Director of Recruitment & Admissions

Prairie State College; Chicago Heights (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PSC Tuition Waivers

Tuition Reimbursement

Medical

Job summary

Prairie State College seeks a Director of Recruitment & Admissions to lead enrollment growth, oversee the Welcome Center, and coordinate college-wide recruitment efforts. The role drives data-informed strategies, partnerships, and student-centered service from inquiry to enrollment.

Responsibilities include managing a team of Welcome Center staff, developing campaigns with Marketing, and ensuring timely information on admissions, tuition, aid, and next steps.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, enrollment management, student affairs, marketing, public administration, communications, business administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, student recruitment, enrollment management, student services, marketing, community outreach, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience leading employees, coordinating the work of others, establishing accountability, and providing coaching or performance feedback.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing recruitment strategies, using data to guide decisions, and working toward measurable enrollment or organizational goals.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, technology, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse students, families, employees, and community partners.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally and work evenings and weekends as required.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to changing enrollment conditions, and follow through on commitments.
• Commitment to providing welcoming, equitable, responsive, and student-centered service.
• Knowledge of student privacy requirements and applicable federal and state regulations, including FERPA.
• Ability to stay current on recruitment trends, admissions practices, enrollment technologies, demographic changes, and student expectations.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on leadership for recruitment and admissions and meet enrollment goals.
• Oversee Welcome Center operations and supervise two staff members.
• Ensure timely, accurate information about admissions, programs, tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and next steps.
• Develop and manage the Recruitment, Admissions, and Welcome Center budget.
• Lead a peer Enrollment Ambassador Program engaging current students in recruitment and events.
• Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive annual recruitment plan.
• Identify priority populations and develop targeted strategies for adult learners, high school graduates, transfers.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Communications and Marketing on campaigns and materials.
• Plan open houses, campus visits, and information sessions.
• Oversee vendor relationships with ReUp and other partners.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication skills

Data-driven decisions

Strategic planning

Travel willingness

Adaptability

Relationship building

Education

Master’s degree in higher education, enrollment management, student affairs, marketing, public administration, communications, business administration, or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Data dashboards

Enrollment software

Job description

All applications must be submitted electronically on the website.

Posting Number

Posting Number S0412P

Classification

Classification Managerial

DBM Rating

DBM Rating C51

Position Number

Position Title

Position Title Director of Recruitment & Admissions

Position Type

Position Type Managerial

Status of Position

Status of Position Staff - Full Time

Union

Union Non-Union

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Position Summary

The Director of Recruitment and Admissions leads the College’s recruitment and admissions efforts, with primary responsibility for growing enrollment and creating clear, accessible pathways into Prairie State College. The Director develops and carries out data-informed recruitment strategies, identifies target markets, builds community partnerships, and monitors the prospective student journey from initial inquiry through enrollment.

The Director also oversees the Welcome Center and supervises its two staff members, ensuring prospective students, current students, families, and visitors receive timely, accurate, welcoming, and student-centered assistance. Working collaboratively across the College, the Director strengthens recruitment outreach, improves admissions and entry processes, reduces barriers, and increases the conversion of prospective students into enrolled students.

Reporting and Supervisory Relationships

1. Direct Reporting Relationship: Reports to the Dean of Admissions & Early College Programs

2. Direct Supervisory Relationship: Supervises two Welcome Center staff members and student workers, as applicable.

I. Lead Recruitment, Admissions, and Welcome Center Operations

• Provide hands-on leadership for the College’s recruitment and admissions functions and maintain responsibility for achieving established recruitment and enrollment goals.
• Oversee Welcome Center operations and supervise, coach, and evaluate its two staff members by establishing clear expectations for performance, accountability, follow-through, and student service.
• Ensure prospective students, families, and visitors receive timely, accurate, responsive, and student-centered information about admissions, academic programs, tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and next steps.
• Establish consistent procedures for responding to inquiries, assisting visitors, and connecting students with the appropriate College departments and resources.
• Develop and manage the Recruitment, Admissions, and Welcome Center budget, ensuring resources are aligned with enrollment and student-service priorities.
• Develop and lead a peer Enrollment Ambassador Program that engages current students in recruitment, outreach, campus visits, community activities, and prospective student events.

