Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

Western Washington University is seeking a visionary, collaborative, and data-driven enrollment leader to serve as its next Vice Provost for Enrollment Management (VPEM). Reporting directly to the Provost and serving as a member of the Provost's leadership team, this role offers the opportunity to shape the university's enrollment future by leading institution-wide strategies that advance recruitment, retention, student success, and long-term enrollment sustainability.

As Western continues to strengthen its position as one of the Pacific Northwest's premier public universities, the Vice Provost will play a pivotal role in aligning enrollment strategy with academic priorities, financial sustainability, and student achievement.

Here's a little about Western Washington University:

Western Washington University is a nationally recognized public university serving approximately 15,000 students across seven colleges and a graduate school. Located in Bellingham, Washington, Western has consistently been recognized among the top public master's-granting universities in the Pacific Northwest by U.S. News & World Report. The university is known for delivering a transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences while fostering innovation, sustainability, student success, and community engagement.

With a strong commitment to access, belonging, and academic excellence, Western continues to evolve its academic programs, regional partnerships, and student support strategies to meet the changing needs of today's learners. The University is investing in innovative approaches to enrollment management, student success, and institutional planning, making this an exciting time for an experienced enrollment executive to help shape Western's future.

About this role:

The Vice Provost for Enrollment Management (VPEM) serves as the University's chief enrollment officer and has executive responsibility for the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive, data-informed Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan. The VPEM provides strategic leadership for establishing institutional enrollment goals and priorities related to recruitment, retention, and student success in alignment with the University's mission, strategic plan, and commitment to student achievement. The VPEM is accountable for recruitment outcomes and enrollment goals and collaborates with academic and administrative leaders across the institution to advance retention and student success objectives. The Vice Provost provides innovative leadership to advance recruitment strategies, financial aid optimization, enrollment forecasting, and the policies, systems, and services that enable student success. The position leads the Enrollment Management division, including the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Veterans Services, and Orientation and Transition.

Working collaboratively across academic and administrative units, the Vice Provost advises senior leadership on enrollment trends, student demand, financial aid strategy, tuition revenue implications, and long-term enrollment sustainability. The Vice Provost serves as a member of the Provost's leadership team, contributing to institutional decision-making and the advancement of university priorities related to long-term enrollment and student success.

This role offers a unique opportunity to influence nearly every aspect of the student experience - from first inquiry through graduation - while helping the university respond strategically to demographic shifts, changing student expectations, and the evolving higher education landscape.

Scope & Impact

General Administration & Strategic Leadership

• Build, implement, and continuously assess a comprehensive, data-informed Strategic Enrollment Management plan that brings together stakeholders across the university to advance shared enrollment and student success goals.
• Ensure alignment of the Strategic Enrollment Management plan with the University Strategic plan and senior leadership priorities.
• Regularly review progress toward goals stated in the Strategic Enrollment Management plan and ensure senior leadership and respective stakeholders remain consistently informed.
• Lead the Enrollment Management division, providing strategic direction, policy oversight, and direct supervision to the Executive Director of Admissions, Executive Director of Financial Aid, University Registrar, Director of Veterans Services, and Director of Orientation and Transition.
• Ensure effective management of personnel, technology, and operational workflows within the division.
• Lead institutional enrollment forecasting, predictive modeling, and market analysis to establish enrollment targets, inform academic planning, support tuition revenue projections, and identify emerging enrollment opportunities across undergraduate, graduate, online, transfer, international, and other student populations.
• Establish and ensure flexibility and adaptability to changing or evolving conditions in dynamic higher education environments.
• Partner with colleges, deans, faculty leadership, and shared governance bodies to develop and implement enrollment and student success strategies that align academic capacity, student demand, and institutional priorities.
• Explore, implement, and optimize technologies and systems that support enrollment operations, student engagement, service delivery, and data-informed decision-making.
• Oversee divisional and departmental operating budgets and ensure alignment of resources with institutional priorities.
• Foster a culture of data-informed decision-making within the Enrollment Management division and across the university by leveraging analytics, assessment, forecasting, and continuous improvement practices to guide strategy, resource allocation, and institutional planning.
• Lead the development and implementation of financial aid leveraging and scholarship allocation strategies that advance institutional goals related to net tuition revenue, access, affordability, enrollment, and student success.
• Collaborate with University leaders in the development of operational enrollment management plans that meet or exceed strategic goals.
• Advise the Provost, President, Board of Trustees, and other University leaders on enrollment trends, demographic changes, market conditions, student demand, financial aid strategy, and enrollment-related risks and opportunities.
• Serve as a member of the Provost's leadership team and participate in University committees, planning efforts, and governance processes related to enrollment management, academic planning, budgeting, and student success.
• Collaborate with the Vice Provost for Outreach and Continuing Education, who provides institutional leadership for K–12, dual-enrollment, and community and technical college partnerships, to align outreach, pathway development, recruitment, transfer, and enrollment strategies in support of University goals.
• Represent the University in public forums, professional organizations, and external engagement activities related to enrollment management, student access, financial aid, and higher education enrollment trends, in coordination with University leadership and communications professionals as appropriate.
• Collaborate with University Marketing and Communications to develop, execute, and assess enrollment communications, lead development and cultivation, digital engagement strategies, recruitment marketing initiatives, and current student communications to support institutional enrollment objectives.
• Collaborate with campus partners to develop and assess recruitment strategies and prospective student engagement initiatives that support institutional enrollment objectives.
• Provide executive oversight for divisional policies, operational effectiveness, organizational structure, systems, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with academic and student affairs leaders to improve student retention, persistence, progression, and graduation outcomes.
• Review and authorize programmatic, structural, and operational policy changes recommended by direct reports.

