VICE PROVOST, ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
Apply NowCompany: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, WA 98115
Description:
The University of Washington (the UW), one of the world's preeminent public research universities, is seeking a strategic, forward-thinking, and collaborative leader to serve as the next Vice Provost for Enrollment Management (VPEM).
The Division of Enrollment Management consists of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Student Financial Aid, Office of the University Registrar, International Student Services, and the Veterans Education Benefits Office. Today, Enrollment Management has grown to become a key strategic partner to the University's campuses, schools, colleges, and programs in the recruitment, admission, and support of students at the UW. The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will have an opportunity to build on these partnerships and advance strategic enrollment management initiatives to recruit, admit, and support a high-quality and diverse entering class for the Seattle campus.
The VPEM will be a transformational leader with the vision, energy, integrity, personal qualities, and professional profile to inspire a dedicated team and garner the trust and collaboration of colleagues across the University. The new leader will possess the expertise to lead a financial aid strategy that incorporates federal, state, and UW-funded financial aid; foster and refine recruiting strategies for domestic and international students; identify and develop key data and analysis that will guide the UW's student enrollment strategy; and guide the modernization of student support services and student administrative technologies. It will be important for the VPEM to invest in and support staff within Enrollment Management through a deep commitment to team culture and an understanding that staff are critical components of the UW's success. A record of commitment to attracting and serving a diverse student body, supporting a multicultural university, and creating a respectful environment that embraces all individuals is essential.
As one of the world's leading public research universities, the University of Washington is driven by a determination to serve the greater good. The University of Washington comprises campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma, as well as a world-class medical center serving the state and the region. Each year, the UW inspires more than 60,000 students to learn from renowned experts in their fields. The UW has been recognized as the No. 1 most-innovative public university and is consistently ranked among the top public universities in the world. The UW receives more federal research dollars than any other U.S. public university and is a top producer of Fulbright students and scholars. It provides boundless opportunities for students while making a profound positive impact on people in the Puget Sound region, across the state of Washington, and around the globe.
The Seattle campus is renowned for its beauty in the midst of a vibrant, multicultural city with a unique mix of restaurants, coffee houses, retail shops, and other services. The city of Seattle, which serves as the extended campus of the University, is considered to be one of the most livable cities in the United States and is a hub for outdoor recreation, arts, and culture. Seattle combines unparalleled natural beauty with small-town friendliness, a Pacific Rim outlook, and cosmopolitan amenities.
To submit a nomination or express personal interest in this position, please see the Procedure for Candidacy section at the end of this document.
Role of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will set the vision for a highly effective enrollment management group as they further the University's impact through undergraduate degree attainment and increased access to higher education. The VPEM will guide the UW's adaptation to a rapidly changing landscape with regard to enrollment demand, degree program capacity, curricular offerings, and student success. They must be focused on student success and outcomes and be a strong leader as well as a skilled collaborator within and across campus divisions to ensure effective recruitment, retention, and graduation outcomes for a diverse campus population.
Serving the University of Washington in Seattle and reporting to the Provost, the Vice Provost directs the Division of Enrollment Management. They have responsibility for more than 100 staff members, an operating budget of $12.5 million, and the distribution of over $750 million in student aid, including over $145 million in institutional gift aid. Working with institutional and academic leadership in the recruitment, admission, and support of students, the VPEM serves on various University committees and chairs the Enrollment Management Advisory Council, which advises senior leadership.
Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Advance a sophisticated, integrated, analytically informed, and collaborative approach to University-wide enrollment.
Routinely analyze data to shape enrollment directions and make appropriate adjustments to an integrated and strategic enrollment effort.
Guide outreach and communication strategies to prospective students that illustrate the opportunities for student success at the UW.
Regularly reassess the effectiveness of recruitment activities and financial aid programs and make appropriate adjustments that are continuously proactive and responsive to market forces and University needs.
With the Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, support the development and implementation of financial aid strategies for the Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses.
Work closely with the deans of the colleges and schools, the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, as well as University Marketing and Communications to develop, implement, and evaluate enrollment marketing plans and strategies designed to attract and retain all students.
