Director of Admissions

The Director of Admissions plays a pivotal role in shaping UAF’s enrollment strategy, leading innovative recruitment efforts to attract and enroll a diverse, high-quality student body. This position is responsible for developing and implementing data-driven enrollment plans that support UAF’s growth in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

As a forward-thinking leader, the Director drives continuous improvement in the admissions process, utilizing expertise in Salesforce, Banner, and other enrollment technologies to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. Overseeing a multidisciplinary team and a $3M budget, this role requires strong collaboration with internal and external partners to enhance UAF’s outreach, engagement, and student conversion efforts.

If you are passionate about strategic enrollment management, leveraging technology to improve admissions, and leading teams to achieve ambitious recruitment goals, we invite you to apply and help shape the future of UAF!

To thrive in this role, the Director of Admissions must possess strong leadership, team-building, and project management skills, along with excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication abilities. Advanced proficiency in data analysis and decision-making is essential for driving recruitment strategies, as is expertise in higher education recruitment and admissions processes. The ideal candidate will have strong technical skills in systems such as Salesforce, Banner, and other CRM tools, coupled with experience in budgeting, financial oversight, and resource management. Success in this role also requires the ability to manage cross-functional teams, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and lead change initiatives with a forward-thinking approach. A high level of political acumen and sensitivity to organizational dynamics is necessary to navigate the complexities of university admissions effectively.

The candidate should have a proven record of success in university admissions, including recruitment, enrollment planning, and program development, as well as experience in team building within the admissions office and across university departments. Expertise in human resource and budget management, financial aid leveraging, enrollment modeling, and data-driven decision-making is critical. Strong communication and leadership skills are essential, along with the ability to foster intercultural competence and yield a broadly representative student population. The Director must be able to collaborate effectively with a variety of stakeholders and demonstrate an awareness of national trends in higher education, understanding both their short-term and long-term implications for UAF. Strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, and the discipline to bring initiatives to fruition are key attributes, as is the ability to represent the university at the University of Alaska System level and collaborate with system partners. Additionally, the role requires experience managing budgets, overseeing large-scale projects and events, and leveraging advanced technical skills in Salesforce, Banner, or similar systems to drive enrollment success.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree in a related field and five years progressively responsible higher education experience and three years management experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Position Details:

This position is located on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in Fairbanks, Alaska, This is a full-time, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 83, based on education and experience.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a successful candidate is identified.

Review of application materials will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient and viable number of qualified candidates have been identified.