Position Details Posting Summary Position Title Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment Posting Number AS914P Subdivision President's Office Division President Department President's Office Location Erie, Pa Position SummaryGannon University invites applications and nominations for an innovative, visionary, and energetic Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment. It is an exciting time at the University as Gannon approaches a number of significant milestones. The Erie campus approaches its 100-year anniversary in 2025; the Ruskin, Florida campus recognizes its 10-year anniversary in 2025; and a new strategic partnership with Ursuline College in Ohio has been announced. The move, which is contingent on the successful completion of due diligence, will create an institution with about 6,000 students, 1,300 employees, and campuses in three states - Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Once complete, it will be the largest Catholic university system in the region. The Vice President will lead in the development and implementation of comprehensive enrollment and marketing and communication strategies for the university. They will oversee and coordinate the efforts of an overall division of 60+ professionals within Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions, Global Student Admissions, Financial Aid, and Marketing and Communications. Direct reports include the Director of Undergraduate Admission, Director of Graduate Admissions, Director of Financial Aid, Executive Director of Global Enrollment, Director of Global Support & Student Engagement, Director of the Office of English Language and Global Training, Director of Enrollment Technology, and the Associate Director of Marketing. The Creative Director of Marketing and Communications and the Manager of Press and Distribution are also direct reports. Reporting to President Walter Iwanenko, and serving as a key member of the President's Leadership Team (PLT), the Vice President will collaborate with the PLT to achieve strategic enrollment goals and establish an annual budget for the university and the division. In addition, as a member of the President's Staff, the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment will work closely with other Vice Presidents, Deans, and the heads of departments across the university. Essential Responsibilities and DutiesThe essential responsibilities and duties for the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment are as follows: Leadership
- Create a collegial, team-oriented work environment; motivate and inspire a professional staff by demonstrating a strong work ethic and a commitment to professional development; facilitate a culture that is inclusive and committed to Gannon's values; and weave together the division's teams in their shared work through effective communication and collaboration.
- Educate the campus community on changing demographics, the highly competitive landscape, and the evolving needs and perceptions of students and families; lead the campus community in understanding challenges and guide the campus community and community partners in building effective activities in response.
- Serve as an advocate for retention and persistence efforts; support the work of other campus partners in the retention of students, collection of data, sharing of information, and development of programs and enhancement of the student experience and outcomes.
- Ensure the fiscally sound operation of the marketing and enrollment division; identify and track key performance indicators ensuring effective use of resources, including the division's budget and personnel.
- Lead in the formulation of annual and long-term goals and objectives to accomplish optimum enrollment levels of appropriate size, quality, and diversity.
- Work closely with other media, businesses, non-profit, government, and community groups to build understanding and support for Gannon University's Mission.
- Ensure proper adherence to policies and procedures as documented in the Institutional Policy Manual (IPM).
- Travel nationally and internationally to build relationships and raise the visibility of the university.
- Serve as the resource person for the Enrollment Committee to the Board of Trustees.
Strategic Enrollment Management
- Serve as the chief enrollment officer overseeing recruitment and enrollment across all student populations, directing the institutional enrollment strategy, and managing all recruitment and enrollment activities and the strategic allocation of financial aid and scholarship resources amongst all campuses.
- In collaboration with other members of the President's Leadership Team, develop and implement a comprehensive vision and strategic enrollment plan to support undergraduate and graduate enrollment growth across traditional, domestic, international, transfer, and online populations; demonstrate creativity in the development of innovative tactics and plans to build enrollments and enhance market visibility and institutional reputation.
- Partner with Academic Affairs and Deans to identify market demand for new program development and program feasibility; lead the division in successfully targeting and fostering new markets; develop and support enrollment and marketing plans to successfully launch new programs which align with the university's mission.
- Lead the financial aid office in developing and executing merit and need-based aid leveraging strategies which reflect institutional enrollment goals, decrease discount rates, and increase revenue.
- Deploy merit and need-based funding to attract an academically talented and diverse student body that includes undergraduate, graduate, transfer, international, and online students.