Personnel Management & Divisional Advocacy

• Provide mentorship, leadership development, coaching, and performance management for direct reports and divisional leaders.
• Conduct annual performance evaluations, establish unit-level goals, and ensure accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement across entire division.
• Advance equitable enrollment and student success outcomes through evidence-based strategies that expand educational access and reduce barriers for historically underserved student populations.
• Foster an organizational culture characterized by concise, effective communications, collaboration, innovation, inclusion, accountability, and excellence in service to students and the University community.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education enrollment management, strategic planning, and data-informed decision-making.
• Demonstrated success leading initiatives that achieve enrollment goals and improve recruitment outcomes.
• Demonstrated successful experience establishing, achieving, assessing, and refining complex strategic enrollment goals.
• Demonstrated experience with enrollment forecasting, strategic planning, and the use of data analytics to inform institutional decision-making.
• Proven track record of budget development, fiscal management, return-on-investment analysis and resource allocation within a complex organizational environment.
• Knowledge of federal and state regulations and professional standards related to admissions, student records, FERPA, and Title IV financial aid administration.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across academic and administrative units and to work effectively within a shared governance environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and student success through leadership, policy development, and practice.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage effectively with diverse constituencies.
• High degree of integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• Experience leading the strategic deployment and optimization of technology platforms, including CRM systems, student information systems, predictive analytics tools, and related enrollment technologies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Earned doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in higher education administration, business, public policy, or a related field.
• Leadership experience at a public, comprehensive regional university or a higher education institution of similar size, complexity, and mission.
• Experience leading enrollment management across undergraduate, graduate, online, transfer, and international student populations.
• Experience overseeing institutional financial aid leveraging and scholarship strategy.
• Experience working within collective bargaining environments and shared governance structures.

For more information, please view the position announcement on the WWU Careers website.

Application Requirements:

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted for finalists, with notice provided beforehand.

A complete application also requires a separate equity and inclusion statement (1-2 pages) demonstrating your ability and commitment to cultivating learning and/or working environments that are equitable and inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of different backgrounds and identities.

Compensation & Benefits:

Hiring range is $191,035 - $219,691 per year depending on qualifications and experience. Through longevity position will top out at $248,346 per year.

Western Washington University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support employees and their families. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision plans
• Retirement benefits through Washington State retirement systems, along with optional supplemental retirement savings plans
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and university holidays
• Tuition benefits for employees
• Professional development opportunities and support for continued learning
• Access to campus recreation facilities, wellness programs, and cultural events
• Family-friendly policies and programs that support work-life balance

Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines, and the overall compensation package may include housing and travel assistance.

To learn more about Western’s employee benefits and why many choose to build their careers at WWU, visit: Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position and https://hr.wwu.edu/why-choose-western