The Director of Admissions provides visionary, data-informed, and student-centered leadership for all admissions and recruitment functions of the College. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Services, the Director serves as the institution’s chief admissions strategist and operational leader, responsible for shaping, executing, and continuously improving comprehensive admissions and recruitment strategies that advance enrollment growth, student access, and student success.
The Director of Admissions leads a multi-campus admissions operation, including recruitment, application processing, One-Stop services, dual enrollment, and international admissions. The Director ensures a seamless, equitable, and high-quality experience for prospective students from inquiry through enrollment while maintaining compliance with all institutional, state, and federal requirements.
Essential Functions:
- Provide leadership for admissions and recruitment strategy aligned with institutional enrollment goals, access priorities, and student success outcomes.
- Design, implement, assess, and continuously refine admissions and recruitment models using data analytics, market trends, and yield analysis.
- Serve as a key advisor to the AVP, Enrollment Services on enrollment planning, forecasting, policy development, and operational effectiveness.
- Monitor enrollment performance through point-in-time data and predictive indicators; develop and lead corrective action strategies as needed.
- Direct and coordinate all recruitment initiatives to meet enrollment targets across student populations, including traditional-age, adult, veteran, dual enrollment, and international students.
- Provide final oversight and accountability for admission decisions, including residency determination and compliance with admissions policies.
- Lead and continuously improve application processing, document management, and admissions workflows to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and timeliness.
- Ensure consistency, standardization, and service excellence in admissions processes across all campus locations.
- Provide direct leadership, supervision, and performance management for recruitment staff, processing personnel, One-Stop staff, and student employees.
- Build a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and professional excellence through coaching, training, and professional development.
- Establish clear performance expectations and outcomes aligned with enrollment goals and customer service standards.
- Lead international student admissions, ensuring institutional compliance with immigration regulations and serving as the College’s representative for VISA and SEVIS-related matters.
- Ensure timely, accurate reporting and compliance with all federal, state, and accrediting requirements related to admissions.
- In partnership with the Assistant Director of Admissions Systems, ensure optimal utilization of the CRM, chatbot, and student information systems to support recruitment, communication, and yield management.
- Establish and enforce data integrity standards and analytics practices to inform decision-making and continuous process improvement.
- Oversee admissions-related web content and recruitment publications, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with institutional branding in collaboration with Communications
- Lead the development and continuous improvement of campus tour programs across all locations.
- Collaborate with campus directors, academic deans, counselors, and external partners to strengthen recruitment pipelines and enrollment outcomes.
- Represent the College at on-campus and off-site events, schools, and community engagements as needed.
- Supervise, direct, and evaluate admissions employees and recommend to the AVP in hiring and performance evaluation processes personnel to be employed, promoted, sanctioned or terminated.
- Oversee the development of and administration of budgets in enrollment services.
- Provide development, oversight of programs and services that result in enrollment, progression, retention and graduation growth for the service area.
Supplemental Functions:
- Serve on college-wide leadership and standing committees.
- Provide leadership support to enrollment services personnel across campuses as needed.
- Perform other duties consistent with a senior admissions leadership role.
Education, Training, and Experience:
- Master's Degree required
- Minimum of Five years of progressive responsibility and experience in admissions or related student services field required
- Demonstrated leadership experience supervising professional staff.
- Experience as a recruiter preferred
- Experience in a community college strongly preferred
- Experience with Banner highly preferred
- Experience with SLATE or comparable CRM strongly preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and public relations skills.
- Self- motivated and ability to work as part of a team
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-campus admissions operations.
- Ability to work with diverse populations.
- Proficiency in student information systems, CRM platforms, and Microsoft Office applications.
- Strong strategic planning, data analysis, and decision-making skills.
- High ethical standards and commitment to equity, access, and student success.
Working Conditions:
- Heavy use of computer
- Flexible scheduling including evening and weekend hours
- Normal standing, sitting, and walking
- Lifting of boxes weighing approximately 40 lbs.
- Requires some travel using personal vehicle to campuses and schools in the nine-county service area and to other locations for meetings and job-related activities.
Titles Supervised:
- Enrollment Services Recruiters (2)
- Enrollment Services Processing Clerks (3)
- Customer Service Clerk
- Student workers
Hiring Salary Range: $63,400- $79,250
This position is based at the Columbia, TN Campus.
About Columbia State Community College:
As Tennessee’s first community college (established in 1966), Columbia State is committed to student success both in and out of the classroom, as well as economic and community development in our nine-county service area. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents.
Columbia State offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:
- Vacation and Sick Leave
- 14 paid holidays
- Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
- Retirement plans
- Optional 401K and 403B Deferred Compensation Plans
- Educational benefits for the employee and their spouse and dependents
Columbia State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other class protected by Federal or State laws and regulations and by Tennessee Board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs, and activities.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies:
Executive Director of Human Resources
humanresources@columbiastate.edu
1665 Hampshire Pike, Columbia, TN 38401
931-540-2501