Strategic Staffing and Organization

Evaluate the staffing structure of the admissions office and identify the optimal configuration to complete necessary tasks and meet the enrollment goals of the institution. This would include the ability to anticipate workloads and appropriately deploy staff with an understanding of the admissions decision process, operational effectiveness, and application processing.

Content knowledge requirements: Understanding of the relationships between enrollment goals and the workload required to achieve these goals. Understanding of the application processing cycle(s). Knowledge of workload capacity of individual staff, and ability to calculate the overall staffing requirements throughout the application and recruitment cycle. Awareness that strategic deployment of operation staffing is essential to effective recruitment. Understanding of human resources policies, labor laws, and best staff recruitment and development practices.

Skill requirements: Strong skills in data analysis, project management, communication, staff development, business process and policy analysis, and creativity required.

Ethical requirements: Conduct aligned with the established AACRAO principles of professional ethics and practice in academic and enrollment services. Ensure that campus codes of conduct and ethics are followed.

Expertise Levels

Entry level: General understanding of the processes and policies used to review and process applications and the value of accurate and timely review of applications. Familiarity with hiring and management practices.

Intermediate level: Management experiences of an operational unit within an admissions office, overseeing the hiring, training, management, continued development and termination of staff within the unit. Review business processes for continuous improvement and implement changes to them as necessary to support the recruitment mission of the unit.

Expert level: Experience at the director level to align operational staffing within the admissions office and to shift staffing across the various units (e.g., recruitment, front line, operations) in the admissions office to maximize effectiveness and contain costs. Plan for annual budget needs to increase or redistribute resources across the office.