Job Description

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

Reporting to the provost, the Vice President of Enrollment Management provides strategic leadership for student recruitment, admissions, and financial aid. With guidance from the president and provost, the VP is responsible for developing and executing a strategic, date-informed enrollment management plan with clear goals and aligned financial aid strategies.

A collaborative and institutionally minded partner, the VP works closely with Marketing and Communications on prospective student outreach, with Student Affairs and the Office of Advancement in support of recruitment and retention, and with the Finance Office to align enrollment goals and aid strategies. As a member of the President's Cabinet, the VP is a senior leader at SAIC, responsible for building creative and diverse cohorts of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies students. The VP plays a critical role in advancing the school’s financial sustainability, overseeing tuition revenue forecasting and ensuring that enrollment and aid strategies support SAIC’s net tuition revenue goals.

The VP champions a data-informed culture within the division and across campus, working with a team to use analytics and predictive modeling to drive strategy and inform decision-making. In all aspects of the role, the VP ensures that enrollment and financial aid efforts align with SAIC’s mission of access and artistic excellence.

The VP oversees the executive directors of Admissions and Student Financial Services.

Responsibilities

• Implement recruitment strategies to meet enrollment goals, forecast trends, and adjust as needed to meet targets for student quality, diversity, and retention
• Lead efforts to create and sustain a data-informed culture across the division, using real-time dashboards, predictive modeling, and market research to support decision-making in admissions and financial aid
• Develop and monitor tuition revenue forecasts in collaboration with the Finance Office, and align recruitment and aid strategies to meet net revenue targets
• Ensure financial aid is leveraged strategically to support access, student success, and revenue objectives—balancing affordability with institutional sustainability and long-term enrollment health.
• Partner with the VP of Marketing and Communications to build marketing strategies that help raise awareness around SAIC, and help to achieve the institution’s enrollment goals
• Supervise the executive directors of Student Financial Services and Admissions, ensuring that they are advancing institutional goals and working collaboratively with units across the school
• Develop and monitor tuition revenue forecasts in collaboration with the Finance Office, and align recruitment and aid strategies to meet net revenue targets
• Manage the enrollment management budget in adherence with all SAIC policies, set its budgetary priorities, and participate in the institution’s biennial budget process
• Ensure enrollment and financial aid efforts reflect SAIC’s mission of access, artistic innovation, and academic excellence, cultivating student cohorts with strong creative potential across all programs
• Work with the VP of Student Affairs to advance the institution’s retention and graduations efforts
• Engage in continual assessment and improvement of the systems and services provided to prospective students to promote their seamless transition from applicants to matriculated students
• Ensure a student-centered approach within the offices of Admissions and Student Financial Services
• Lead compliance oversight within Enrollment Management
• Work closely with Computer Resource and Information Technology to ensure student admissions, financial aid and records systems and processes advance our enrollment and financial aid objectives
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate and complete data and use data to analyze, interpret patterns and drive decision-making
• Participate in campus-wide strategic planning as well as long-range planning within enrollment management
• Represent enrollment management to both internal and external audiences and serve as the main liaison to the Board of Governors on admission matters
• Supervise, manage, and advance the professional development of senior leaders within enrollment management
• Stay abreast of best practices within the field of enrollment management and ensure that our recruitment and aid strategies meet the goals set by the president and provost
• Ensure that enrollment and financial aid policies and practices comply with all federal and state regulations pertaining to non-discrimination, access, and financial aid administration
• Knowledge of and experience in overseeing enrollment technologies and CRMs
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Masters or terminal degree preferred
• 10+ years of leadership experience in higher education with demonstrated success as a senior leader in enrollment management. Experience with colleges of art and design a plus.
• Demonstrated success in the field of enrollment management, particularly in the areas of recruitment, enrollment projections, and financial aid leveraging
• Advanced analytical, evaluative, and critical thinking skills, and proven success in making data-driven decisions that advance the mission of enrollment management
• Detailed knowledge of state and federal financial aid regulations
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, ensuring effective communication to a wide range of stakeholders on complex issues, both verbally and in writing
• Demonstrated tact, diplomacy and honesty
• Evidence of calm and effective decision making under pressure
• A track record of working productively and collaboratively with a range of diverse stakeholders
• Evidence of decision making that reflects an investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Demonstrated facility with budgeting
• Evidence of sound judgement and a commitment to ethical decision making

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform basic job functions both electronically and in-person
• Sitting and/or standing required
• Significant travel
• Ability to work evenings and nights

Compensation & Benefits

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Hiring Range: $250,000-$270,000

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons.

• Benefits
• PTO Overview
• Job Classification: Full time exempt
• Employment Category: Staff
• Grade Level: 98

If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/artic.edu/employment for complete information

Application Instructions

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website:

Isaacson, Miller - VP, Enrollment Search

Accessibility

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:

Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu