Director of Admissions

Southern California Institute of Technology; Anaheim (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

Health insurance

401(k)

Job summary

Southern California Institute of Technology in Anaheim is seeking a Director of Admissions to own the admissions function, shaping strategy and execution to achieve ethical, high‑performing enrollment outcomes.

You will lead a results‑driven team, establish transparent processes, and collaborate with Financial Aid, Registrar, and Academic leadership to drive enrollment growth while maintaining a strong focus on compliance and candidate experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 5+ years in admissions, enrollment management, sales, or related field
• 2–3+ years leading and managing teams
• Demonstrated success in improving performance metrics (enrollment, conversion, or similar)
• Experience in regulated/compliance-driven environments (higher education preferred)
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Experience with CRM or enrollment management systems

Responsibilities

• Own all aspects of admissions performance, including inquiry generation, conversion, and enrollment outcomes
• Develop and execute strategies to meet and exceed enrollment targets
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and reporting systems to track performance
• Build, lead, and manage a high-performing admissions team
• Set clear expectations and performance standards for Admissions Advisors
• Provide ongoing coaching, training, and performance feedback
• Address underperformance to maintain team effectiveness
• Evaluate, redesign, and continuously improve admissions processes
• Implement and manage CRM/enrollment systems to support tracking and decision-making
• Ensure processes are clearly documented, standardized, and scalable
• Oversee day-to-day admissions operations from initial inquiry through enrollment
• Ensure timely and accurate responses to all prospective student inquiries
• Maintain a seamless and professional experience for prospective students
• Ensure all admissions practices comply with policies and regulatory requirements
• Promote and enforce ethical enrollment practices
• Maintain accurate and complete applicant records
• Partner with Financial Aid, Registrar, and Academic leadership to support onboarding and success
• Establish regular reporting cadence on admissions performance
• Use data to identify trends and drive improvements
• Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership
• Oversee admissions-related events and campus visits
• Represent the institution professionally at external events such as college fairs

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Position Summary

The Director of Admissions is responsible for the full ownership, performance, and continuous improvement of the institution’s admissions function. This role leads both the strategy and execution of student enrollment, ensuring a structured, ethical, and high-performing admissions operation.

The Director will build and manage a results-driven team, establish clear processes and accountability, and drive measurable improvements in enrollment outcomes. This is a hands-on leadership role within a growing institution, requiring both strategic thinking and operational execution.

The ideal candidate is a high-agency leader who can create structure where needed, lead with accountability, and operate effectively in a lean, mission-driven environment.

Key Outcomes

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Consistent and predictable enrollment performance aligned with institutional goals
• Improved conversion rates across the admissions funnel (inquiry to enrollment)
• A structured, well-documented, and scalable admissions process
• A high-performing admissions team with clear metrics and accountability
• Timely, accurate, and compliant processing of all applicants
• Strong cross-functional alignment with Financial Aid, Academics, and Operations

Responsibilities

Admissions Leadership & Ownership

• Own all aspects of admissions performance, including inquiry generation, conversion, and enrollment outcomes
• Develop and execute strategies to meet and exceed enrollment targets
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and reporting systems to track performance

Team Leadership and Accountability

• Build, lead, and manage a high-performing admissions team
• Set clear expectations and performance standards for Admissions Advisors
• Provide ongoing coaching, training, and performance feedback
• Address underperformance directly and constructively to maintain team effectiveness

Process Development & Optimization

• Evaluate, redesign, and continuously improve admissions processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness
• Implement and manage CRM/enrollment systems to support tracking, reporting, and decision-making
• Ensure processes are clearly documented, standardized, and scalable

Operations Management

• Oversee day-to-day admissions operations from initial inquiry through enrollment
• Ensure timely and accurate responses to all prospective student inquiries
• Maintain a seamless and professional experience for prospective students

Compliance and Ethics

• Ensure all admissions practices comply with institutional policies and regulatory requirements
• Promote and enforce ethical enrollment practices across the team
• Maintain accurate and complete applicant records

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Financial Aid, Registrar, and Academic leadership to support student onboarding and success
• Ensure alignment between admissions commitments and institutional capabilities

Data and Reporting

• Establish a regular reporting cadence on admissions performance
• Use data to identify trends, diagnose issues, and drive improvements
• Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership

Events and External Representation

• Oversee admissions-related events, including campus visits, orientations, and outreach activities
• Represent the institution professionally at external events such as college fairs

Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• 5+ years of experience in admissions, enrollment management, sales, or a related field
• 2–3+ years of experience leading and managing teams
• Demonstrated success in improving performance metrics (enrollment, conversion, or similar)
• Experience working in a regulated or compliance-driven environment preferred (higher education strongly preferred)
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Experience with CRM or enrollment management systems

Work Environment & Expectations

• This is a hands-on leadership role requiring both strategic oversight and operational involvement
• The Director is expected to operate with a high level of ownership and accountability
• Success requires comfort working in a lean, fast-paced, and evolving environment
• The regular work schedule is intended to be from 9am to 6pm, Mondays-Fridays, but may alter depending on need.
• This position is onsite

Benefits Summary

• Paid Sick Leave: 40 hours of paid sick leave for each calendar year
• Paid Vacation: 80 hours of paid vacation for the second year of employment onward - 40 hours for the first year. Vacation hours are accrued each term following the 90 day introductory period.
• Paid Holidays: Total of 7 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, eligible after the 90 day introductory period.
• Health Insurance: The school offers both PPO and HMO insurance plans where up to $400 of the monthly insurance premium is covered by the school.
• 401(k): Following the first year of employment and 1000 hours of services, employees may participate in the school’s 401(k) plan.