Job Details
The American University of Armenia seeks qualified candidates for the full-time position of a Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services (VPESS). VPESS is a newly created executive leadership role responsible for shaping and leading a comprehensive, university-wide enrollment strategy that integrates student recruitment and retention, enrollment management, admissions, and student success. Reporting to the President as a member of the University’s Executive Team, the VPESS provides…
strategic vision, operational oversight, and collaborative leadership to ensure the University achieves sustainable enrollment growth while supporting student success, retention, and graduation. In particular, the VPESS will work in close cooperation with the Provost and Vice President for Research, ensuring a smooth and seamless coordination of their shared academic responsibilities.
The VPESS will oversee undergraduate, graduate, and international enrollment, registrar functions, and key student services (student affairs, international student services, writing and math consulting, career services, and student counselling). They will also work closely with the VP of Finance to provide direction to our Financial Aid functions.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a multi-year horizon, data-informed enrollment management plan aligned with the University’s mission, strategy, academic offerings, and financial sustainability. Use enrollment data and market analysis to inform strategy and decision-making.
- Serve as the University’s chief strategist on enrollment, retention, and student success. Establish metrics and dashboards to monitor recruitment, yield, retention, and student satisfaction. Lead forecasting and planning processes to ensure enrollment targets are met.
- Provide leadership and accountability for enrollment forecasting, modeling, and reporting to the President and the Executive Team.
- Lead undergraduate and graduate recruitment efforts across local, regional, and international markets.
- Manage admissions policies and processes to ensure fairness, transparency, and academic quality.
- Collaborate with the Provost, VP for Research, academic leadership, and faculty, to meet the needs of the academic functioning of the University.
- Working closely with the VP for Finance / CFO, oversee the financial aid strategy, including scholarships and discounting, to balance access, diversity, and financial sustainability.
- Ensure coordinated communications and marketing strategies to reach prospective and current students.
Registration and Enrollment Operational Oversight
- Directly supervise and integrate the following functional areas: Oversee graduate and undergraduate recruitment and admission.
- Oversee and support international admission, recruitment, enrollment, and services for international students.
- Oversee enrollment reporting to accreditors
- Oversee academic records, course registration, and degree audits, with a focus on retention.
- Manage course registration systems and processes (add/drop, waitlists, enrollment caps)
- Coordinate academic calendar implementation with registration windows
- Oversee student engagement and success programs.
- Engage collaboratively with faculty and staff to enhance the student lifecycle from recruitment through graduation.
- Supervise offices of Admissions, Registrar, and Student Affairs providing strategic leadership and oversight on day-to-day operations.
Degree Audit & Graduation Certification
- Ensuring degree audit systems align with catalog requirements
- Certifying candidates for graduation in coordination with academic departments
- Managing commencement logistics from the records side
Transfer Credit & Articulation
- Overseeing transfer credit evaluation policies and their consistent application
- Managing articulation agreements in coordination with academic affairs
Student Success and Retention
- Provide leadership for student services, including advising, orientation, retention, wellness, housing, counselling, and co-curricular programs.
- Monitor retention, persistence, and graduation rates, and implement initiatives to improve student outcomes.
- Ensure seamless collaboration across student affairs, registrar, financial aid, and campus life services.
- Promote a holistic student experience that integrates academic and non-academic support.
- Foster a campus culture that supports student engagement, leadership, and well-being.
- Oversee student development programs.
- Develop and implement policies that support student success and institutional integrity.
Academic Records & Data Integrity
- Ensuring the integrity, security, and accuracy of all student academic records
- Overseeing transcript production, degree verification, and diploma issuance
- Compliance with FERPA regulations across all records-related functions
Systems & Technology
- Ownership or co-ownership of the Student Information System (SIS) as it relates to enrollment.
- Ensuring scheduling and registration modules function effectively
External Relations
- Represent the University with external partners, government agencies, feeder schools, and global partners to advance recruitment efforts.
- Build strong partnerships with employers and community organizations to enhance pipelines into academic programs that enhance geographic diversity and align with institutional priorities.
- Collaborate with the VP for Advancement and the VP for Finance on enrollment-related fundraising initiatives, particularly student scholarships, including international scholarships.
- Represent the University in international recruitment forums and outreach initiatives.