Enrollment Counselor - Graduate (Non-Traditional)

JOB SUMMARY

The Graduate Enrollment Counselor is a representative of Southeastern University and responsible for leading the admission process for prospective students of select graduate and doctoral programs at SEU. Enrollment services may include, but are not limited to, community outreach, new student recruitment, communication regarding specifics about the academic and co-curricular programs of SEU, explanation of financial aid processes, and participation in promotional events both on and off campus.

The Graduate Enrollment Counselor will be responsible for making decisions on graduate and doctoral admission to the university, and as such must exercise discretion and independent judgment on a regular basis with respect to matters of significance for the university. The Graduate Enrollment Counselor should possess a positive and energetic demeanor, a commitment to teamwork and collaboration, a drive toward results, and the ability to work in a fast paced, and frequently changing environment. Some travel, daily office work, as well as the ability to effectively engage with diverse student populations are required of the position as they are necessary toward the recruitment of prospective students, evaluation of admission, and the enrollment of incoming student populations to the university.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Director of Graduate & Online Enrollment

Supervisory Responsibility: N/A

Indirect Supervisory Responsibility: N/A

ESSENTIAL DUTIES - May include, but is not limited to the following:

Recruiting and Admission Strategies. The Graduate Enrollment Counselor is responsible for developing and implementing recruiting and admission strategies, utilizing effective sales techniques, and providing exceptional customer service to meet university enrollment targets. The counselor will guide prospective graduate students through the enrollment funnel from inquiry to enrollment. This involves maintaining consistent communication via email, mail, texting, and phone calls, conducting informational and evaluative interviews, advising students on educational and career decisions, and building rapport with students, families, academic program directors, faculty, and SEU alumni.

Travel and Outreach. The counselor will plan and execute recruitment travel within their assigned territory, attending graduate fairs, conferences, engaging in community outreach and promoting SEU's graduate programs at various events. The counselor will ensure alignment on recruitment strategies and facilitate the integration of new students into the university community.

Application Management. Managing a caseload of up to 600 prospective graduate students, the counselor will maintain up-to-date records of prospective students, track and report on recruitment efforts, and evaluate and process student applications. This includes conducting financial aid discussions and affordability conversations with students. The counselor will also direct incoming students to appropriate campus resources for a smooth transition to SEU and ensure that prospective students receive accurate information regarding degree requirements, university policies, and graduate school regulations.

Event Participation and Innovation. The counselor will participate in prospective student events both on and off campus and exercise creativity and innovation in recruitment and admission activities. This includes planning and executing engaging and informative events to attract prospective graduate students, leading on-campus and virtual information sessions, and participating in admitted student events and other yield opportunities.

Team Collaboration and Feedback. The counselor will manage and oversee student workers, collaborate with office support staff, and provide feedback to the Director of Graduate & Online Enrollment on enrollment processes, suggesting improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The counselor will work with other graduate enrollment staff members and academic program directors to ensure prompt review of applications, and maintain ongoing communication with academic program chairs. Additionally, the counselor will assist academic program directors and the marketing team in developing and implementing recruitment outreach strategies, collaborating on the design and distribution of marketing materials, and ensuring consistent and accurate information is provided to prospective and new students.

ADDITIONAL/NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES

N/A

All remaining duties are considered "nonessential" within the context of the ADA, which means that the function could be reassigned to another employee in order to allow a disabled individual to hold the position. Alternatively, the manager could try to provide a reasonable accommodation so that the disabled individual could perform the function.

LOCATION

Downtown Hybrid (some remote, some downtown)

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree.
• Experience in higher education admissions, sales, customer service, or a related field.
• Experience with graduate enrollment processes and student recruitment.
• Experience using CRM recruitment or sales software.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data.
• Valid driver's license.

Preferred

• Bachelor's or Master's degree.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Element451 CRM, Power BI, and/or Jenzabar SIS.
• Familiarity with SEU graduate and doctoral programs, academic offerings, student activities, and student resources.
• Understanding of student financial aid policies and procedures.
• Financial literacy for expense management and reimbursement processes.
• Knowledge of effective higher education recruitment strategies and trends.
• Experience utilizing data-driven decision-making and recruitment planning.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong initiative, independent judgment, and critical thinking skills.
• Superior interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, including public speaking.
• Exceptional organizational and analytical skills with strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency in customer service and the ability to engage effectively with diverse populations.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• High ethical standards, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential student information.
• Ability to recommend and implement process improvements within existing policies and procedures.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.

Physical Requirements

• Occasional lifting of recruiting materials and display equipment weighing 30-50 pounds.

Work Environment

EDUCATION

Required Education:

Bachelor's in Business, Education, Marketing, Student Services or other related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's in Business, Education or other related degree.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

N/A

EXPERIENCE

Required:

At least one year of administrative experience using computers (preferably Google Suite software), telephone systems and office equipment is required.

