First-Year Admissions Counselor

Shenandoah University; Winchester (VA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Shenandoah University’s Office of Admissions is seeking a First-Year Admissions Counselor to join our main campus in Winchester, Virginia. This full-time benefited position will recruit students within a designated territory and meet enrollment goals, while building strong relationships with prospective students and families.

The counselor will manage recruitment campaigns, coordinate campus visits, present admissions information, and collaborate with faculty and staff to ensure a smooth

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral & written).
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred.
• Familiarity with Apple computers and Microsoft Word/Excel.
• Experience with admissions technologies (Slate) preferred.
• Detail-oriented with strong task-priority skills.
• Willingness to travel evenings/weekends; overnight travel 12–18 weeks/yr.

Responsibilities

• Recruit students within a designated territory to meet enrollment goals.
• Coordinate campus visits and communicate with prospective families.
• Develop and implement recruitment strategies and events.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to support enrollment processes.
• Represent Shenandoah University at off-campus events and presentations.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Oral and written communication

Bilingual (Spanish/English)

CRM Slate by Technolutions

Microsoft Word/Excel

Attention to detail

Data-informed recruitment

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Apple computers

CRM Slate by Technolutions

Job description

Shenandoah University’s Office of Admissions is acceptingapplications for a First-Year Admissions Counselor. This is afull-time benefited position located on our main campus inWinchester, Virginia.

The First-Year Admissions Counselor manages all activitiesnecessary to recruit students, within a designated territory, toShenandoah University in order to meet individual and teamenrollment goals. Counselors must have or acquire substantialknowledge about their territory, exercise discretion andindependent judgment in developing recruitment strategies for theirdesignated territories and provide a high quality of service toprospective students and families throughout the recruitment,application and acceptance/enrollment processes.

The admissions counselor will often be the prospective student’sfirst contact with the university and must recognize the importanceof building a relationship based on the professional, correct, andtimely exchange of information. The admissions counselor is also aliaison between prospective families and the faculty and staff ofother university departments. In this role, the admissionscounselor will be responsible for general recruitment of allacademic programs. The ability and willingness to work among ateam, independently, and until the task is completed successfully,is essential.

Primary responsibilities:

• Working collaboratively as a member of the First-YearRecruitment team, admissions counselors will be expected to utilizepast and current data to analyze the impact, progress, andeffectiveness of prior recruitment strategies and events withintheir designated territories, and then exercise their discretionand independent judgment to create, implement and executeindividual recruitment strategies for the upcoming season withintheir designated territories.
• Counselors will propose and make adjustments to prior years’recruitment strategies and events schedules, includingdiscontinuing, modifying or relocating previously held events.Counselors also will be expected to develop special outreachcampaigns and new events, that will pique the interest ofprospective students in the territory (and/or their parents).Counselors will be responsible for planning, implementing, andexecuting their campaigns and events, and selecting which highschools to visit and which college fairs to attend.
• Responsible for developing innovative approaches to increaseawareness and develop interest among groups within the designatedterritory. These groups include, but are not limited to,prospective students and families, school counselors andadministrators, school and community organizations, privateinstructors, and independent education counselors.
• Reviewing applications, and then exercising discretion andindependent judgment, including their wledge of factorscontributing to student success, to determine best fit candidatesfor admission within their designated territory. Counselors arealso responsible for notifying applicants of their admissiondecisions.

Additional responsibilities include, but are not limitedto:

• Enthusiastically and professionally representing the universityat off-campus recruitment events.
• Working in coordination with the Admissions Welcome CenterCoordinator, assisting in the planning and executing of campusvisits for prospective students, families, and school/communitygroups. This requires collaboration with other universitydepartments, most commonly academic faculty, student lifeorganizations, and athletics.
• Giving admissions presentations to large and small groupsduring daily campus visits and coordinated group visits, as well asproviding main campus tours and special tours of other buildings,as needed. Fully participating in on-campus recruitment events thatoccur throughout the year, including, but not limited to, OpenHouses, Student Shadow Days, Interviews, and Auditions.
• Independently managing a series of Saturday Visits throughoutthe fall and spring, which will be distributed equitably among themembers of the Freshmen Recruitment team.
• Maintaining student records and communicate with prospectivefamilies.
• Coordinating, monitoring, and reporting on progress of,recruiting programs to special populations, such as PresidentialScholars program and Shenandoah Conservatory’s performing artsauditions.
• Other responsibilities and duties as assigned bysupervisor(s).

Required Skills

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree is required
• Outstanding interpersonal skills are essential
• Excellent communication skills; both oral and written
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred
• Familiarity with Apple computers and software, as well asMicrosoft software, including Word and Excel
• Experience with various admissions technologies, including theCRM Slate by Technolutions, preferred
• Attention to details, ability to prioritize and complete tasks,and meet deadlines
• Ability to adapt to, and utilize, numerous technologyapplications appropriately
• A basic understanding of how to use data in order to accomplisha goal
• Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends and totravel overnight with a schedule averaging 12-18 weeks per year.Adhering to university policies and procedures regarding travel isrequired.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs. into and out of a vehicle.
• Valid driver’s license with good driving record and ability topass a driving background check.

Note: A pre-employment background check will be required, and asatisfactory driving record may be required as a condition of hire.

Authorized to work in the United States is a pre-condition ofemployment. At this time, Shenandoah University is not in aposition to sponsor international visas.

Shenandoah University values individuals and communities'unique and diverse perspectives locally and globally. It seeks tofoster mutual understanding in an inviting community whereindividuals are welcome and respected. The university does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy,sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin,age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’sstatus, or on any other basis protected under applicablelaw.

Required Experience

Salary Range

$40,000.00 - $41,000.00

Salary Type

Not Applicable