The Evergreen State College, a public liberal arts college and a College that Changes Lives, located in Olympia, Washington, seeks applications and nominations for an experienced and innovative leader to serve in the inaugural role of Associate Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing & Communications. In this newly created position, the Associate Vice President will work to create and sustain a culture of collaboration and excellence, motivating colleagues and cultivating synergistic relationships across Evergreen’s vibrant community.

As the chief enrollment officer, the selected individual will lead the areas of Admissions, Financial Aid, Registration and Records, Student Employment, and the Veterans Resource Center. In addition, the new AVP will oversee marketing and communication efforts for the entire institution, including the management of the public relations, communications strategies, marketing and branding, photo and videographic production, writing/editing, web and social media staff. The Associate Vice President is responsible for providing collaborative leadership and creating, directing, implementing, and assessing a comprehensive enrollment and marketing strategy in support of Evergreen’s overall mission, goals, and objectives. This position reports to the Executive Vice President, serves as a member of the President’s Executive Leadership Team, and participates in institution-wide enrollment strategy planning and policy development.

Full Position Announcement: https://nessearches.com/vpemc-evergreen/

Compensation

Compensation for the position is expected to be between $140,000 and $180,000 and is based on the skills and experience of the selected candidate; consult with the NES search team for insights. Additionally, The Evergreen State College offers a comprehensive package of benefits, which includes: paid sick and vacation leave; paid campus holidays; a generous medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; optional deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For more information about Evergreen’s excellent employee benefits, please view https://www.evergreen.edu/payroll/benefits-package. The selected candidate will reside in or near Olympia, Washington, in this visible campus and community-based leadership position.

TO APPLY

NES, a higher education search firm specializing in enrollment management searches, is assisting Evergreen in identifying the College's next Associate Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing & Communications. For more information, or to nominate someone for this position, contact Suzi Nam (suzi.nam@nessearches.com) or Laura Robinson (laura.robinson@nessearches.com). All conversations will remain confidential unless otherwise stated and agreed. Interested candidates should submit a résumé and a letter of interest describing their unique qualifications for the Associate Vice President position at Evergreen. Candidates should also provide the names and contact information of at least five professional references. For confidentiality, references will not be contacted without permission. For best consideration, all application materials should be submitted electronically to evergreen@nessearches.com no later than April 6, 2025. The position is campus-based, and the preferred start date is Summer 2025.

Evergreen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In all employment-related and student-related transactions, including the operation of all College programs, activities and services, the Evergreen State College will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, use of a trained service animal, or status as a disabled veteran, a Vietnam era veteran or other covered veteran.  Harassment on any of the above-stated grounds is a form of prohibited discrimination.  For additional information, see the Non-Discrimination Policy.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Candidates for this position should have at least ten years of progressive experience, including five years working in a senior leadership role in an educational setting. An appreciation and demonstrated understanding of a mission driven institution is strongly desired. A bachelor’s degree is required, while an advanced degree is preferred. The candidate should have depth in the fields of enrollment and communications and marketing, or related fields.

The Associate Vice President will encounter a collaborative environment and sense of community, mission, and purpose. In return, this new leader is expected to possess the following qualities and characteristics:

• Experience as a proven, decisive, and highly skilled manager, who is open, flexible, and respectful of alternative points of view.
• A demonstrated commitment to and record of developing and implementing strategies that successfully recruit and retain students from traditionally underserved populations.
• Considerable experience in data-driven enrollment operations that result in sustained growth in enrollment, academic quality, and diversity (Slate experience preferred).
• Advanced or expert knowledge of higher education enrollment and retention principles, practices, and strategies.
• Passion for supporting, directing and collaborating with a diverse staff and student body.
• Familiarity with college success programs such as TRIO and Upward Bound and the populations they serve.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; ability to successfully converse with faculty, staff, students, and external constituents, make public presentations, and respond to difficult situations with a respectful and professional demeanor.
• Experience working with regional and national professional organizations.
• Familiarity and willingness to develop innovative solutions to recruiting and retaining both traditional and non-traditional college students, including those transferring from community colleges.
• Comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the needs and opportunities for strengthening Evergreen’s marketing, recruitment and retention practices.
• Appreciation for and understanding of public, tuition-driven institutions and how the enrollment management function impacts the success of these institutions.
• Proven ability to assist in shaping a comprehensive marketing and communications plan for the College in conjunction with other senior leadership.
• Strong understanding of and proficiency in financial aid leveraging; experience applying local, state, and federal laws and regulations related to financial aid and student affairs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising and alumni relations, with ability to understand marketing and communicating effectively for these purposes.
• Ability to understand, summarize, and communicate complex policy and strategic issues.
• Advanced problem solving and conflict management skills and abilities; skill in and ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment in handling sensitive and/or confidential matters.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, consensus-driven decision-making environment.
• Understanding of the role of human, fiscal and technological resources in implementing effective communications strategies.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic messages while being both a leader and team player.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, a strong personal integrity and work ethic; ability to make ethical decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs.
• Cultural competence that supports college goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion; ability to interact with a wide range of culturally diverse constituencies and to foster a climate of multicultural understanding and appreciation.
• Leadership in managing a comprehensive strategic marketing and communications department including media relations, marketing, web, and communications programs to advance an organization’s mission and goals.
• Ability to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of an established communications strategy, including all vehicles and modes of communication.
• Keen creative and design sensibilities, with a strong understanding of the communications process from the development of creative concepts through production and implementation.
• Knowledge of current issues impacting higher education, including enrollment trends and modern enrollment and marketing strategies.
• Ability to implement change within an academic, educational, non-profit or relevant corporate organization in a manner that is effective and efficient.
• Ability to synthesize multiple ideas and produce results that address a wide variety of goals and objectives while staying true to core message and institutional identity.
• Proven ability to provide creative direction while collaborating with and inspiring and supervising a diverse creative team of professionals, students, and consultants. Advanced leadership skills and the ability to mentor and motivate people and encourage personal and professional growth.
• Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills including extensive and successful writing and editing skills and ability with a variety of print and online communications media.
• Strong analytical skills that enable understanding and decision-making around complex technological issues, especially those related to website management.
• Demonstrated skill in creation, execution, and analysis of digital media campaigns.
• Innovative thinker with a record of accomplishment for translating strategic thinking into action plans and implementation.
• Understanding of personnel procedures and requirements, including the ability to learn union contracts.
• Ability to manage, plan and monitor a complex multi-source budget, including efficiency in the use of resources.

About NES (formerly Napier Executive Search)

NES (formerly Napier Executive Search) specializes in senior level enrollment management searches for post-secondary institutions. Established in 2014, the firm's search consultants bring extensive experience in enrollment management positions along with knowledge of today's employment landscape. Calling on our past experience in higher education enrollment roles and extensive sales and consultative experience with deans, directors and vice presidents across multiple states and regions, we nurture connections with enrollment professionals.

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