JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Vice President for Enrollment (AVPE) provides senior leadership and professional expertise to the Division of Student Life & Enrollment (DSLE) and reports to the Vice President for Student Life & Enrollment (VPSLE). The AVPE plays a pivotal role in advancing the University of Connecticut’s Strategic Plan, Envisioning 2034, the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan, and the President’s Operational Priorities by leading enrollment-related functions that directly support holistic student success, institutional competitiveness, and long-term financial sustainability. The AVPE has delegated authority for enrollment strategy, admissions, and financial aid operations, and serves as the principal advisor to the VPSLE on enrollment-related policy, strategy, and risk.

The AVPE oversees Admissions, Student Financial Aid Services, New Student Programs, One Stop Student Services & One Card Office,  and the Student Communications team. Through this portfolio, the AVPE ensures that recruitment, admission, financial aid, onboarding, and student communications strategies are fully integrated, data-informed, and aligned with UConn’s goals to improve enrollment outlook, strengthen retention and graduation outcomes, enhance rankings, and expand access and opportunity for students across all campuses. Given the breadth of this portfolio, the AVPE operates with an enterprise perspective, balancing divisional priorities with institution-wide enrollment and student success objectives.

The position requires discretion, exemplary critical-thinking skills, and the ability to engage complex and sometimes competing priorities with clarity and judgment. The AVPE must be innovative, demonstrably student-centered, and effective in a large, comprehensive public research university, balancing enrollment growth, affordability, equity, and institutional excellence. The role demands strong verbal and written communication skills and the capacity to advise the VPSLE on sensitive and sophisticated matters involving internal and external stakeholders.

As a member of the Division’s senior leadership team, the AVPE is expected to advance initiatives that embed diversity, equity, and inclusion across all enrollment functions, consistent with UConn’s commitment to student belonging, access, and success. The AVPE collaborates closely with divisional and university partners to foster a culture of continuous improvement, enterprise effectiveness, and shared accountability for outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment

The AVPE partners with the VPSLE and other senior leaders to operationalize the University’s Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) priorities, contributing directly to institutional goals to:

• Improve enrollment outlook through targeted recruitment strategies, expanded markets, and data-informed decision-making.
• Increase retention and graduation rates for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Strengthen UConn’s academic profile and national competitiveness, including performance in rankings such as U.S. News & World Report, QS, and Times Higher Education.
• Maintain financial sustainability and resiliency through responsible aid optimization, enrollment forecasting, and revenue planning.
• Advance a sense of community and belonging for students across all campuses.

Enrollment Strategy, Analytics, and Financial Sustainability

• Partner with DSLE executive leadership to provide strategic direction for recruitment, enrollment, and student success initiatives that support degree completion and equitable outcomes across all campuses.
• Review and analyze enrollment trend data; contribute to the development of predictive enrollment and aid models using historical data and tools such as FAST and Rapid Insights, working in concert with the DSLE Executive Analyst.
• Serve as the DSLE liaison to Budget and Finance, ensuring effective stewardship of the institutional aid budget and alignment with the University’s financial sustainability goals.
• Contribute to strategies that enhance rankings, revenue generation, and new opportunities for students through optimized enrollment practices.

Leadership and Operational Oversight

• The AVPE provides strategic oversight and direction for the following units, each led operationally by a director:
• Admissions – undergraduate recruitment strategy, admissions operations, yield management, and enrollment market development.
• Student Financial Aid Services – administration of federal, state, and institutional aid programs; aid strategy; compliance; and audit readiness.
• New Student Programs – orientation, onboarding, and transition initiatives supporting first-year and transfer student success.
• One Stop Student Services & One Card Office – integrated student service delivery, transactional support, and student identification systems.
• Student Communications Team – enrollment- and student-facing communications, messaging strategy, and multi-channel outreach.
• Promote continuous improvement, service excellence, and enterprise effectiveness across all supervised units.
• Represent the university with relevant enrollment-related state, national and global organizations in support of the advancement of the university’s mission and reputation.

Compliance, External Relations, and Government Affairs

• Proactively identify and mitigate enrollment-related financial, compliance, and reputational risks in coordination with university partners.
• Serve as DSLE liaison to state and internal auditors; review Financial Aid audit findings and Corrective Action Plans prior to submission.
• Serve as liaison to the Office of Government Relations, legislative representatives, the Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE), the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), and the U.S. Department of Education; provide legislative testimony as needed.
• Compile enrollment-related information for the Board of Trustees, President & Administration, and the Connecticut General Assembly and related committees as needed.

Advancement, Partnerships, and Student Opportunity

• Serve as liaison to the UConn Foundation and external partners on scholarship initiatives, including Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Teachers, Promise Programs, and statewide scholarship efforts.
• Collaborate with regional campus leadership to align enrollment policies and practices with institutional priorities and local market needs.
• Support fundraising and engagement priorities by aligning enrollment strategy with access, affordability, and student success goals.

Institutional Service and Representation

• Serve as a co-chair of the UConn Strategic Enrollment Planning Committee, and a leading member of the Retention & Graduation Task Force, Enrollment Management Council, Survey Completion & Review Committee, and other committees as assigned.
• Contribute to the analysis of U.S. News & World Report and related benchmarking data to inform institutional strategy.
• Represent the University at New Student Orientation, UConn Foundation events, and other official functions.

Other Duties

• Complete additional duties and special assignments as delegated by the VPSLE in support of divisional and university priorities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in student affairs administration, higher education, or a related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in the higher education industry, with 5+ years of demonstrated leadership experience.
• A proven history of successful leadership in a college or university setting.
• Demonstrated success leading multiple functional enrollment areas with direct supervisory responsibility for directors and managers.
• Experience overseeing institutional aid or enrollment-related budgets and aligning financial strategy with enrollment goals.
• Proven experience using data to inform enrollment strategy, forecasting, and financial aid optimization.
• Leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, including experience working with senior leadership and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to balance enrollment growth, affordability, equity, and institutional excellence.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in student affairs administration, higher education, or a related field.
• Experience in a public research university or multi-campus institution.
• Management experience working in a collective bargaining environment.
• Experience managing institutional aid budgets and enrollment forecasting in support of financial sustainability.
• Experience with enrollment analytics tools and systems.
• Experience partnering with IT leadership on enterprise systems, data governance, or digital transformation.
• Experience with compliance, audit readiness, and federal/state financial aid regulations.
• Experience engaging with external partners, including government relations, foundations, and community stakeholders.
• Experience leading initiatives that improve enrollment and success outcomes for historically underserved student populations, including strategies to reduce barriers to access and persistence.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 12-month permanent position. The University offers a competitive salary, and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment. For additional information regarding benefits visit: https//hr.uconn.edu.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs, Faculty and Staff Positions, Search #499519 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:55 p.m. Eastern time on March 26, 2026. 

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at https://portal.ct.gov/Ethics/Statutes-and-Regulations.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.