Graduate Admissions Recruitment Specialist

Columbia University; New York (NY); On-site; USD 67,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in New York seeks a Graduate Admissions Recruitment Specialist to advance domestic recruitment efforts and support MS Express promotion. The role represents Columbia Engineering at events, advises prospective students on program choices, and coordinates communications and materials aligned with branding.

The position focuses on prescreening, workflow processing, and collaborating with departments to ensure timely admissions operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent related experience and 2–3 years in graduate admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, or student affairs.
• Experience planning and executing recruitment events and delivering presentations to prospective students and stakeholders.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills with strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Proficiency with Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables) and Microsoft Office; familiarity with SIS and Slate CRM; experience with InDesign is a plus.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally and to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Domestic and Global Recruitment: lead daily domestic recruitment initiatives and participate in international activities.
• Identify recruitment markets, institutions, and events; recommend participation based on program fit and impact.
• Develop and manage the annual recruitment calendar and adjust per cycle needs.
• Represent Columbia Engineering at fairs, info sessions, and off-campus events with accurate program information.
• Prescreen and verify applications, route issues for escalation, and maintain data in admissions systems.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Project management

Event planning

Travel

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Excel

SIS

Slate CRM

InDesign

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Morningside
• Salary Range: $67,300 - $78,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Under general supervision of the Associate Director of Graduate Admissions, the Graduate Admissions Recruitment Specialist supports Columbia Engineering’s graduate recruitment and admissions operations, with a primary focus on expanding domestic recruitment. Duties vary and the incumbent exercises judgment in selecting methods and techniques, determining accuracy of work, and taking corrective action when needed. Work products (e.g., recruitment plans, event materials, outreach communications, application prescreening outputs, and reports) are relied upon as final source material, with review conducted periodically and/or on a sample basis.

The Specialist represents the School to prospective students and partners; coordinates recruitment programming and MS Express promotion; and supports admissions operations through prescreening, verification, and workflow processing. The position does not include supervisory responsibilities or budget/resource commitment authority.

Responsibilities

Domestic and Global Recruitment (40%):

• Lead day-to-day execution of domestic graduate recruitment initiatives and participate in international recruitment activities as assigned.
• Identify and assess recruitment markets, institutions, and events; recommend participation based on program fit and anticipated impact, consistent with unit priorities.
• Develop, maintain, and execute the annual recruitment calendar, adjusting plans in response to cycle needs and enrollment trends.
• Represent Columbia Engineering at recruitment fairs, information sessions, and off-campus events; provide accurate information on programs, requirements, and application processes.
• Conduct proactive outreach and advise prospective students on program selection and application preparation; refer complex, sensitive, or exception-based matters as appropriate.

On-Campus Events and MS Express Promotion (25%):

• Plan, coordinate, and host on-campus recruitment events and information sessions, including timelines, logistics, communications, and follow-up.
• Partner with faculty, academic departments, current students, and internal offices to promote the MS Express program and related recruitment initiatives.
• Develop and maintain recruitment/event content and materials (presentations, email/web copy, and social media) in alignment with established messaging and branding.
• Liaise with internal and external partners to schedule sessions, confirm participation, and ensure accurate attendee communications.

Application Review and Admissions Operations (25%):

• Prescreen and verify application materials for completeness and compliance with published requirements; identify discrepancies and resolve routine issues through established procedures.
• Flag irregularities and cases requiring additional review; route and document items for escalation as needed.
• Process and track applications in the admissions system, ensuring accuracy of data, status updates, and workflow routing; investigate and correct errors.
• Interpret and communicate admissions policies, procedures, and decisions as appropriate; respond to routine and moderately complex inquiries and elevate issues requiring policy exceptions.
• Serve as the operational liaison to academic departments regarding file readiness, requirements clarification, and processing timelines.

Reporting and Analysis (5%):

• Compile, validate, and maintain recruitment and funnel data; generate recurring and ad hoc reports for admissions leadership and academic partners.
• Track participation and outcomes to support evaluation of recruitment activities and inform planning.

(5%) Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned/requested.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent related experience and a minimum of 2–3 years of related experience, preferably in graduate admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, or student affairs.

Demonstrated experience in planning and executing recruitment events and delivering presentations to prospective students and stakeholders. Proven ability to build effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with strong organizational and project management abilities. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.

Proven strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP, logic functions, pivot tables) and proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite. Familiarity with Student Information Systems (SIS) and Slate CRM preferred. Experience with Adobe InDesign or other design software and familiarity with social media marketing are a plus.

Ability to work independently, take initiative, and function as both a self-starter and a team player. Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally and to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Other Requirements

An Excel assessment will be conducted for all finalists.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.