Support an integrative approach to student services to optimize efficiencies, enhance service, remove redundancies, support retention, and increase productivity.
Provide the vision for a state-of-the-art records management and registration operation, empowering the University registrar to continually assess and refine the strategy and tactics needed to provide excellent service to prospective and current students in a rapidly changing technological environment.
Provide leadership for International Student Services and the Veterans Education Benefits Office with the goal of providing excellent student support, optimizing efficiencies, enhancing service, and supporting retention.
About the Division of Enrollment Management
The Division of Enrollment Management provides leadership, expertise, analysis, and coordination for undergraduate enrollment-related areas including recruitment and outreach efforts, application and admission policies, financial aid and scholarship policies, student retention and attrition studies, student outcomes, institutional competitiveness, and overall enrollment planning. A strategic enrollment management approach seeks to serve current and prospective students and families by integrating services throughout the student cycle, from recruitment through commencement and thereby enhancing each student's Husky Experience.
The University of Washington attracts students from around the country and around the world. As of fall 2024, the UW's degree-seeking enrollment is 51,719 students in Seattle, including 35,397 undergraduate students and 16,322 students in graduate and professional degree programs.
For more information about the Division of Enrollment Management, please see doem.washington.edu.
Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership
The University of Washington has always remained committed to its mission of public service - to provide a world-class education and engage in cutting-edge and life-changing scholarship, research, and patient care, with a focus on enabling everyone in the UW community to thrive. As the University looks to the future, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will harness the spirit of innovation that permeates throughout the UW into an inspiring vision for enrollment management. Specifically, the new VPEM will be expected to:
Establish a vision for the UW's next era of enrollment management: The VPEM will lead the UW into a new era, espousing a holistic approach to enrollment management, collaborating with and engaging University stakeholders in strategic conversations, leveraging the strengths of the tri-campus system, and effectively communicating this vision both internally and externally. Employing a student-centered and service-oriented approach, the VPEM will examine current enrollment practices in order to ensure the Division of Enrollment Management supports the entire student life cycle at UW. Some specific priorities for which the VPEM will develop the strategies to address include continuing to grow enrollment with a particular focus on students from rural parts of the state and indigenous communities. It is important to note that the State of Washington has 34 community and technical colleges, and only six public four-year colleges and universities. The VPEM will facilitate efficient transfer pathways in order to ensure the UW's ability to manage the demand and provide access to the state's flagship university. The VPEM will also need to balance interest for the UW from students within Washington with the desire to have a robust student body population from across the nation and around the world. Additionally, the Office of the Provost is closely monitoring changes in federal policies, and the VPEM will play an important role in evaluating the impact those changes could have on enrollment management and enacting any appropriate changes to current enrollment policies, practices, and procedures.
Engage the entire UW community: The UW comprises campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma, as well as a world-class medical center. Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma each have their own enrollment management divisions. The VPEM will raise awareness of common enrollment interests across the campuses, facilitate connections, strengthen collaboration, and spark creativity in developing strategies to address emerging trends and challenges and capitalize on opportunities across the tri-campus system. Like many large, complex research institutions, the UW's culture is highly decentralized with substantial influence from faculty and academic leadership. The VPEM will be a systems thinker, able to cultivate synergy among the various parts of the University. They will lead an enrollment effort that is highly engaged with and responsive to the colleges and schools, further building a structure and processes that support a high-functioning collaboration between central enrollment and the academic units. As the University transitions to an incentive-based budgeting model, the VPEM will help the academic units explore market demand for programs and understand the fiscal implications those offerings may have for the colleges and schools. This will be especially important as the UW explores things such as "meta majors" where students might be admitted into a cluster of majors, stackable certificates, and pathways to graduate degrees. The VPEM will need to bring in-depth knowledge of market trends and best practices to inform those types of conversations.
Advance the concept of enrollment management for UW Seattle: The concept of enrollment management is evolving on the Seattle campus. The division previously reported to the Vice Provost for Academic and Student Affairs. Now reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the VPEM has a significant opportunity to identify key initiatives and elevate the division to a broader role in promoting students' academic experience and success. The VPEM will forge strong partnerships across the University - and within Academic Affairs, in particular - to build a culture of collective discussion around the entire student lifecycle - one that extends beyond admissions - and lead an open and continuous exploration of enrollment possibilities at multiple levels of the campus. This leader will look strategically at how to mine the very large applicant pool with which the UW has been blessed, while balancing the University's access mission and role in developing the State's workforce.