Preferred:

Experience in higher education admissions, sales, customer service, or related field, including as an undergraduate student. Experience with CRM recruitment or sales software. Familiarity with analyzing and interpreting data.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Required:

The enrollment counselor position demands a high degree of initiative and independent judgment. Operating within the highest ethical standards and integrity in all aspects of the role, the enrollment counselor must also maintain ethical practices and the confidentiality of student information. Essential skills for this position include strong independent judgment, initiative, and critical thinking. Superior interpersonal and public speaking abilities are crucial, along with highly developed written and oral communication skills. The role also requires strong organizational and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail. Proficiency in customer service and the ability to interface with diverse populations are necessary. The counselor must work independently and maintain a schedule, while also contributing to and collaborating within a team environment. The ability to use discretion within current policies and procedures and recommend process improvements is important. A valid driver's license is required.

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and analytical skills and excellent attention to detail
• Highly developed written and oral communication skills
• Strong desire & commitment to Christian higher education.
• Strong commitment to the mission of Southeastern University and to students.
• Willingness to be both flexible and adaptable.
• High level of motivation, well-organized, and the ability to work independently as well as on a team.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks/projects under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Passion for helping people develop and reach professional goals
• Willingness to travel for recruitment, including overnight travel
• Ability to professionally represent the University to a variety of constituents.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications.
• Possess both flexibility and adaptability to accommodate the changing needs of the department and institution.
• Valid driver's license and good driving record required. Must be willing to travel and work a variety of hours, including overnight, weekends, and occasionally on holidays.

Preferred:

• Preferred knowledge and skills for the enrollment counselor position include proficiency with Microsoft Office software, PowerBI reporting software, Salesforce CRM software, and/or Jenzabar SIS software.
• Familiarity with SEU's academic programming, student activities, residential life, athletic programs, learning support services, and other extracurricular programs and services is highly valuable.
• An understanding of the policies and procedures for distributing student financial aid is beneficial, along with financial literacy skills for managing expenses and reimbursements.
• Knowledge of SEU's multicultural and religious diversity is important.
• Effective personnel management techniques, as well as skills in project management, organization, and office management, are advantageous.
• Additionally, an awareness of the advances and effective methods in higher education recruitment approaches, strategies, and tools is preferred.
• Experience in higher education admission, sales, public relations, corporate development, marketing, or other related fields.
• Familiarity with analyzing and interpreting data
• Sales training and experience.
• Experience in CRM recruitment or sales software (Salesforce)
• Experience with presentation software, virtual conferencing, social media apps, and budgeting

WORK ENVIRONMENT

All employees are responsible for maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, including sexual harassment.

• This position is considered non-essential for the purposes of Emergency Response.
• Extended work hours and weekends may be required during periods of high volume during enrollment periods.

Physical Requirements:

The position requires occasional lifting of large quantities of recruiting materials and display equipment weighing 30-50 pounds.

Travel:

Yes 25%

Schedule:

40 hours per week is required. Regular hours are 9am - 5:30pm M-F. Seasonal hours during peak travel months include evening & weekend work. Some extended hours required during peak admission months.

TRAINING

All new hires and employees transferring into a new position will have a 90-day probationary period within which to learn the functions of the job and to be evaluated. Following the probationary period, the employee can transition to regular status, have the probationary period extended in order to receive more training, or employment can be terminated. Required compliance training is as follows:

N/A

SAFETY

• SEU promotes a safe working environment. Employees are responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and efficiently, and supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment.
• Employees must report any unsafe work conditions or practices, as well as any near-miss incidents, to their supervisor and Risk Management.
• Work-related injuries must be immediately reported to Security and Human Resources. When life or limb are at risk, please dial 911. Supervisors and employees should ensure that injury/accident reports are submitted to the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours of the incident.
• Emergency Employees report for or must remain at work in emergency situations. Dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to this position, unless instructed otherwise by your direct supervisor or a member of the Leadership Team.

SCREENING

All full-time positions at SEU are deemed security-sensitive and require background checks. Employees required to drive their own personal vehicle, a rental car or an SEU vehicle in performance of their duties must pass an MVR records check and meet the requirements of the University's insurance carrier in order to meet the requirements of the position.

DISCLAIMER

SEU is an at-will employer. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change. The employer retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

SEU is committed to providing a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. All forms of discrimination against or harassment of a person because of his or her identification within a protected category are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition applies equally to conduct by and against employees, vendors, visitors, and students.

Southeastern University is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. The equal opportunity policy will apply in University programs and activities, and all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. All employees of Southeastern University, by continued employment, agree to abide by the policies contained in the Employee Handbook and in the SEU Mission, Vision, Statement of Faith and Community Covenant.