Responsibilities of the Position

Reporting to the president and serving on the cabinet, the vice president for enrollment management (VPEM) elevates the transformational power of a Roanoke College education through the creation and implementation of comprehensive, data-informed enrollment-management strategies. The VPEM provides direct leadership and supervision of the offices of admissions and financial aid. Building effective recruitment plans and programming together with the Roanoke College community is a priority. With a deep commitment to access, diversity, equity, and inclusion, the VPEM collaborates with other senior leaders to make Roanoke College an exemplar of “student-ready, student-first” pedagogies and practices. The VPEM serves as a pivotal institutional change agent and strategist for advancing the college’s priorities and adapting to a rapidly evolving marketplace and the ever-changing needs and interests of today’s and tomorrow’s students.

Additional essential duties and responsibilities of the VPEM, as enumerated in the institutional job description, include the following. The VPEM will:

  • Inspire and lead a student and staff leadership team that is expertly trained, is known for excellence, and embodies a deep commitment to student success.
  • Cultivate strong partnerships and collaborations to advance enrollment priorities and provide support for prospective and continuing students.
  • Collaborate with the college community and external partners to develop multi-year net-tuition revenue projections and goals and recommend annual tuition and room and board rates.
  • Develop and deploy a strategy for growing the number of students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds, including first-generation college students, veterans, Pell-eligible, and high school students not currently planning to attend college.
  • Create and strengthen pathways to Roanoke College, including community college partnerships, and collaborate to develop summer programs for high school students.
  • Develop and implement a transparent, proactive financial-aid strategy to meet enrollment and net tuition revenue goals while prioritizing access, diversity, and equity.
  • Work closely with the vice president for marketing and communications and partners across campus to develop, implement, and continuously evaluate comprehensive, integrated, and data-informed marketing strategies.
  • Employ an entrepreneurial approach to expanding recruitment and extending the reach of the Roanoke College brand, including identifying new areas for targeted investment and creative exploration.
  • Engage in ongoing assessment of systems, processes, policies, and programs to identify opportunities for improvement and success.
  • Work closely with the vice president for advancement to develop, manage, and enhance scholarships and alumni engagement to provide essential support for Roanoke students.
  • Report regularly to the president’s cabinet, faculty, staff, and board of trustees on enrollment strategies, trends, and outcomes.

The Position

Qualifications and Characteristics

The successful candidate must have an entrepreneurial spirit, a disposition toward creative problem-solving, and a willingness to take measured and reasoned risks. A keen interest in and knowledge of the technology, conditions, and research informing the 21st century higher education environment is required. Candidates will have progressive experience leading and managing enrollment-management divisions and demonstrated success in meeting enrollment targets through the utilization of best practices in marketing, outreach, and recruitment. An agile and strategic thinker, Roanoke’s next VPEM will have expertise in leveraging data and metrics to inform Roanoke’s approach to enrollment and financial aid strategy. A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access is essential, as is an abiding love for students and their learning. Candidates must have experience working with special student populations, including student-athletes, international students, transfer students, and adult learners. A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred.

Additionally, strong candidates will demonstrate the following mindsets, abilities, or skill sets:

  • Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact and work effectively with trustees, administrators, academic leadership, faculty, students, graduates, donors, community leaders, elected and appointed public officials, and members of the community at large
  • Ability to analyze complex problems; interpret operational needs; and develop integrated, creative solutions
  • Experience leading others through change and developing teams with a positive, action-oriented, and possibility-focused mindset
  • Demonstrated success with contemporary marketing and outreach principles, strategies, techniques, enrollment management software and systems, and external partners
  • A strong communicator and active listener who develops a culture of transparency and accountability
  • A passion for students and the transformational power of an education

History of the Position

The current vice president-enrollment and dean of admissions & financial aid will retire from Roanoke effective May 2023 and has accepted another position. Although the position’s responsibilities remain the same, President Shushok shortened the title to make it more consistent with the titles of other cabinet-level positions.

 

Opportunities and Challenges of the Role

As higher education institutions face changing student demographics and a more competitive landscape that affects students’ ability and willingness to pay, enrollment management has become increasingly challenging. President Shushok recognizes the need to be agile and courageous, and the VPEM will find a strong cabinet and an experienced enrollment team to support enrollment, retention, and student success efforts.

President Shushok commissioned an external audit of Roanoke’s enrollment management operations. The audit provides clear recommendations for improving all facets of enrollment management.

Roanoke has engaged in new vendor relationships for financial aid, marketing, and recruitment that have helped Roanoke achieve its enrollment goals. The new VPEM will evaluate these relationships and manage them.