Manage capacity: As the VPEM plans for enrollment growth, it will be essential to leverage the strengths of the UW's programs as well as optimize opportunities for growth at UW Seattle and across the tri-campus system. In partnership with academic leadership, the Vice Provost will help UW Seattle balance student demand for specific degree programs with the capacity of those programs, especially through a data-informed strategy. While certain programs on the Seattle campus are capacity constrained, those limitations might not exist on the Bothell and Tacoma campuses. The VPEM will examine opportunities to redirect qualified applicants to campuses that have the capacity for additional students, thereby broadening access to the UW's expansive academic environment. A list of majors, schools, and colleges that admit students directly as freshmen can be found here. Currently, the vast majority of students enter their major through the standard admission process after enrolling at the UW. For these students, gaining access to a major can be a significant challenge. The UW will look to the VPEM to create a system to facilitate better wayfinding for students and help make the process more efficient, enhancing overall student success and their experience.
Provide leadership and support to the Enrollment Management team: As Enrollment Management continues to mature on the Seattle campus, the VPEM will assess the division's infrastructure, skills, and capacity, and recommend any changes to drive heightened success in this new era. An important aspect of this will be providing the leadership, mentorship, and vision for an experienced, dedicated, and talented team. The VPEM will communicate with frequency, transparency, and candor regarding the UW's larger strategic goals and help staff members translate that into how they work. The leader will assist the team in enhancing a culture that harnesses data and leverages knowledge of market trends and Washington workforce needs. These efforts will shape strategic direction, employ predictive analytics, establish clear benchmarks and metrics, and ensure progress toward goals can be measured. The VPEM will inspire the team by modeling customer service, student support, a sense of urgency, and a cooperative and optimistic approach; encourage openness of communication and accountability in decision making and information sharing; identify ways to improve processes; and build an imaginative, forward-thinking, results-driven ethos for the division. The VPEM will be committed to cultivating staff members' skills and promoting increased collaboration between the various units.
Enhance the use of technology and data in all areas of enrollment: As a forward-thinking leader, the Vice Provost must fully embrace analytic and technology tools to stay ahead in the competitive marketplace. The successful candidate will bring expertise in process improvements and will be a champion for leveraging data resources and predictive analytics to support enrollment management strategies. They must be comfortable with existing and emerging technologies and bring systems thinking and a commitment to having the best processes and systems to support students through their enrollment journey. The UW Student Data Base (SBD) is a home-grown information system that is the foundation for everything that touches student records at the UW. Currently UW Seattle utilizes Ellucian Recruiter to manage prospective and applicant information at the undergraduate level. The Graduate School, UW Bothell, and UW Tacoma utilize Slate by Technolutions. Financial aid is centralized for all three campuses, and all work is done in SBD with a customized overlay for awarding. They also have a Microsoft CRM. The Vice Provost will need to be a critical partner to UW IT as the University explores greater coordination of systems. The Vice Provost will also possess the ability to maximize the functionality and reporting features of those systems to enhance decision making and strategic planning.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree
At least 10 years of experience in management and strategic planning.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Senior leadership experience with entrepreneurial approach.
A high level of integrity and interpersonal skills.
Strong record of developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, students, administrative leaders, government and community officials, and community partners.
An effective mentor and accomplished supervisor.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Proven leadership and expertise in enrollment management: Prior administrative and leadership experience consistent with leading enrollment management in a large, complex higher education environment; proven record of meeting and exceeding enrollment goals. Evidence of effective strategic and visionary planning and implementation in the area of enrollment management including building an appropriate and effective enrollment management plan that reflects institutional goals. Ability to manage the complex interplay of marketing and recruiting strategies, enrollment goals, yield, and financial aid. Skill in optimizing financial aid resources to promote affordability, increase access, and recruit and retain students.
