Director, Student Engagement Center

Search Solutions EnrollmentStudent SuccessBrandingInstitutional StrategyDigital Advertising Case Studies Rice UniversityOhio Wesleyan UniversityThe University of MississippiKettering UniversityFlorida Southern CollegeUniversity of Texas at TylerSee All About The Role As the Director, Student Engagement Center, you will lead Carnegie’s national contact center strategy, management team, and daily operations. You will oversee workforce planning, operational budgets, compliance standards, quality assurance, and AI technology integrations. In this role, you will connect data insights with team execution to deliver top-tier support across the student lifecycle and drive enrollment growth for client institutions. What You’ll Own Strategic Vision & Operational Leadership Run national contact center operations, setting long-term plans that align with Carnegie’s business and client goals.Build and refine operational frameworks, policies, and workflows to ensure high-quality service delivery.Keep all contact center operations compliant with institutional policies, industry standards, and federal and state regulations.Identify emerging higher education trends and bring innovative service solutions into daily operations. Client Partnership & Performance Management Act as a senior point of contact for client leadership, running strategy sessions, performance reviews, and client meetings.Work with enrollment strategy and account management teams to create custom engagement plans that boost lead conversion and student success.Track campaign effectiveness, deliver executive-level reports, and implement operational fixes to ensure target goals are met. Systems, Technology & Workforce Planning Partner with IT, Automation, and Data Science teams to integrate telephony platforms, CRMs, and analytics systems.Build KPIs and performance dashboards to track daily service levels, team productivity, and student outcomes.Lead workforce planning, including staffing models, hiring plans, and capacity forecasting to handle shifting inquiry volume. Team Leadership & Talent Development Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing contact center management team with clear roles and accountability.Create leadership development and succession plans to support long-term team growth.Build a supportive, student-centered culture focused on empathy, quality service, and measurable outcomes. What You Bring 5–7+ years of progressive leadership experience in contact center operations, enrollment management, or higher education services, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.Proven track record of scaling large, complex contact center teams while maintaining high operational quality and client satisfaction.Strong technical command of modern contact center tech stacks, including CRMs (Slate), telephony tools (Five9), Workforce Management (WFM) software, QA platforms (Virtual Observer), and AI-driven contact agents.Deep domain knowledge of higher education enrollment management, multi-channel student engagement strategies, and pipeline dynamics.Advanced analytical skills with a proven ability to interpret data, build predictive forecasts, and optimize campaigns using KPIs.Excellent client management and communication skills, with experience presenting strategies to executive leadership. Why This Role This role puts you at the head of Carnegie’s national student engagement operations. By pairing operational strategy and modern contact center technology with strong team leadership, you will directly shape how partner institutions connect with, recruit, and support students at scale. About Carnegie For more than 30 years, Carnegie has been a leader and innovator in higher education marketing and enrollment strategy, offering groundbreaking services in the areas of Research, Strategy, Digital Marketing, Lead Generation, Slate Optimization, Student Search, Website Development, and Creative that generate authentic connections. Learn more about who we are, what we do, and what we care about. No phone calls or unscheduled visits to the office, please. Carnegie is an equal-opportunity employer.