- Direct the development and implementation of recruitment and admissions strategies including the strategic use of financial assistance and support related to retention strategies. Establish methods for measuring the effectiveness of strategies and conduct periodic reviews.
- Assure accurate and prompt federal, state, and other external reporting; ensure that monitoring systems are in place to track compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations, and that all staff are trained in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
- Effectively utilize donor-supported scholarships and institutional aid to spur and increase giving of stewardship and future fundraising.
- Lead the enrollment and marketing division in evaluating, implementing, and leveraging technology to innovate, increase operational efficiency, and meet the expectations of students, families, and the campus community.
- Foster a culture of excellence in the utilization of data and the transparent sharing of information including best practices in data collection, analysis, and reporting; provide expert knowledge in the use and analysis of marketing and enrollment data.
- Direct the review and update of technology to maintain a student information system that encompasses the necessary infrastructure and data to support comprehensive enrollment management strategies.
Marketing and Communications
- Provide leadership and strategic direction to the Marketing and Communications team in the development of a marketing plan for the university.
- Coordinate an integrated marketing plan throughout the university, including the university's websites; oversee the university's print operations and publications as well as online and social media publications.
- Organize and direct the gathering, analyses, and dissemination of market intelligence regarding potential target markets, segmentation opportunities, demographic, economic, competitive, and higher education trends, and behavioral dynamics of target markets.
- Work with university leaders in the successful positioning of new academic programs and the repositioning of existing academic programs in the university's recruitment markets to maximize enrollments.
- Coordinate and direct market research activities to assess the needs, perceptions, expectations and satisfaction of students, employees, employers, and other stakeholders of the university.
- Develop relationships, marketing strategies, and programs to increase and coordinate networking opportunities with the media, community leaders, employers, and other key constituencies.
Required Qualifications A bachelor's degree from an accredited university and a minimum of ten years of experience in the field of enrollment management, admissions, and marketing with increasing responsibility and significant experience in managerial and leadership roles is required; an advanced degree is strongly preferred. In addition, the Vice President should demonstrate the following qualifications, skills, and abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to be a strategic leader with a clear vision of current best practices and future trends in enrollment services and marketing;
- Notable track record of success in recruitment and enrollment growth among undergraduate, graduate, and online enrollments, including expanding geographic reach, launching new programs, and building student interest in programs with capacity;
- Skilled in the development, communication, and execution of effective enrollment and marketing plans;
- Successful change leader with the ability to build credibility, success, and a positive environment through transparency, collaboration, and servant leadership;
- Knowledgeable about relevant prospecting, admission, and yield strategies for the US domestic and international markets, evolving trends, and the needs and perceptions of students and families in variety of diverging markets and populations;
- A history of success in developing effective pricing, merit, and financial aid models;
- Skilled in the research and identification of new markets, programs, partnerships, and opportunities to support enrollment growth;
- A commitment to working with multicultural populations, an awareness of issues affecting diverse populations and the ability to respect and engage with those from a variety of cultures and backgrounds;
- Excellent interpersonal and relational skills with the ability to be an empathetic listener, persuasive communicator who leads with humility;
- Engaging storyteller with the ability to articulate the value proposition, vision, mission, brand, and goals of Gannon across various media platforms;
- Experienced in the development of marketing initiatives reflecting the needs, interest, and behaviors of individual populations;
- An understanding of institutional challenges, opportunities and resources, evidence of creative and collaborative problem solving skills, and a history of successfully managing complex budgets;
- Creative, innovative, and collaborative campus and community partner. Willing to educate stakeholders on best practices and evolving trends within enrollment management, marketing and communications.
Preferred QualificationsPhysical Demands The selected candidate will reside in or near Erie, Pennsylvania, in this visible campus and community-based leadership position. Exempt Status Exempt Position Classification Exec Position Type Staff Employment Status Full-Time Position Length 12M Hours per Week 37.5 Work Schedule Per position requirements Shift 1st