Vision: A deep, systems thinker who is able to develop a vision for the future of enrollment management for an institution of the breadth and scale of the University of Washington. A student-focused, entrepreneurial, and innovative outlook with an eye to new possibilities and emerging challenges. A strong commitment to strategies that support student success.
Institutional leadership: Readiness to be an active, valued member of the Office of the Provost leadership team and to partner closely with the colleges and schools. An understanding of how to accomplish much in a decentralized, complex environment. Ability to build consensus and a sense of teamwork.
Commitment to access and inclusion: Record of enhancing diversity in highly impactful, measurable, and consistent ways. Understanding of the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in the UW student body, within Enrollment Management, and across the University.
Quantitative skills: Experience and a demonstrated record in being facile in quantitative reasoning in order to ensure the generation of reliable data and rigorous analysis. Strategic and analytical ability. Ability to ask the right questions, uncover meaning, and harness research for its predictive results.
Demonstrated ability in marketing: Demonstrated expertise in student enrollment marketing tactics to affect yield and persistence in targeted student segments. Proven success in innovative thinking to develop and implement creative enrollment marketing strategies.
Technological sophistication: Ability to understand the potential value of technological innovations and to lead the process of recommending emerging technologies that can enhance the enrollment operations to best support students.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills: Ability to be articulate, persuasive, and precise in communicating with a variety of audiences, including University leadership, faculty, state legislators, community groups, and donors to and friends of the University. Desire to interact with a wide range of constituencies, including deans and academic partners, engaging many in the dialogue so as to move the University forward together.
Personal qualities: Ability to drive change through engagement, transparency, hard work, and a sense of urgency. Capacity to navigate a highly complex institution with political savvy and patience. Ability to adapt and respond quickly to a dynamic environment. Willingness to be creative, scrappy, and roll up one's sleeves.
Education: A bachelor's degree is required for this position; an advanced degree is desired.
PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY:
This search is being managed by WittKieffer. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Amy Crutchfield, Shelley Arakawa, and Randi Miller at UW-VPEM@wittkieffer.com andapplications must be submitted to the search firm's candidate portal: https://wittkieffer.com/positions/200877.
Applications should include a CV or resume and letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile and be submitted by April 25, 2025, for maximum consideration.
Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.
The Division of Enrollment Management consists of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Student Financial Aid, Office of the University Registrar, International Student Services, and the Veterans Education Benefits Office. Today, Enrollment Management has grown to become a key strategic partner to the University's campuses, schools, colleges, and programs in the recruitment, admission, and support of students at the UW. The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will have an opportunity to build on these partnerships and advance strategic enrollment management initiatives to recruit, admit, and support a high-quality and diverse entering class for the Seattle campus.
The VPEM will be a transformational leader with the vision, energy, integrity, personal qualities, and professional profile to inspire a dedicated team and garner the trust and collaboration of colleagues across the University. The new leader will possess the expertise to lead a financial aid strategy that incorporates federal, state, and UW-funded financial aid; foster and refine recruiting strategies for domestic and international students; identify and develop key data and analysis that will guide the UW's student enrollment strategy; and guide the modernization of student support services and student administrative technologies. It will be important for the VPEM to invest in and support staff within Enrollment Management through a deep commitment to team culture and an understanding that staff are critical components of the UW's success. A record of commitment to attracting and serving a diverse student body, supporting a multicultural university, and creating a respectful environment that embraces all individuals is essential.
As one of the world's leading public research universities, the University of Washington is driven by a determination to serve the greater good. The University of Washington comprises campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma, as well as a world-class medical center serving the state and the region. Each year, the UW inspires more than 60,000 students to learn from renowned experts in their fields. The UW has been recognized as the No. 1 most-innovative public university and is consistently ranked among the top public universities in the world. The UW receives more federal research dollars than any other U.S. public university and is a top producer of Fulbright students and scholars. It provides boundless opportunities for students while making a profound positive impact on people in the Puget Sound region, across the state of Washington, and around the globe.