Roanoke will launch its new brand and website this spring. Inspiring new messages and visuals communicate Roanoke College’s distinctiveness and showcase the transformative educational experiences happening at Roanoke. Undergraduate curricular changes that integrate career services support and align with the branding messages have been made.

The MBA program successfully launched with an accelerated pathway for Roanoke undergraduates, providing a model for new graduate programs. The new VPEM must be ready to provide expert advice on new program development. Additionally, institutional infrastructure and policies must be built to support graduate recruitment and admissions.

Measures of Success

Initial definitions of success for the new VPEM are outlined below. The VPEM:

  • Provides inspiring and collaborative leadership that engages the entire Roanoke College community in recruiting and retaining talented and diverse students.
  • Develops and deploys an enrollment strategy that is technology-enhanced, data-informed, and designed for agility.
  • Creates a recruitment strategy that includes specific plans for local and expanded geographic areas and segmented student groups.
  • Designs student-ready, student-first enrollment environments and experiences.
  • Increases transfer and international student enrollment.
  • Champions access and equity in recruiting, admissions, financial-aid processes, and student interactions.
  • Acts sustainably, operates efficiently, and is known for administrative, financial, and operational excellence.
  • Fosters a human-centered, well-being-oriented work culture.

Institution & Location

Overview of Enrollment Services

The vice president for enrollment management is an integral member of the president’s cabinet and oversees admissions and financial aid activities. Enrollment services develops and implements a comprehensive enrollment strategy, including short-term and long-term enrollment goals, with particular attention to metrics, approaches, and partnerships that work to recruit a student body that reflects the diversity of the nation. The VPEM will work collaboratively with other cabinet members to ensure a successful student experience from recruitment through and beyond graduation.

Institutional Overview

Roanoke College is a nationally ranked residential liberal arts college in Salem, Virginia. The Roanoke College experience is enhanced by its setting on a breathtakingly beautiful campus only minutes away from the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains and the city of Roanoke. The college celebrates a welcoming environment that has served the local region and beyond for nearly 200 years. Roanoke College is a place where every student who works hard has the opportunity to succeed. At Roanoke, students find a community that champions potential, providing essential learning and leadership through innovative academic programs and transformative educational experiences, giving them the mettle, mindset, and empathy to pursue lives of purpose, build meaningful careers, and meet society’s most pressing needs. Roanoke College is building momentum, adding new undergraduate and graduate programs, always enhancing the student experience, and continuing its success with NCAA Division III athletics.

Mission, vision, and purpose

Strategic plan

Diversity Statement

“Roanoke College is dedicated to improving the quality of life for students of multicultural backgrounds and, through a more welcoming and comforting environment, helping them excel academically and socially. Through diverse educational, cultural, and social programs, we’re building a more diverse community of students.” Read Roanoke College’s Statement on Diversity and Inclusion.

The Student Body

Total enrollment: 1,826

Male: 840

Female: 986

Lutheran students: 94

Students of color: 317

Virginia students: 1,010

International students: 49

Student-faculty ratio: about 12:1

Institutional Leadership

Frank Shushok Jr. – President

President Shushok was elected unanimously by the Roanoke College Board of Trustees on March 21, 2022. He began his term as Roanoke College’s 12th president on July 1, 2022.

Shushok holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Baylor University, a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs administration from The Ohio State University, and a doctor of philosophy in higher education policy, planning, and analysis from the University of Maryland, College Park.

The president brings 30 years of work experience in higher education to Roanoke College. He is known for his passion for integrating academic and student life and championing the role of faculty in the holistic development of students.

Shushok came to Roanoke College after 13 years at Virginia Tech, where he served as associate vice president, senior associate vice president, and vice president for student affairs. He was also a tenured associate professor of agricultural leadership & community education at Virginia Tech.

Benefits Overview

Roanoke College offers its employees a host of benefits, including health care, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, and a variety of other benefits. To read more about the benefits offered at Roanoke, see here.

Application & Nomination

Review of applications will begin March 24, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position please click on the Apply button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and position-specific cover letter. Nominations for this position may be emailed to Sharon Meagher at smm@spelmanandjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.

 Salary is commensurate with experience. Virginia is a state that does not require public salary disclosure. For more information, please contact Sharon Meagher.

Visit the Roanoke College website at http://www.roanoke.edu.

 Roanoke College is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among its faculty, staff, and students; women and members of under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Roanoke College values diversity in its community. Any form of discrimination, lack of respect, or act of intolerance against any person or organization based on race, religion, ethnic background, gender, gender orientation, or disability is in contradiction with college principles and unacceptable. Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants on the basis of race, color, gender, creed, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability, or veteran status.

Apply