JOB TITLE
Chief Enrollment Officer
LOCATION
Worcester
DEPARTMENT NAME
Provost Office
DIVISION NAME
Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI
JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) invites nominations and applications for the position of Chief Enrollment Officer. This is an exceptional opportunity for a strategic enrollment leader to drive growth and expand WPI's national and international reach at a premier STEM institution known for its distinctive project-based learning and outstanding student outcomes.
The Chief Enrollment Officer will join WPI during a period of significant momentum. This leader will build upon recent achievements including Carnegie R1 research status, ranking 18th nationally on U.S. News & World Report's "Colleges with the Best Return on Investment," and recognition among LinkedIn's Top 50 Colleges for 2025 based on student outcomes. The successful candidate will capitalize on the university's solid enrollment foundation while spearheading operational excellence initiatives.
This position reports to the Provost with a dotted line to the President and serves as a member of the President's Cabinet. The role represents a unique opportunity to shape WPI's enrollment strategy at the highest levels of university leadership and elevate WPI's national prominence.
The Chief Enrollment Officer will collaborate with academic affairs, student affairs, and marketing communications to oversee comprehensive undergraduate enrollment operations while coordinating graduate enrollment initiatives. This leader will manage a dedicated team of 54 enrollment professionals across admissions, financial aid, and analytics with oversight of a substantial annual operating budget. The successful candidate will strengthen data-driven recruitment approaches, build robust domestic and international pipelines, and establish WPI as a first-choice destination for top students.
This role offers the opportunity to advance a strong regional institution into a nationally recognized enrollment leader, capitalizing on WPI's unique strengths in STEM education, hands-on learning, and exceptional return on investment.
Please see the link below for the executive search profile and full application instructions.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Responsibilities
1. Serve as a key member of the President's Cabinet, contributing to university-wide strategic planning and institutional policy development
2. Drive comprehensive enrollment strategy that elevates WPI's institutional visibility and market positioning on a national scale
3. Partner closely with Marketing & Communications to revolutionize how WPI tells its story to prospective students and families
4. Lead and inspire a collaborative enrollment team of accomplished professionals managing substantial operational and financial aid budgets
5. Develop and execute integrated domestic and international enrollment strategies that expand WPI's presence beyond its traditional New England base
6. Maximize international undergraduate enrollment by leveraging WPI's distinctive network of 54 global project centers across 30 countries and competitive advantages
7. Direct undergraduate admissions, financial aid, enrollment analytics, recruitment operations, and pre-collegiate outreach programs across multiple states
8. Coordinate graduate enrollment initiatives to support university-wide growth objectives while maintaining primary focus on undergraduate enrollment excellence
9. Build strategic partnerships with high schools, community colleges, and educational organizations across diverse geographic markets
10. Systematically analyze and enhance every stage of the enrollment process, from initial inquiry through enrollment and first-year retention
11. Advance enrollment technology platforms and data systems to enable sophisticated analytics and support evidence-based recruitment decisions
12. Establish clear metrics and accountability systems to measure progress toward enrollment goals and optimize yield strategies
13. Build resilient enrollment strategies that position WPI to thrive despite higher education challenges including demographic shifts and evolving policies
14. Partner with Board of Trustees on enrollment-related strategic initiatives and institutional positioning
15. Collaborate with academic leaders, student affairs, and graduate studies to align enrollment priorities with institutional goals
16. Work closely with student success teams to ensure enrollment strategies align with retention goals
17. Represent the institution effectively to students, families, colleagues, and external stakeholder
Requirements:
18. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred in education, business, marketing, or related field
19. Minimum 10 years of progressive enrollment leadership experience in higher education, with demonstrated success in strategic planning, team management, and enrollment growth at complex institutions
20. Proven track record expanding enrollment pipelines and enhancing institutional visibility, particularly in competitive STEM and business markets and diverse geographic regions including international markets
21. Strong collaborative leadership experience managing cross-functional teams and substantial budgets, with expertise in financial aid strategy development and implementation
22. Experience working with institutional leadership including Board of Trustees, President, and Provost on strategic enrollment initiatives and institutional positioning
23. Expertise with enrollment technology systems, CRM platforms, and data analytics, with ability to leverage insights for strategic decision-making and operational excellence
24. Successful experience partnering with marketing and communications teams to strengthen institutional brand, develop compelling campaigns, and execute integrated outreach strategies
25. Deep understanding of contemporary enrollment challenges including demographic shifts, policy changes, and evolving student expectations in higher education
26. Experience leading organizational transformation initiatives and building high-performing teams with cultures of innovation and accountability
27. Proven experience managing pre-collegiate outreach programs and building partnerships with secondary education institutions
28. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with ability to represent the institution effectively across diverse audiences and articulate compelling value propositions
29. Strong cultural competency and ability to engage authentically with diverse communities, including first-generation college students and international populations
For full application instructions and to view the executive search profile, please .
FLSA STATUS
United States of America (Exempt)
WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.