Director of Business Development and Community Engagement

Job Description:

General Information

Job Title: Director of Business Development and

Community Engagement

Department(s): Admissions

Reports to: AVP of Admissions or Executive Admissions Director

Location: Chicago Campus

Position Summary:

The Director of Business Development and Community Engagement will be responsible for leading the University’s efforts in attaining grassroots recruitment goals throughout The Chicago School University.  They will serve as a strategic partner with key stakeholders to devise and implement comprehensive outreach plans that align Operations, Department Chairs, Faculty, Admissions Directors, Admissions staff, and drives the attainment of short-term enrollment objectives and long-term sustainable growth.  Through program evaluation and continuous quality improvement and best practices, the Director drives optimization of the activities, systems, reports, and resources university leaders to attain grassroots recruitment goals.  The Director will be expected to devise and implement training activities that equip staff with outreach strategies and techniques to effectively identify and serve the needs of The Chicago School in the evolving higher education marketplace. 

This position is based at The Chicago School’s DC campus location.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead efforts in attaining grassroots recruitment goals within the marketplace.
• Support the initiatives and strategies designed to build partnership relationships and support recruitment, of an academically prepared diverse student body, while fostering a climate of accountability, teamwork, and responsive service.
• Assist with the establishment of goals and objectives in support of the strategic plan for The Chicago School University.
• Develop and improve analytical, empirical, data-driven outreach strategies along with the systems necessary for analyzing the effectiveness of our efforts. 
• Devise, implement, and measure the effectiveness of comprehensive campus-based outreach programs to drive the attainment of short-term enrollment objectives and long-term sustainable growth.
• Research individuals and organizations to identify new leads and subsequently build strategic and sustainable partners to support enrollment growth.  
• Build, manage, and maintain a comprehensive lead database for The Chicago School. 
• Work with campus, University level, and System Office admissions leadership to identify and deliver effective solutions for grassroots recruitment needs.
• Identify professional and skill development opportunities related to outreach and recruitment, then facilitate and support the creation and deployment of trainings to meet the identified needs.
• Assume departmental fiscal responsibility, including budget preparation and management.
• Ability to travel and work evenings and weekends to fulfill the responsibilities of the role.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in business development and outreach related roles.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with businesses, students, staff, and organizations.
• Demonstrated organizational skills in handling and directing multiple and complex assignments and projects.
• Ability to produce professional quality spreadsheets, documents, written reports and live presentations.
• Skill in working effectively in a team environment with a customer service focus.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; and effectively present information to top management, public groups, and other groups, as needed.
• Excellent customer service skills and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and extensive confidential data.
• Problem solving skills and the ability to lead, instruct, handle a large variety of details and to work with all levels of organization.
• Proficient in the use of e‐mail, word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software and use of the Internet to access data, maintain records, generate reports, and communicate with others.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Relevant experience working in partnership development/outreach/grassroots development.
• Expertise with PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience in higher education.
• Prior managerial experience.
• Proven ability to take initiative, pro