Director of New Student Relations

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) provides quality and affordable higher education to empower lives and strengthen communities within Northwest Arkansas and surrounding areas. As the largest community college in Arkansas, NWACC is recognized as a leader in education. NWACC offers a full range of associate degrees, certificates and workforce training programs that prepare students for rewarding futures and careers. NWACC employees are dedicated to fostering a diverse educational community and cultural learning environment that supports student success. The Director of New Student Relations leads strategic outreach efforts to engage prospective, newly admitted, and continuing students. Reporting to the Dean of Community and Student Engagement, the Director uses recruitment data and insights to guide outreach strategies, manages campus recruitment events, and oversees high-impact outreach initiatives. This role collaborates with high schools and community partners, supervises a team of recruitment professionals, and ensures the successful execution of the College and Career Coach grant program. A strong focus on data analytics and exceptional customer service is essential to success in this position. Essential Duties: - Set recruitment event strategy and priorities, including identifying target audiences, defining success metrics, and aligning events with institutional enrollment goals - Supervise and support a team, including two Coordinators of New Student and Community Relations and College and Career Coaches - Collaborate with the Director of Student Engagement Systems to inform communication strategies by providing programmatic priorities, recruitment timelines, audience insights, and content needs for prospective and new student outreach - Establish and sustain strategic partnerships with high schools, community organizations, and external stakeholders to advance institutional recruitment goals - Use recruitment and CRM data to evaluate outreach effectiveness, identify trends, and guide strategic decisions related to recruitment and engagement - Partner with the Marketing department by providing programmatic input to develop and produce recruitment materials - Oversee the College and Career Coach grant, ensuring compliance with grant guidelines, supervising program staff, and meeting performance measures - Maintain broad knowledge of academic programs, student life, financial aid, and support services to provide accurate information and appropriate referrals - Additional duties may be assigned as necessary to support the goals and objectives of the department and college Rate of pay: $58,757 annualized *Higher compensation may be considered based on qualifications directly related to position. Completed applications received by April 10, 2026 will be assured full consideration. Late Applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position. Required:  - Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in higher education, sociology, public administration, or related field - At least two years of experience building and maintaining partnerships with schools, community organizations, or external stakeholders - At least one year of demonstrated experience supervising professional staff Preferred:  - At least two years of grant or complex program management experience - At least 5 years of demonstrated experience supervising professional staff Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: - Strong data analysis skills with the ability to interpret trends and generate actionable insights - Excellent organizational and project management abilities - Effective written and verbal communication skills, with experience in public speaking and delivering presentations - Knowledge of student recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategies - Ability to build relationships and collaborate with diverse populations, including students, educators, and community partners - Creative problem-solving and decision-making skills - Ability to collaborate across departments with clearly defined roles and responsibilities - Ability to adapt to changing priorities and implement process improvements Physical Demands/Work Environment: The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is: Frequently: • Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding • Sitting • Standing • Walking Constantly: • Hearing • Repetitive motion • Talking The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and/or visual inspection at distances close to the eyes. Environmental Conditions:   The following work environment characteristics are representative of those encountered by employees while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. The work environment typically consists of a professional office setting with a moderate noise level, including sounds from conversations, office equipment, and occasional movement of staff. Lighting is standard for office spaces, and the temperature is controlled to remain within a comfortable range. Employees may occasionally need to visit other areas, such as storage rooms, conference spaces, or outdoor locations, where environmental conditions may vary. Infrequently, exposure to louder noise levels or physical activities, such as moving lightweight materials, might be required. NWACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, please see our EEO policy.