Job Details

Associate Director of Graduate Admissions & Operations: The Graduate School - UTK

Position Number: 6038942
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Position Type: Admissions/Enrollment

Associate Director of Graduate Admissions & Operations: The Graduate School - UTK
Knoxville, TN, United States

Job Identification: 1722
Job Category: Student Services
Posting Date: 02/26/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 1331 Circle Park, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)

Job Description
The Associate Director of Graduate Admissions and Operations is responsible for day-to-day oversight of Graduate Admissions operations, including serving as the Slate CRM Administrator and general reporting, analytics, and technology management to optimize admissions processes. The Associate Director will lead a team of admissions operations professionals who are responsible for successful data migration from Slate to Banner, decision releases, data integrity, residency classification and compliance, building and maintaining the admissions technology stack, and all operations that involve successful admissions application processing, data functions, and technology.

This position will maintain, create, and implement processes within admissions, enrollment management, and technology best practices. Through innovation, leadership, and collaboration with Graduate School partners and other units of the institution, the Associate Director will help shape and meet the goals and mission of the Office of Graduate Admissions, the Graduate School, and the university.

Responsibilities
CRM Administration & Admissions Operations Management:

Serve as the Office of Graduate Admissions Slate CRM administrator.
Develop efficient, accurate, and reliable workflows in the Slate CRM and throughout all admissions-related technology: Banner, Slate, electronic document management systems, third-party vendors, etc. Take a lead role in identifying priorities, improvements, and protocols to enhance productivity, innovation, and quality of admissions systems.
Manage and evolve Slate CRM for efficient application processing (from starting an application to paying enrollment deposits), decision releases, and application data pushes for every semester in the academic year.
Act as the subject expert for Slate functions and processes, including the data integrity of records, the architecture of forms, the development of queries and reports, efficient use of rules, user experience for the reader, organization for Deliver (including campaigns and mailings), coordination of events, as well as other more high-level administrative functions (dataset uploads, users and permissions, etc.).
Assures staff in the Office of Graduate Admissions and campus partners are equipped with the technology and system access required to perform the functions of their positions.
Advises and trains academic departments/programs on admissions procedures in Slate and best practices of using technology to admit and enroll students.
Lead the yearly application update process and application launches with departments and programs to ensure the admissions application is updated with proper information, such as entry terms, program requirements, and workflows.
Develops and maintains a centralized support system that responds to daily issues encountered by applicants, students, faculty, and staff who are utilizing Slate and other admissions-related technology.
Retaining and disposing of electronic records according to industry best standards and university and state records policy.
Maintaining content of Graduate Admissions web pages and coordinating with campus units to assure consistency between content included on Graduate Admissions web pages and campus unit web pages.
Create and maintain process manuals for the entire operations team and the operations processes for the admissions team. Ensure new admissions staff have access to CRM training/documentation and coordinate ongoing training for existing staff to keep knowledge current.
In partnership with the Graduate School's Communications Manager, create email campaigns for yearly admissions activities such as conditional admissions processes, deadlines, residency, and EVEA. Create and maintain office communications such as admissions decision letters and automated Slate communication to update students on admissions statuses.

Data, Reporting, and Strategy

Collaborate with the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions to create data infrastructure and reports (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and yearly) to monitor the admissions funnel and enrollment, including widgets, data portals, and other data delivery methods.
Ensure data integrity by creating processes to prevent data errors and participating in data clean-up.
Monitors the flow of data and applications in Slate and works with the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions to create plans and activities to improve workflows and application movement to ensure an incoming class.
Maintaining and creating current and future Slate datasets and entity structures for improved efficiency and user experiences.

