Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

Housed within University Marketing, this role leads the development and coordination of integrated admissions communications strategies in close partnership with Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid, and Orientation & Transition. The Director ensures that messaging, timing, and channels are aligned across units to create a cohesive, student-centered experience and to support institutional admissions goals.

This position serves as the primary strategic lead for admissions communications executed through Slate, coordinating CRM-based messaging, campaign sequencing, and performance assessment in collaboration with Admissions leadership and Marketing Operations. This role also provides strategic guidance and consultation to support Admissions marketing and communications efforts across Western’s campuses and locations, ensuring a cohesive approach that reflects both institutional priorities and local context.

The Director exercises a high degree of independent judgment and supervises professional staff supporting admissions marketing initiatives.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

35% - Provide strategic direction for admissions-related marketing and communications within University Marketing.

• Lead the development of integrated admissions communications strategies spanning recruitment, application, admission, financial aid awareness, and transition to enrollment.
• Provide strategic leadership and guidance for Admissions marketing and communications initiatives that span Western's multiple campuses and academic centers, including Bellingham, Western on the Peninsulas, and other locations, ensuring alignment with institutional brand, messaging, and admissions goals.
• Ensure admissions communications are student-centered, accessible, and aligned with institutional brand and messaging frameworks.
• Serve as a strategic partner to Admissions, Financial Aid, and Orientation & Transition leadership to align communications with admissions priorities and student needs.
• Translate admissions goals into coordinated communications approaches across channels and units. 

30% - Serve as the primary strategic lead for admissions-related communications executed through Slate.

• Establish and maintain frameworks for admissions lifecycle messaging, campaign sequencing, and audience segmentation in collaboration with Admissions and Enrollment Management partners.
• Coordinate CRM-based admissions communications to ensure consistency, clarity, and appropriate timing across recruitment and yield phases.
• Partner with Marketing Operations and Enrollment Systems staff to align communications strategy with data structures, governance practices, and technical capabilities.
• Analyze performance data to evaluate effectiveness and inform refinements to admissions communications strategies. 

20% - Foster strong, ongoing collaboration between University Marketing and Admissions-related units to ensure coordinated planning and execution of admissions communications.

• Align admissions marketing efforts with broader institutional marketing initiatives and calendars.
• Serve as a central point of coordination for cross-unit admissions campaigns and communications initiatives.
• Represent University Marketing on admissions-related working groups and committees as appropriate. 

15% - Supervise and support professional staff working on admissions marketing and communications initiatives.

• Provide functional guidance and mentorship related to admissions campaign development, messaging coordination, and communications assessment.
• Establish metrics and reporting frameworks to assess the effectiveness of admissions marketing efforts.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, workflows, and use of marketing technologies to support admissions goals.
• Contribute to long-range planning related to admissions marketing strategy, tools, and staffing.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, English, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, or admissions-related work.
• Demonstrated expertise with Slate in an admissions communications context, evidenced by Slate certification and/or a minimum of one year of hands-on Slate experience.
• Experience working in undergraduate admissions, enrollment management, or student transition programs.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Strong analytical skills and experience using data to inform communications strategy.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading integrated, multi-channel marketing or communications strategies.
• At least one year of experience leading staff or complex, cross-functional communications initiatives.
• Advanced experience coordinating communications across multiple functional units.
• Experience working within a centralized or matrixed marketing organization.
• Demonstrated success aligning admissions communications strategy with institutional goals and student experience outcomes.

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

Western Washington University is being assisted with this search by Another Source.  To apply, please visit: Director of Admissions Marketing & Communications

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.