University Dean of Admissions & Recruitment

University Dean of Admissions & Recruitment POSITION DETAILS

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation’s largest urban public university system, comprising 25 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges, one undergraduate honors college, and six postgraduate institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs. The University’s historic mission – to provide a first‑rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background – continues today.

The Office of Enrollment Management (EM) at the Central Office seeks an experienced Higher Education professional to serve as the University Dean of Admissions and Recruitment (UD‑AR), a system‑level leader who will modernize admissions and oversee university‑wide strategy, policy, platforms, operations, and partnerships to create a fair, fast, student‑focused experience.

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, under the Office of Enrollment Management, an integral part of the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), the UD‑AR will be responsible for leading the University’s central admissions strategy and operations for the enrollment of new undergraduate and graduate students. The UD‑AR will oversee units including Admissions Systems, Undergraduate and Graduate Recruitment, and the Welcome Center, with an annual operating budget of approximately $6M.

The candidate will support the University’s strategic planning, improve admissions and student services, and foster a culture of excellence in student support.

The UD‑AR will be knowledgeable about the changing landscape of higher education, modernized high‑impact admission practices, and will serve as CUNY's chief system admissions officer, reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and advancing CUNY's mission and the 2023‑2030 Strategic Roadmap.

• Lead and mentor a high‑performing, inclusive central admissions team with clear goals and performance measures.

• Foster a culture of transparency, data‑driven decision making, and continuous service improvement across campuses.

• Strengthen leadership capacity through shared training, communities of practice, and cross‑campus collaboration.

• Serve as a key member of OEM and OAA leadership teams, aligning admissions strategy with academic planning and student success goals.

• Establish and oversee a systemwide admissions service charter focused on timeliness, equity, accessibility, and communication standards.

• Ensure admissions policies, processes, and communications remain student‑centered, fair, and consistent across applicant groups.

• Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop targeted, multi‑channel recruitment campaigns and outreach materials.

• Maintain strong relationships with NYSED, NYC Public Schools, elected officials, and professional associations to advance recruitment and policy initiatives.

• Collaborate with internal partners, including Advancement, Government Affairs, and campus leaders, to support enrollment strategies.

• Oversee budgets, procurement, staffing plans, and large‑scale change management in a unionized, multi‑stakeholder environment.

• Lead development of dashboards and predictive analytics to support data‑informed decision‑making across the admissions funnel.

• Manage risk and audit readiness through strong privacy practices, fraud prevention, identity verification, and records management.

• Direct recruitment and admissions operations for first‑year, transfer, international, graduate, adult, and non‑degree student populations.

• Govern admissions platforms, including application processing, CRM systems, AI‑enabled tools, and communication technologies.

• Partner with CIS to optimize systems, integrations, and workflows, ensuring a seamless, accessible experience for students and staff.

Until further notice, this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Minimum:

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

Preferred:

• Master's degree; doctorate highly preferred.

• 10+ years of experience in leading large, complex admissions operations; system…