Reporting to the Dean, the Executive Director of Enrollment Management, will serve in a key leadership capacity to engage enrollment partners and harness organizational capabilities to meet and exceed student enrollment goals for the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School (PGBS). In partnership with the Dean, the incumbent will work in concert with key stakeholders to develop and deploy high-impact strategies for demand generation, strengthening down-funnel conversion, and producing successful enrollment outcomes for the varied and robust portfolio of degree programs offered by PGBS. The position will also play a critical role in ensuring that all enrollment initiatives are closely aligned with the core commitments of academic excellence, transformational learning, and ethical leadership articulated in the Pepperdine Graziadio mission.

Duties

• Strategy Development: In alignment with the PGBS Strategic Priority goals and enrollment growth strategy, set the strategic direction, priorities, and objectives that underpin the various student recruitment, admission, and yield initiatives for PGBS programs. Provide guidance and leadership to PGBS recruitment, admission, and partnership development teams on aligning resources and efforts toward optimizing performance and attaining annual program and school-level enrollment goals. Instill a strong collaborative mindset among team members and a keen appreciation of the cross-functional interdependencies essential for successful recruitment and enrollment outcomes.
• Enrollment Command Center (ECC) Leadership: Oversee the activities of the Enrollment Command Center as a critical apparatus for strategic coordination and collaboration among PGBS enrollment partners. On behalf of PGBS as an internal client, engage relevant central university departments (Enrollment Marketing, Corporate Relations, Data Analytics, Information Technology, Office of International Student Services) on a continual basis to ensure collective focus on PGBS enrollment priorities and align resources and processes toward optimizing outcomes. Leverage the ECC as an effective mechanism for continually tracking enrollment funnel performance, identifying potential gaps/obstacles, and cross-functional collaboration in developing and deploying timely solutions. In partnership with the centralized marketing department, this role will be a key architect in establishing the strategic metrics and pathways for success. This includes defining, implementing, and rigorously tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across the entire enrollment pipeline, such as application volume, admit rate, and deposit rate. Success hinges on establishing a clear, collaborative pathway toward shared accountability for these metrics with Marketing, ensuring the right measurements and execution strategies are in place to drive pipeline results.
• Team Performance Management: Supervise directors who manage recruitment teams for each PGBS program portfolio (Full-Time, Part-Time, and Executive Programs), Admissions, Partnership Development, and Enrollment Management and build/lead processes that optimize cross-vertical alignment on effective management practices, setting short- and long-term priorities, and key performance indicators. Provide training and guidance on the effective use of data assets (CRM dashboards, reports, and other information sources) to assess individual and team performance, identify strengths/challenges, and develop action plans to address areas of need.
• Yield Management: Collaborate with PGBS and University enrollment partners, leverage existing and emerging data sources and tools to capture key enrollment predictors and optimize forecasting methodologies for each cycle. Consistent with the existing objectives of scholarship execution for down top and down funnel enrollment performance, and in coordination with the Office of Financial Aid, develop a strategic student aid allocation plan to maximize enrollment yield.
• Stakeholder Management: Regularly engage enrollment partners and other PGBS stakeholders in discussions, planning, information-sharing, and strategy development/refinement for continuous improvements in enrollment outcomes. Promote a culture of mutual support, shared accountability, and a collective vision for meeting key objectives and delivering results.
• Uphold University mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required

• Advanced degree in higher education administration, business, sales, marketing, or a related field.
• Seven (7) or more years of professional experience in higher education recruitment and admission, preferably in graduate business, with a minimum of 5 years at the management level.
• Established track record overseeing cross-functional teams and enrollment operations in a complex organizational setting.
• Experience managing and leveraging data assets to optimize recruitment and enrollment performance.
• Strategic planning and execution skills, with the ability to develop and implement effective enrollment strategies.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to engage a wide range of stakeholder groups within and outside an organization.
• Well-developed data analysis and interpretation skills as it relates to informing strategic decisions.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and other enrollment management tools.
• Unimpeachable integrity and a strong ethical compass.
• A sales orientation with active and consistent engagement and leadership.
• Keen discernment in assessing and navigating a wide range of scenarios within a complex organizational environment.
• Professional/intellectual curiosity and an innovative/entrepreneurial mindset.
• Proactiveness in delivering/soliciting constructive feedback and seeking solutions to organizational challenges.

Preferred

• MBA, MS/MA, or doctorate in higher education administration, business, sales, marketing, or a related field.
• Ten (10) or more years of professional experience in higher education recruitment and admission, particularly within a business school setting.
• Seven (7) or more years of management experience.
• Demonstrated record of effectively leading multi-stakeholder teams for managing enrollment performance and driving growth initiatives.
• Understanding of the modern higher education enrollment landscape; knowledge of the principles, practices, and KPIs associated with enrollment funnel management.
• Skill in developing and activating cross-functional collaboration strategies that optimize efficiency and agility in driving enrollment outcomes.
• High degree of analytical and technological acumen; strong data orientation and ability to interpret and synthesize complex data in both quantitative and qualitative forms.
• High capacity to interact effectively and authentically with diverse stakeholder groups, incorporate and negotiate multiple perspectives, and facilitate decision-making and resolution on key actions.
• Advanced skills in cultivating talent and inspiring high performance among individuals and teams.

This is a Regular, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $153,000 - $180,000 per year

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.