The Seattle campus is renowned for its beauty in the midst of a vibrant, multicultural city with a unique mix of restaurants, coffee houses, retail shops, and other services. The city of Seattle, which serves as the extended campus of the University, is considered to be one of the most livable cities in the United States and is a hub for outdoor recreation, arts, and culture. Seattle combines unparalleled natural beauty with small-town friendliness, a Pacific Rim outlook, and cosmopolitan amenities.
To submit a nomination or express personal interest in this position, please see the Procedure for Candidacy section at the end of this document.
Role of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will set the vision for a highly effective enrollment management group as they further the University's impact through undergraduate degree attainment and increased access to higher education. The VPEM will guide the UW's adaptation to a rapidly changing landscape with regard to enrollment demand, degree program capacity, curricular offerings, and student success. They must be focused on student success and outcomes and be a strong leader as well as a skilled collaborator within and across campus divisions to ensure effective recruitment, retention, and graduation outcomes for a diverse campus population.
Serving the University of Washington in Seattle and reporting to the Provost, the Vice Provost directs the Division of Enrollment Management. They have responsibility for more than 100 staff members, an operating budget of $12.5 million, and the distribution of over $750 million in student aid, including over $145 million in institutional gift aid. Working with institutional and academic leadership in the recruitment, admission, and support of students, the VPEM serves on various University committees and chairs the Enrollment Management Advisory Council, which advises senior leadership.
Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Advance a sophisticated, integrated, analytically informed, and collaborative approach to University-wide enrollment.
Routinely analyze data to shape enrollment directions and make appropriate adjustments to an integrated and strategic enrollment effort.
Guide outreach and communication strategies to prospective students that illustrate the opportunities for student success at the UW.
Regularly reassess the effectiveness of recruitment activities and financial aid programs and make appropriate adjustments that are continuously proactive and responsive to market forces and University needs.
With the Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, support the development and implementation of financial aid strategies for the Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses.
Work closely with the deans of the colleges and schools, the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, as well as University Marketing and Communications to develop, implement, and evaluate enrollment marketing plans and strategies designed to attract and retain all students.
Support an integrative approach to student services to optimize efficiencies, enhance service, remove redundancies, support retention, and increase productivity.
Provide the vision for a state-of-the-art records management and registration operation, empowering the University registrar to continually assess and refine the strategy and tactics needed to provide excellent service to prospective and current students in a rapidly changing technological environment.
Provide leadership for International Student Services and the Veterans Education Benefits Office with the goal of providing excellent student support, optimizing efficiencies, enhancing service, and supporting retention.
About the Division of Enrollment Management
The Division of Enrollment Management provides leadership, expertise, analysis, and coordination for undergraduate enrollment-related areas including recruitment and outreach efforts, application and admission policies, financial aid and scholarship policies, student retention and attrition studies, student outcomes, institutional competitiveness, and overall enrollment planning. A strategic enrollment management approach seeks to serve current and prospective students and families by integrating services throughout the student cycle, from recruitment through commencement and thereby enhancing each student's Husky Experience.
The University of Washington attracts students from around the country and around the world. As of fall 2024, the UW's degree-seeking enrollment is 51,719 students in Seattle, including 35,397 undergraduate students and 16,322 students in graduate and professional degree programs.
For more information about the Division of Enrollment Management, please see doem.washington.edu.
Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership
The University of Washington has always remained committed to its mission of public service - to provide a world-class education and engage in cutting-edge and life-changing scholarship, research, and patient care, with a focus on enabling everyone in the UW community to thrive. As the University looks to the future, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management will harness the spirit of innovation that permeates throughout the UW into an inspiring vision for enrollment management. Specifically, the new VPEM will be expected to:
Establish a vision for the UW's next era of enrollment management: The VPEM will lead the UW into a new era, espousing a holistic approach to enrollment management, collaborating with and engaging University stakeholders in strategic conversations, leveraging the strengths of the tri-campus system, and effectively communicating this vision both internally and externally. Employing a student-centered and service-oriented approach, the VPEM will examine current enrollment practices in order to ensure the Division of Enrollment Management supports the entire student life cycle at UW. Some specific priorities for which the VPEM will develop the strategies to address include continuing to grow enrollment with a particular focus on students from rural parts of the state and indigenous communities. It is important to note that the State of Washington has 34 community and technical colleges, and only six public four-year colleges and universities. The VPEM will facilitate efficient transfer pathways in order to ensure the UW's ability to manage the demand and provide access to the state's flagship university. The VPEM will also need to balance interest for the UW from students within Washington with the desire to have a robust student body population from across the nation and around the world. Additionally, the Office of the Provost is closely monitoring changes in federal policies, and the VPEM will play an important role in evaluating the impact those changes could have on enrollment management and enacting any appropriate changes to current enrollment policies, practices, and procedures.
