Communication Center Manager

UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ; Scotch Plains (NJ); On-site; USD 68,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits

Twenty vacation days

Ten paid holidays

Ten-week summer schedule

Gym privileges

Tuition remission for credit and non‑c

Tuition reimbursement for approved deg

Job summary

UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ seeks a Communication Center Manager to lead the Communications Center and drive student engagement, enrollment conversion, and retention through strategic, data-informed outreach across phone, text, email, chat, and other channels.

The role oversees day-to-day operations, coaches staff, and coordinates with Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Academic Affairs, and student services to remove enrollment barriers and improve outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in higher education, communications, business, or related field required.
• Master's degree in higher education, business administration, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily inbound and outbound Communication Center operations across telephone, text, chat, and other approved communication channels.
• Oversee prospective student outreach from inquiry through application, admission, registration, and first-term attendance.
• Develop targeted persistence and re-enrollment campaigns for currently enrolled, stopped-out, and at-risk students.
• Build and manage structured contact schedules, lead-prioritization procedures, follow-up workflows, and CRM documentation.
• Coach, schedule, and evaluate Communication Center Generalists on consultative conversations and follow-up.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Academic Affairs, and student support teams to remove enrollment barriers.
• Oversee use of CRM platforms, calling systems, messaging apps, chatbots, and AI-assisted tools.
• Analyze enrollment and campaign results by source, student population, channel, and stage.
• Prepare weekly dashboards and monthly leadership reports.
• Oversee cross-training, knowledge-base accuracy, and quality assurance; conduct direct student outreach and resolve escalated concerns.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

CRM proficiency

Multichannel communication

Data analysis

Staff coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Staff management

Education

Bachelor's degree in higher education, business, or related field

Master's degree in related field

Tools

CRM platforms

AI-assisted tools

Job description

Communication Center Manager

Campus: Scotch Plains

Department: Communications Center

Contract: Full Time

Exempt: Exempt

Type: Regular

General Description:
Under the direction of the Assistant Dean of Advising, Career & Transfer, the Communication Center Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the Communication Center. The Manager is responsible for driving prospective and current student engagement, enrollment conversion, registration, and retention through proactive, data-informed communication strategies. The Manager oversees day-to-day operations and leads staff responsible for inbound and outbound student engagement through telephone, text, email, chat, video, and other communication platforms.The Manager establishes and monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) related to student contacts, call activity, lead follow-up, conversion of prospective students to registered students, registration outcomes, re-enrollment, and retention. The Manager leverages technology, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and engagement data to develop targeted outreach strategies, improve student outcomes, and ensure Communication Center operations align with institutional enrollment, retention, student success, and service priorities.

Characteristics, Duties, and Responsibilities

• Lead daily inbound and outbound Communication Center operations across telephone, text, chat, and other approved communication channels. Establish service levels, staffing plans, quality standards, and escalation procedures.


• Oversee prospective student outreach from initial inquiry through application, admission, registration, and first-term attendance. Coordinate segmented lead-nurturing and re-engagement campaigns.


• Develop targeted persistence and re-enrollment campaigns for currently enrolled, stopped-out, and at-risk students, including those with incomplete registration, financial clearance, or academic planning requirements.


• Build and manage structured contact schedules, lead-prioritization procedures, follow-up workflows, and CRM documentation to ensure every qualified inquiry and student concern has an assigned next action.


• Coach, schedule, and evaluate Communication Center Generalists on consultative conversations, proactive follow-up, accurate student guidance, CRM documentation, call quality, and achievement of established performance targets.


• Collaborate with Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Academic Affairs, and student support teams to remove enrollment barriers, coordinate referrals, and resolve recurring process issues.


• Oversee the appropriate use of CRM platforms, calling systems, messaging applications, chatbots, and AI-assisted tools. Ensure timely, accurate communication and compliance with applicable privacy and communication consent requirements.


• Analyze enrollment and campaign results by source, student population, communication channel, and enrollment stage. Oversee chatbot training and use findings to refine scripts, outreach timing, staffing, and communication strategies.


• Prepare weekly performance dashboards and monthly leadership reports summarizing outcomes, trends, root causes, corrective actions, and progress toward established goals.


• Oversee cross-training, knowledge-base accuracy, and quality assurance. Conduct direct student outreach and resolve escalated student concerns when necessary.


• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in higher education, communications, business, or related field required.


• Master's degree in higher education, business administration, or a related field preferred.

Experience

• Experience supervising a contact center, admissions or enrollment outreach operation, student services department, or comparable high-volume customer engagement operation.


• Demonstrated ability to manage performance through CRM reporting, enrollment funnel analysis, campaign design, staff coaching, and continuous improvement.


• Strong communication, problem-solving, data interpretation, staff development, and cross-functional collaboration skills, along with proficiency in office and multichannel communication technologies.


• Experience supervising staff and student workers.

Competencies and Skills Required

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with students, staff, faculty, and external stakeholders.


• Demonstrated ability to lead a results-oriented Communication Center focused on student engagement, enrollment conversion, registration, retention, and overall student success.


• Familiarity with EAB Navigate and EAB Enrollment Success, including CRM functionality, student data, campaigns, communication tools, and reporting to support prospective and current student outreach.


• Ability to establish, monitor, and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), including inbound and outbound call activity, student contacts, lead follow‑up, registration conversion, re‑enrollment, and retention outcomes.


• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret enrollment, engagement, and communication data; identify trends; assess outreach effectiveness; and adjust strategies to improve outcomes.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint), with the ability to quickly learn new platforms.


• Proficiency with communication technologies, CRM platforms, and AI‑assisted tools, with the ability to adopt new systems and effectively train and support staff in their use.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• This position's duties are normally performed in a typical interior/residence work environment, based on the activity scheduled.


• Some physical effort required; however, the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.


• No or very limited exposure to physical risk.


• Some travel required.

Salary: $68,000 - $72,000

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits.


• Twenty vacation days.


• Ten paid holidays.


• Ten-week summer work schedule which allows the college to close on Fridays.


• Gym privileges.


• Tuition remission for credit and non-credit courses at UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ.


• Tuition reimbursement for an approved degree program at an accredited college or university.

Terms of Employment

Full Time. Flexible schedule to meet department needs. Some evening, weekends, and extended hours may be required. Ability and willingness to travel on short notice to all on and off-campus sites as needed by the college. Overtime may be required throughout the year, especially at peak times. Employee must establish primary residency in New Jersey within one year of appointment unless an exemption applies.

UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination, as required by state and/or federal law, in all programs and activities, including employment and access to its career and technical programs. UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ is an EEO/AAP Employer/Protected Veteran/Disabled.