Leadership

Supervise and provide vision to the Admissions Operations team, an IT Manager and an Operations Specialist, and manage the workloads, daily tasks, and projects under their responsibility. This includes data migration from Slate to Banner, decision releases, data integrity, residency classification and compliance, building and maintaining the admissions technology stack, and all operations that involve successful admissions application processing, data functions, and technology.
Oversees the Graduate Admissions office in the absence of the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions, providing professional judgment and decision-making on policies and processes.
Facilitates all aspects of Graduate Admissions staff training related to utilizing Slate and other systems to perform the functions of their positions, i.e., teaching the admissions team to move applications through the admissions funnel from starting an application to a final decision.
Representing the Office of Graduate Admissions on campus committees and taskforces associated with campus technology initiatives, including initiatives where policy changes may impact technology use or technology use may affect the ability to carry out policy.
Works with the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions to develop and implement staffing policies and practices that are consistent for all graduate admissions staff and in accordance with university policy.
Communicate and work with the Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions regarding the progress of work initiatives and critical issues impacting the Graduate School/Office of Graduate Admissions.
Develop and present proposals, including budgetary allocations, regarding resources needed or required to facilitate or improve technological operations in admissions, recruitment, and enrollment functions.
Serve on the university-wide Slate User Group and/or university-wide committees as needed.
Handle student needs that require escalation and provide backup on primary needs during peak periods, as necessary.
Maintain thorough and up-to-date knowledge of existing and emerging admissions systems and best practices.
Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications

Education:
- Bachelor's degree required
Experience:
- 3 years of admissions operations experience. Slate experience and managing or supporting the daily operations of databases and integrated systems within an admissions or university environment. 2 years of leadership experience of full-time employees.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Understanding of admissions processes, policies, and procedures.
- Knowledge of Slate, Banner, and third-party vendors, such as Parchment, Scholaro, and testing services.
- Ability to independently learn Slate's processes, procedures, and critical components using the Slate Knowledge Base, professional networks, and experience.
- Ability to innovate within the Slate CRM for process efficiency and user experience.
- Ability to make decisions about prioritizing work, including self-management, delegation of tasks, and coordination of work with others related to both daily operations and projects/initiatives.
- Ability to identify problems within organizational systems and develop and implement solutions.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups within and outside an organization.
- Ability to communicate effectively in different settings and with diverse audiences.
- Ability to lead and motivate individuals toward accomplishing goals congruent with the mission and vision of an organization.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:
- Master's degree preferred
Experience:
- 5+ years of leadership experience at the coordinator or assistant director level and management of Graduate School admissions functions and operations in Slate.
- Experience providing direction to an admissions office dedicated to the effective and efficient use of technology to accomplish the university's mission and goals.
- Extensive work and experience with Slate, team leading in Admissions offices, and campus partnerships.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment visa status.

Work Location

This is a full-time, in-person position working at the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus.

Compensation and Benefits

UT market range: 13
Anticipated hiring range: DOE, $81-85K
Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

For best consideration applicants should submit the materials listed below before March 7, 2025. We will continue to accept applications until the position is filled. Please include the following attachments to your application:

Cover Letter
Resume
3 Professional References

About The College/Department/Division

The Graduate School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is a dynamic, innovative, and collaborative partner in shaping graduate education, and a dedicated advocate for attracting and developing a diverse student population. Applying a people-centric approach to all we do, we lead the University in providing support to ensure our programs are among the best in the nation and inspire students to be catalysts for change in the evolving global society.

About Us
With over 225 years dedicated to education and research, and as one of the 100 largest employers in Tennessee, there is endless potential to discover at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This advanced academic center comprises 17 degree-granting colleges and schools, 900+ programs of study, 547 graduate programs, and is home to over 7,500 employees statewide who support the continued growth of the state's flagship land-grant university. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Anthropological Research Facility, Space Institute, and the UT Institute of Public Service are acclaimed entities of the UT system and with nearby affiliate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Rocky Top is a university on the rise. UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset and with values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovative leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs. Apply today and join the Vol Family for life!
Ranked nationally as "Best Employer for New Graduates", "One of America's Best Large Employers", "Best Workplace for Women," and has been designated as "Best Place for Working Parents" by Forbes Magazine.

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