,with University Communications and Sports InformationDirector.
• Facilitates communication between coaches and athletes bycoordinating information through Slate, Front Rush, and relatedsystems.
• Help manage each coach’s individual recruiting roster to ensureaccuracy; if inaccurate, takes the appropriate action tocorrect.
• Develop and manage a communication process to the athletes andtheir families from the athlete’s first contact through finalassignment decision.
• Work directly with coaches, faculty and recruited athletes tocoordinate, schedule, communicate and execute campus visits.
• Support open houses, on-campus and off-campus territoryrecruitment events.
• Guide prospective families through the financial aid process;assist families to determine a comprehensive financial plan forattendance at Aurora University.
• Manage student interns to assist in fulfilling admissioncounselor duties.
• Engage with current CRM, Colleague and other technologyrecruitment strategies; actively recommend ideas and processimprovements.
• Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Vice President forFreshman Admission or AU administration.

Essential Job Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

Experience:

• Experience in higher education admission is important.
• Knowledge of Aurora University academic programspreferred.
• Experience in sales is preferred.

Skills:

• Receptive to the needs of and ability to relate well toprospective families is necessary.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and time managementskills.
• Self-motivated to achieve goals.
• Ability to work well with others and willingness to take onmeaningful additional responsibilities.
• Customer-service orientation and professional manners.
• Knowledge of Microsoft software essential. Knowledge ofColleague/Slate preferred.
• Ability to handle and act upon confidential information.
• Ability to speak in front of unknown audiences.
• Ability to prioritize work and to meet deadlines required.Flexibility with an evolving work situation.
• Ability to accept divergent views while maintaining aconstructive working relationship with other team members.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work with a computer for long periods of theday.
• Ability to attend off campus meetings.
• Office setting, standing, walking, sitting.
• Ability to interact via telephone, in person and via electronicmedia.
• Ability to lift boxes of materials when needed.

Work Hours:

• Expected equivalent of 40 hours per week, but days/hours mayvary as needed. Hybrid employment will be considered if candidatecan demonstrate ability to fulfill this role effectivelyoff-site.

Special Requirements:

• A valid driver's license and driving record which meetsinstitutional requirements is required.
• Requires travel between campus locations or to attend off-sitemeetings. .