Senior Director of Enrollment Management and University Registrar

Appalachian State University will be hiring a service-minded, energetic enrollment management professional who is seeking to become a leader on a team of colleagues who are committed to ensuring that App State’s legacy of success and impact continues. This position will be a good match for an individual who is committed to creativity, student success, teamwork, data optimization and technology.  

Appalachian State University’s division of Enrollment Management seeks an experienced and innovative professional to join its leadership team as Senior Director of Enrollment Management and University Registrar.  The leader will further App State’s excellent record of innovation, student enrollment success and high graduation rates.  The leader will be a team player that contributes broadly to the university’s success while performing critical roles in the Enrollment Management Division and leading the Office of the Registrar. This role provides dynamic and forward-looking leadership to support the academic mission of the university and by providing service excellence to the many enrollment and academic services stakeholders. Success of the position will come through leveraging the latest technology, maintaining accurate records, facilitating essential academic processes, providing collaborative leadership and ensuring compliance with university, state and national regulations. The Senior Director of Enrollment Management and University Registrar will work closely with the Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management and leaders in the enrollment division as well as with many campus administrators, academic leaders, staff, faculty and students. 

This position serves as the official custodian for all academic records, undergraduate and graduate. In maintaining the academic record, the registrar’s office seeks to ensure accuracy, completeness, and confidentiality. Specific responsibilities assigned to the Registrar’s Office include the following: manage the development of the course schedule of classes for each term; plan and implement registration for classes; compile and maintain academic records; provide official transcripts of the academic record to students and appropriate third parties; certify enrollment at the University; process official withdrawals from the University; support  the University’s commencement ceremonies; maintain the University’s degree audit system and undergraduate bulletin; receive, process, and track applications for graduation at the undergraduate level; manage classroom assignments and optimize space utilization; and process undergraduate readmission applications for former students wishing to re-enroll at the university. In addition to those responsibilities, the Registrar’s Office is also formally involved in the consultation, development, and implementation of effective and secure technology systems requiring access to and/or the use of student data.  The Senior director will provide leadership on projects related to App State’s support of statewide and University of North Carolina initiatives.

Services Provided

Enrollment Management is committed to designing, implementing, and providing the services necessary to promote student success from pre-enrollment to graduation. The service role of the Senior Director of Enrollment and University Registrar includes: 

• Supporting the mission of Appalachian State University by serving as a campus leader and resource to the faculty and appropriate campus governing committees to guide the creation and implementation of curricula and academic policies and procedures.
• Interpreting and implementing Federal, State, and Appalachian State policy, as well as AACRAO guidelines, in regard to records retention, imaging, and archiving. The office is the custodian of the educational records of active and inactive students.
• Communicating with deans, department chairs, staff, and students on the office’s interpretation and implementation of University policy.
• Promoting student-focused processes and procedures, along with a commitment to outstanding service.
• Collaborating with campus governing committees such as the Academic Policies and Procedures Committee, Enrollment Planning Council, Deans Council, and others whenever necessary.
• Serving as data and business owner for various technology systems and data sets.
• Possess a strong belief in student-focused processes and procedures, along with a commitment to outstanding customer service
• Produce data, dashboards and analyses that optimize decision-making and success.
• Budget management and optimization to reach university goals.

Organizational and Principle Work Relationships 

• Service leadership in the Division of Enrollment Management will be alongside a group of highly talented and committed leaders on the Vice Chancellor’s leadership team.
• Lead the Office of the Registrar, both in its strategic direction and its daily operations.
• Serve on and lead various campus committees.
• Hire, train, and retain a qualified staff of approximately 30 full-time employees. Provide professional development opportunities and encourage teamwork.
• Directly supervise senior staff and administrative assistant.
• The role has many functional relationships in which advisory and collaborative working relationships are required, such as:
  • Academic deans and associate deans  – interacts regularly with these individuals through representation on the Associate Deans Council, the University Advising Council, and the Academic Policy and Procedures Committee.
  • Academic department chairs and administrative assistants – The Senior Director and staff are in constant communication with department chairs and their assistants regarding grades, majors, class attendance, and advising.
  • Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning (IRAP) – The office works closely with IRAP staff in preparation of each term’s census reporting and other institutional reports.
  • Student Affairs, business services, et al. The Senior Director will be able to work effectively with the many constituents with whom student data is essential. The Registrar will maintain excellent data systems, propose operational efficiency improvements and creatively steer use of new processes and data solutions.
  • Information Technology Services (ITS) – Operating data systems with excellence is a fundamental role of the registrar’s office. The Registrar is expected to provide advice, to promote new technology solutions and to implement technology upgrades. As the business owner for several foundational student information systems and as the Student Data Custodian that has highest responsibility for the use of the University’s Student Information System, the University Registrar collaborates often with the ITS leadership team and staff.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills are essential including the ability to initiate and maintain internal and external relationships
• Highly developed analytical, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Excellent written, oral and public speaking skills
• Results-oriented leader with the ability to analyze data, make recommendations, and collaborate interdepartmentally.
• Collaborative team player.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience in higher education positions with substantially responsible for and working in any of the following areas,  technology, systems, registrar, academic administration, enrollment.
• Five years of experience serving on cross-functional teams that heavily influenced and managed enrollment services, academic services and/or higher education information system technology.
• Desirable additional experience include demonstrated leadership in supporting the creation and implementation of academic policies and procedures that foster student success; an understanding of the higher education student cycle from admission to graduation, FERPA, electronic student records systems, and document management; ability to investigate best practices by collaborating with peer institutions throughout the region and nation-wide; and the demonstrated ability to collaborate within a university system with a central administration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education administration or related field is preferred
• Evidence of commitment to diversity and serving the needs of a diverse population.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and empower staff.
• Empathetic and compassionate ability to work with students, families, and the community.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts, ideas and issues to a broad range of campus constituents.
• Excellent analytical skills in identifying problems, devising solutions and resolving complex operational issues efficiently.
• Familiarity with and commitment to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) best practices and standards.
• Familiarity with the Banner Student System, Degree Works and space management software systems are strongly preferred