Associate Director of Visitor Experience

Associate Director of Visitor Experience

The Enrollment Management division at CU Boulder welcomes applications for the Associate Director of Visitor Experience! This role shapes and delivers CU Boulder's suite of on campus and virtual visit programs, designing memorable experiences thathonor the student journey and reflect the university's values. As the operational leader for Visitor Experience, this role brings strategy to life, coaching teams, piloting new approaches, and strengthening partnerships across campus. The Associate Director oversees day-to-day operations, leads major visit events including Admitted Student Day, and elevates all programming from middle school outreach to admitted student experiences, to ensure it is inclusive, impactful, and centered on exceptional guest experience. Role Focus Operational | People Focused | Execution Oriented

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

As one of only 35 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder is about realizing the positive impacts of new knowledge. From offering dozens of exciting programs in a range of academic fields, to serving as one of the world's most dynamic research and innovation hubs, to working closely through hundreds of public outreach efforts with communities across Colorado and the world, we take pride in helping our students, faculty, staff, and partners turn new insights into productive outcomes that change lives.

Operations & Event Strategy

• Design, optimize, and evaluate the full portfolio of on-campus and virtual visit experiences ensuring all programs are coordinated, connected, and clearly differentiated; have defined goals, metrics, and intended outcomes; and are consistently meeting those targets. Provide the strategic framework, standards, and expectations for the portfolio, while Assistant Directors lead execution, day-to-day management, and tactical implementation within their respective areas.
• Pilot and scale new strategies, technologies, formats, and service models that advance yield, guest satisfaction, accessibility, operational consistency, and overall effectiveness.
• Lead Admitted Student Day end-to-end: experiential design, timeline ownership, production planning, volunteer deployment, staffing strategy, budget inputs, partner coordination, and day-of leadership. Cross-train staff and delegate event management support to build capacity and resilience.
• Build planning frameworks and processes that drive clarity, consistency, and alignment across all experience types.
• Ensure programming for K-12, access, special populations, and transfer audiences is developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, welcoming, and safe; partner with coordinators to integrate educational content, safety practices, and chaperone guidance.
• Supervise coordination of virtual visit experiences to ensure accessibility, engagement, and alignment with in person offerings in partnership with the Specialized Events and Engagement Coordinator and designated Admissions first-year and transfer team members.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Marketing & Communications and the Associate Director peer group to align visitor experience programming with the university's overarching marketing storytelling, recruitment campaigns, and strategic vision. Ensure that the narratives, themes, and brand promises embedded in these campaigns are intentionally integrated into the design and delivery of all visit experiences.
• Partner with the Slate CRM Events team to align event setup, registration workflows, communications journeys, staffing assignments, and reporting with operational expectations.
• Strengthen collaboration with academic units, student services, Precollege Outreach & Engagement, community organizations, and enrollment partners to elevate the guest experience and pipelines.
• Review, approve, and monitor event-related budgets and expenditures; maintain fiscal accountability in partnership with the Director.
• Support Visitor Experience Team to streamline reservations, room setups, and catering processes.
• Serve as a visible, collaborative partner who removes barriers, extends collaboration, and connects people and resources.
• Partner with the Director to interpret data and adjust tactics in real time.
• Track visitor counts, audience reach, conversion indicators, and satisfaction insights to inform decisions.
• Build feedback loops with students, families, ambassadors, and partners to guide iterative improvement and experience design.
• Cultivate strong relationships across colleges/schools, student services, Enrollment Marketing & Communications, Precollege Outreach & Engagement, and community partners to align goals and amplify impact.

Team Supervision & Culture

• Directly supervise two Assistant Directors; provide indirect leadership to four Coordinators and 120+ student ambassadors.
• Manages performance through ongoing feedback, goal-setting, and performance management.
• Completes timely performance evaluations in accordance with university guidelines and deadlines.
• Establishes clear roles, priorities, and communication practices to promote alignment and operational efficiency.
• Build staffing plans, training, and performance routines emphasizing hospitality, inclusion, innovation, and a guest centered mentality.
• Model a culture committed to growth and problem solving that centers student and guest experience, staff well-being, accountability, and learning.
• Lead staffing strategy, student ambassador workforce planning, scheduling, and financial forecasting to support visit volume, weekends, and seasonal spikes.
• Test innovative staffing methods (flex pools, cross-trained roles, peak production models, collaborative staffing) to ensure resilience for high-traffic days and signature events.
• Maintain documentation and deliver training for staff and student teams to ensure accurate, compliant, and consistent use.
• Manage Counselor on Duty (COD) scheduling, review COD intake data, and identify insights that can improve frontline service or visitor communication.

Project Management & Operational Workflow

• Maintain and oversee the master events calendar to include but not limited to, on-campus, off-campus, virtual, & school group events to ensure all campus partners and internal offices are aware of key dates and timelines.
• Use Asana as the primary project management platform to drive task clarity, timeline visibility, and accountability within Visitor Experience.
• Use Asana to align deliverables across Enrollment Marketing & Communications, academic units, student services, facilities, Housing & Dining, campus safety, and transportation partners.
• Maintain organized project workflows and clear task ownership so internal staff, campus partners, ambassadors, and volunteers are informed and aligned.
• Coordinate risk mitigation, policy implementation, accessibility accommodations, and contingency plans to launch programs smoothly, safely, and consistently.
• Support the maintenance and optimization of the Visitor Experience Portal.
• Collaborate with the Slate team on templates, registration workflows, reporting, and a sustainable folder/categorization structure.
• Partner with the Enrollment Management Business Solutions Project Manager to facilitate visitor experience critical initiatives and priorities.
• Collaborate with Youth Protection Services and University Risk Management for proper procedures, best practices, and risk management.

Collaboration & Other Duties as Assigned

• Represent the Department of Visitor Experience at campus, state, and national convenings as appropriate including workshops, conferences, and professional development opportunities.
• Support CASE building and tour operations, including occasional Saturday coverage and Counselor on Duty rotations.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

Hybrid work schedule with one day remote per week, subject to change based on needs.

The annual salary range is $86,100 - $96,000.

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be impactful. Be supportive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Four plus years of progressively responsible experience in visitor experience, campus events, student engagement, higher education recruitment, or a closely related field.
• Two years of professional staff supervision experience.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

What You Will Need

• Solution-oriented, professional communication that invites inquiry, builds collaboration, enhances connection, and moves work forward—especially under time pressure and ambiguity.
• Innovation & growth mindset with a track record of piloting, testing, learning, and iterating to improve guest outcomes.
• Operational excellence in event production, logistics, and project management with strong attention to detail.
• Data fluency and the ability to translate insights into action.
• Proficiency with Slate CRM (or similar systems) for event registration, communications, staffing, and reporting.
• Proven dedication to a supportive, culturally responsive