Director of Admissions and Marketing

Description

Job Summary

The Director of Admissions and Marketing provides strategic leadership for MICC's recruitment, admissions, enrollment, marketing, communications, and engagement efforts. The position is responsible for achieving organization-wide enrollment goals while strengthening awareness, engagement, and pathways for prospective participants and families to connect with MICC. As a senior Advancement leader, the Director translates organizational priorities into coordinated strategies, measurable goals, and effective work plans. The Director leads a high-performing team, establishes accountability, and promotes collaboration across MICC.

Schedule

This position is regularly scheduled to work Monday-Friday during standard business hours. Periodic evening and weekend work is required for recruitment activities, events, and organizational initiatives.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team across Admissions, Marketing, family relations, resource support, events, and volunteer engagement
• Establish clear goals, responsibilities, priorities, and expectations for direct reports
• Conduct regular individual and team meetings to support communication, accountability, development, and execution
• Establish effective workflows and project management systems that clarify ownership, timelines, and outcomes
• Delegate effectively while maintaining accountability for department performance
• Foster collaboration, staff development, innovation, and continuous improvement

Admissions, Recruitment, and Enrollment Strategy

• Lead MICC's annual recruitment and enrollment strategy to achieve program enrollment targets and sustainable growth
• Translate organizational goals into measurable recruitment and enrollment targets
• Oversee the admissions lifecycle from inquiry through application, assessment, acceptance, enrollment, and transition into programming
• Ensure prospective participants and families receive a welcoming, responsive, accessible, and relationship-centered experience
• Build and strengthen referral pipelines with schools, transition programs, professionals, community organizations, families, funders, and other partners
• Forecast enrollment demand and identify opportunities, risks, barriers, and capacity considerations

Marketing and Communications Leadership

• Provide strategic direction for MICC's marketing and communications efforts in partnership with the Marketing and Communications Manager
• Ensure annual marketing plans support enrollment, fundraising, advocacy, community engagement, and organizational awareness
• Establish priorities, goals, timelines, and success measures for campaigns and initiatives
• Ensure recruitment strategies are supported by effective audience segmentation, messaging, storytelling, digital marketing, communications, and advertising
• Use prospect feedback, enrollment data, market trends, and campaign performance to strengthen Admissions and Marketing strategies

Events and Organizational Engagement

• Provide leadership and prioritization for MICC's organization-wide events and engagement calendar
• Supervise the Event and Volunteer Coordinator and ensure effective event planning, execution, and evaluation
• Ensure events support organizational goals for awareness, recruitment, donor and volunteer engagement, and community connection
• Establish clear roles and cross-functional work plans for major events and initiatives
• Partner with the Development Manager on fundraising events
• Evaluate event effectiveness and recommend improvements based on outcomes

Strategy, Performance, and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Translate organizational priorities into projects, work plans, timelines, responsibilities, and measurable outcomes
• Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Admissions, Marketing, and Events while coordinating effectively with other departments
• Own admissions and enrollment performance reporting, including inquiry, engagement, applications, conversion, yield, enrollment, and pipeline health
• Partner with the Marketing and Communications Manager to evaluate campaign performance, digital engagement, and return on investment
• Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer and Development Manager to coordinate Advancement priorities, calendars, campaigns, communications, events, and stakeholder engagement
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, education, nonprofit management, business, social services, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, enrollment, marketing, communications, recruitment, sales, nonprofit management, or a related field
• Experience leading teams and managing professionals across multiple functions
• Demonstrated success developing strategy, measurable goals, and managing performance
• Experience managing complex cross-functional projects and using data to inform decisions
• Experience with admissions strategy and integrated marketing strongly preferred
• Experience in education, human services, disability services, or a nonprofit preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Strong people leadership, coaching, project management, and team-development skills
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Ability to translate organizational goals into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
• Strong understanding of enrollment, recruitment, marketing, and stakeholder engagement
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, prioritization, delegation, and accountability skills
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives and collaborate effectively
• Proficiency with CRM systems, data dashboards, Microsoft 365, and related technology
• Integrity, professionalism, sound judgment, and confidentiality
• Commitment to inclusion and serving autistic and neurodivergent individuals
• A valid Minnesota driver's license in good standing is required

Benefits

MICC offers a competitive salary and an incredible benefits package, including, but not limited to:

• Medical and Dental Insurance*
• Health Savings Account (HSA) & Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Basic Life Insurance & Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance**
• 403(b) Retirement Plans***
• Voluntary plans including Vision, additional Life & AD&D Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident Insurance, and Hospital Insurance

*MICC pays a significant percentage of the cost

**MICC pays the premiums for LTD

***100% immediate vesting with 4% Safe Harbor Match (if the employee contributes 5%)

Paid Time Off (PTO)

MICC offers a generous amount of Paid Time Off (PTO):

• 176 hours / 22 days (prorated upon start date) of paid vacation time
• 80 hours / 10 days (accrued at 3.33 hours per pay period) of paid sick time
• 80 hours / 10 days (holiday schedule available upon request) of paid holidays
• 8 hours / 1 day for floating holiday

How to Apply

If you're ready to embark on a rewarding career, please submit your application. We appreciate all applications, but only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview. Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

This external job description is not designed to cover or comprehensively list the required activities, duties, or responsibilities. Additionally, duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time as determined by the needs of MICC.

*MICC is an equal opportunity employer, a drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable. All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

By completing this application, you are seeking to join a team of hardworking professionals dedicated to consistently delivering outstanding service to our customers and contributing to the financial success of the organization, its participants, clients, and its employees. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all qualified persons. Those applicants requiring accommodations to complete the application and/or interview process should contact a management representative.