Engage the entire UW community: The UW comprises campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma, as well as a world-class medical center. Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma each have their own enrollment management divisions. The VPEM will raise awareness of common enrollment interests across the campuses, facilitate connections, strengthen collaboration, and spark creativity in developing strategies to address emerging trends and challenges and capitalize on opportunities across the tri-campus system. Like many large, complex research institutions, the UW's culture is highly decentralized with substantial influence from faculty and academic leadership. The VPEM will be a systems thinker, able to cultivate synergy among the various parts of the University. They will lead an enrollment effort that is highly engaged with and responsive to the colleges and schools, further building a structure and processes that support a high-functioning collaboration between central enrollment and the academic units. As the University transitions to an incentive-based budgeting model, the VPEM will help the academic units explore market demand for programs and understand the fiscal implications those offerings may have for the colleges and schools. This will be especially important as the UW explores things such as "meta majors" where students might be admitted into a cluster of majors, stackable certificates, and pathways to graduate degrees. The VPEM will need to bring in-depth knowledge of market trends and best practices to inform those types of conversations.
Advance the concept of enrollment management for UW Seattle: The concept of enrollment management is evolving on the Seattle campus. The division previously reported to the Vice Provost for Academic and Student Affairs. Now reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the VPEM has a significant opportunity to identify key initiatives and elevate the division to a broader role in promoting students' academic experience and success. The VPEM will forge strong partnerships across the University - and within Academic Affairs, in particular - to build a culture of collective discussion around the entire student lifecycle - one that extends beyond admissions - and lead an open and continuous exploration of enrollment possibilities at multiple levels of the campus. This leader will look strategically at how to mine the very large applicant pool with which the UW has been blessed, while balancing the University's access mission and role in developing the State's workforce.
Manage capacity: As the VPEM plans for enrollment growth, it will be essential to leverage the strengths of the UW's programs as well as optimize opportunities for growth at UW Seattle and across the tri-campus system. In partnership with academic leadership, the Vice Provost will help UW Seattle balance student demand for specific degree programs with the capacity of those programs, especially through a data-informed strategy. While certain programs on the Seattle campus are capacity constrained, those limitations might not exist on the Bothell and Tacoma campuses. The VPEM will examine opportunities to redirect qualified applicants to campuses that have the capacity for additional students, thereby broadening access to the UW's expansive academic environment. A list of majors, schools, and colleges that admit students directly as freshmen can be found here. Currently, the vast majority of students enter their major through the standard admission process after enrolling at the UW. For these students, gaining access to a major can be a significant challenge. The UW will look to the VPEM to create a system to facilitate better wayfinding for students and help make the process more efficient, enhancing overall student success and their experience.
Provide leadership and support to the Enrollment Management team: As Enrollment Management continues to mature on the Seattle campus, the VPEM will assess the division's infrastructure, skills, and capacity, and recommend any changes to drive heightened success in this new era. An important aspect of this will be providing the leadership, mentorship, and vision for an experienced, dedicated, and talented team. The VPEM will communicate with frequency, transparency, and candor regarding the UW's larger strategic goals and help staff members translate that into how they work. The leader will assist the team in enhancing a culture that harnesses data and leverages knowledge of market trends and Washington workforce needs. These efforts will shape strategic direction, employ predictive analytics, establish clear benchmarks and metrics, and ensure progress toward goals can be measured. The VPEM will inspire the team by modeling customer service, student support, a sense of urgency, and a cooperative and optimistic approach; encourage openness of communication and accountability in decision making and information sharing; identify ways to improve processes; and build an imaginative, forward-thinking, results-driven ethos for the division. The VPEM will be committed to cultivating staff members' skills and promoting increased collaboration between the various units.
Enhance the use of technology and data in all areas of enrollment: As a forward-thinking leader, the Vice Provost must fully embrace analytic and technology tools to stay ahead in the competitive marketplace. The successful candidate will bring expertise in process improvements and will be a champion for leveraging data resources and predictive analytics to support enrollment management strategies. They must be comfortable with existing and emerging technologies and bring systems thinking and a commitment to having the best processes and systems to support students through their enrollment journey. The UW Student Data Base (SBD) is a home-grown information system that is the foundation for everything that touches student records at the UW. Currently UW Seattle utilizes Ellucian Recruiter to manage prospective and applicant information at the undergraduate level. The Graduate School, UW Bothell, and UW Tacoma utilize Slate by Technolutions. Financial aid is centralized for all three campuses, and all work is done in SBD with a customized overlay for awarding. They also have a Microsoft CRM. The Vice Provost will need to be a critical partner to UW IT as the University explores greater coordination of systems. The Vice Provost will also possess the ability to maximize the functionality and reporting features of those systems to enhance decision making and strategic planning.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree
At least 10 years of experience in management and strategic planning.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Senior leadership experience with entrepreneurial approach.
A high level of integrity and interpersonal skills.
Strong record of developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, students, administrative leaders, government and community officials, and community partners.
An effective mentor and accomplished supervisor.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Proven leadership and expertise in enrollment management: Prior administrative and leadership experience consistent with leading enrollment management in a large, complex higher education environment; proven record of meeting and exceeding enrollment goals. Evidence of effective strategic and visionary planning and implementation in the area of enrollment management including building an appropriate and effective enrollment management plan that reflects institutional goals. Ability to manage the complex interplay of marketing and recruiting strategies, enrollment goals, yield, and financial aid. Skill in optimizing financial aid resources to promote affordability, increase access, and recruit and retain students.
Vision: A deep, systems thinker who is able to develop a vision for the future of enrollment management for an institution of the breadth and scale of the University of Washington. A student-focused, entrepreneurial, and innovative outlook with an eye to new possibilities and emerging challenges. A strong commitment to strategies that support student success.
Institutional leadership: Readiness to be an active, valued member of the Office of the Provost leadership team and to partner closely with the colleges and schools. An understanding of how to accomplish much in a decentralized, complex environment. Ability to build consensus and a sense of teamwork.
Commitment to access and inclusion: Record of enhancing diversity in highly impactful, measurable, and consistent ways. Understanding of the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in the UW student body, within Enrollment Management, and across the University.
Quantitative skills: Experience and a demonstrated record in being facile in quantitative reasoning in order to ensure the generation of reliable data and rigorous analysis. Strategic and analytical ability. Ability to ask the right questions, uncover meaning, and harness research for its predictive results.
Demonstrated ability in marketing: Demonstrated expertise in student enrollment marketing tactics to affect yield and persistence in targeted student segments. Proven success in innovative thinking to develop and implement creative enrollment marketing strategies.
Technological sophistication: Ability to understand the potential value of technological innovations and to lead the process of recommending emerging technologies that can enhance the enrollment operations to best support students.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills: Ability to be articulate, persuasive, and precise in communicating with a variety of audiences, including University leadership, faculty, state legislators, community groups, and donors to and friends of the University. Desire to interact with a wide range of constituencies, including deans and academic partners, engaging many in the dialogue so as to move the University forward together.
Personal qualities: Ability to drive change through engagement, transparency, hard work, and a sense of urgency. Capacity to navigate a highly complex institution with political savvy and patience. Ability to adapt and respond quickly to a dynamic environment. Willingness to be creative, scrappy, and roll up one's sleeves.
Education: A bachelor's degree is required for this position; an advanced degree is desired.
PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY:
This search is being managed by WittKieffer. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Amy Crutchfield, Shelley Arakawa, and Randi Miller at UW-VPEM@wittkieffer.com andapplications must be submitted to the search firm's candidate portal: https://wittkieffer.com/positions/200877.
Applications should include a CV or resume and letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile and be submitted by April 25, 2025, for maximum consideration.
Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.