II. Develop and Execute Strategies to Grow Enrollment

• Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive annual recruitment plan aligned with College enrollment goals and priorities.
• Establish recruitment and enrollment goals by student population, target market, geographic area, recruitment activity, and stage of the enrollment funnel.
• Identify priority populations and emerging markets and develop targeted strategies for adult learners, recent high school graduates, transfer students, returning students and other prospective student groups.
• Lead recruitment outreach with prospective students, families, community organizations, employers, and other partners, maintaining an active presence at community, recruitment, and professional events.
• Respond to changing enrollment conditions, demographic shifts, student needs, competitive factors, and market opportunities by adjusting recruitment strategies and resources as appropriate.
• Collaborate with other college leaders to support participating high school students’ transition into Prairie State College after graduation.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Communications and Marketing and Communications to develop coordinated recruitment campaigns, messaging, digital outreach, admissions materials, and prospective student communications.
• Plan and oversee open houses, campus visits, information sessions, recruitment programs, and other prospective student events.
• Oversee vendor relationships with ReUp and other third-party partners that support student recruitment, re-engagement, admissions, and enrollment efforts.

III . Use Data and Technology to Improve Enrollment Outcomes

• Monitor the prospective student funnel from inquiry through application, admission, registration, and enrollment and lead efforts to improve conversion and yield at each stage.
• Use application, enrollment, conversion, demographic, geographic, event, and other relevant data to establish priorities, evaluate results, identify opportunities, and adjust strategies.
• Identify points in the enrollment process where prospective students disengage or encounter barriers and implement strategies to address them.
• Prepare reports and recommendations to support recruitment planning, enrollment forecasting, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.
• Manage the effective and consistent use of the College’s CRM and other enrollment technologies to support lead management, outreach, communications, event management, data integrity, and enrollment conversion.
• Collaborate with Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Academic Advising, Testing Services, academic departments, and other areas to create a coordinated and responsive entry experience.
• Recommend and implement improvements to admissions policies, procedures, communications, and practices to promote accessibility, consistency, equity, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Additional duties as assigned within the scope of the department

Other Duties and Responsibilities

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements

Employee is subject to indoor work, protected from weather conditions. Work is sedentary in nature and involves exerting up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently/constantly in order to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. This position requires flexible scheduling, including evening and weekend hours.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, enrollment management, student affairs, marketing, public administration, communications, business administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, student recruitment, enrollment management, student services, marketing, community outreach, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience leading employees, coordinating the work of others, establishing accountability, and providing coaching or performance feedback.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing recruitment strategies, using data to guide decisions, and working toward measurable enrollment or organizational goals.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, technology, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse students, families, employees, and community partners.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally and work evenings and weekends as required.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to changing enrollment conditions, and follow through on commitments.
• Commitment to providing welcoming, equitable, responsive, and student-centered service.
• Knowledge of student privacy requirements and applicable federal and state regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
• Ability to stay current on recruitment trends, admissions practices, enrollment technologies, demographic changes, and student expectations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading recruitment or admissions efforts within a community college.
• Experience recruiting adult learners, recent high school graduates, returning students, transfer students, or other targeted populations.
• Experience using CRM systems, digital recruitment tools, enrollment communications, and data dashboards.

Anticipated Work Hours and Days

Salary $70,000 - $103,215

What We Offer

Medical

Vision

Flexible Spending Accounts

Life Insurance (at no cost to You!)

Wellness Program

403B/ 457B Retirement Savings

PSC Tuition Waivers

Tuition Reimbursement

and much more!

Posting Date

Posting Date 09/15/2026

Closing Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

All applications must be submitted electronically on the website.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have a master’s degree in higher education, enrollment management, student affairs, marketing, public administration, communications, business administration, or a related field?
  • yes
  • no
• * Do you have at least at least five years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, student recruitment, enrollment management, student services, marketing, community outreach, or a related area?
  • yes
  • no
• * Do you have demonstrated experience leading employees, coordinating the work of others, establishing accountability, and providing coaching or performance feedback?
  • yes
  • no
• * Do you have demonstrated experience developing and implementing recruitment strategies, using data to guide decisions, and working toward measurable enrollment or organizational goals?
  • yes
  • no
• * Do you have strong written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, technology, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse students, families, employees, and community partners?
  • yes
  • no
• * Are you able and willing to to travel locally and work evenings and weekends as required?
  • yes
  • no
• * Are you able to manage multiple priorities, respond to changing enrollment conditions, and follow through on commitments?
  • yes
  • no
• * Are you knowledgeable of student privacy requirements and applicable federal and state regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act?
  • yes
  • no
• * Are you able to stay current on recruitment trends, admissions practices, enrollment technologies, demographic changes, and student expectations?
  • yes
  • no
• * What is your salary expectation?

  (Open Ended Question)

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • Prairie State College Website
  • Inside Higher Ed Jobs
  • Chronicle of HigherEd
  • HigherEd jobs
  • Other