Senior Admissions Counselor

Founded in 1863, Saint Mary’s College of California is a residential institution in the Moraga Valley, 20 miles east of San Francisco, rooted in the Catholic, Lasallian, and Liberal Arts traditions. Enrolling more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the College integrates liberal and professional education within a mission shaped by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Known for academic excellence, innovation, and responsiveness, Saint Mary’s fosters shared inquiry, meaningful student engagement, and a strong commitment to diversity, leadership, and service.

Why Join Saint Mary’s College?

At Saint Mary’s, your work has visible impact. As a close-knit residential college, employees work collaboratively across departments—your ideas, leadership, and contributions directly shape the student experience and the future direction of the institution. Colleagues partner across divisions, decisions are grounded in mission, and innovation is encouraged. If you are seeking a workplace where purpose, community, and professional growth intersect—and where your work truly matters—Saint Mary’s offers that opportunity.

About the Role

The Senior Admissions Counselor is responsible for office-wide recruitment, outreach, territory management, and application review while serving as a senior member of the Admissions team. In addition to maintaining responsibility for an assigned geographic territory and recruitment portfolio, the Senior Admissions Counselor serves as a subject matter expert in one or more specialized recruitment areas, providing leadership, guidance, and expertise to support the College's strategic enrollment goals. Specialty assignments may include transfer admissions, nursing recruitment, international recruitment, athletics, first-generation initiatives, STEM programs, or other strategic enrollment priorities identified by the Office of Admissions.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment, Outreach & Cultural Engagement
  • Execute office-wide recruitment efforts for assigned geographic territories, representing the College at college fairs, transfer fairs, community colleges, community-based organizations, healthcare organizations, professional associations, and high schools, as appropriate to assigned specialty area.
  • Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with schools, community colleges, advisors, community organizations, and external partners supporting assigned recruitment initiatives.
  • Engage prospective students and families through culturally responsive recruitment practices that reflect the College's commitment to access, belonging, and inclusive excellence.
  • Assist in developing, implementing, and evaluating recruitment outreach strategies under the direction of leadership that support students from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, and geographic backgrounds.
  • Collaborate with campus partners—including academic departments, faculty, Student Life, Alumni Relations, Financial Aid, Athletics, and other College offices—to effectively communicate student support services and pathways to student success.
  • Participate in and support culturally focused recruitment and yield initiatives aligned with institutional enrollment strategies.
• Territory Management & Strategic Recruitment
  • Manage an assigned geographic recruitment territory and specialized recruitment portfolio.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate strategic recruitment and enrollment plans aligned with institutional enrollment goals.
  • Compile, analyze, interpret, and report territory performance, admissions funnel metrics, enrollment trends, and recruitment outcomes to support data-informed decision-making.
  • Recommend modifications to recruitment strategies based on territory data, market conditions, and enrollment trends.
  • Coordinate specialized recruitment initiatives supporting assigned programmatic or student populations.
• Specialized Recruitment Leadership
  • Serve as the Office of Admissions subject matter expert for an assigned specialty area, providing consultation, guidance, and technical expertise to admissions staff and campus partners.
  • Coordinate specialized admissions processes, systems, or initiatives related to assigned recruitment portfolio.
  • Develop and maintain expertise regarding admission requirements, transfer pathways, articulation agreements, prerequisite coursework, or other specialized admissions criteria relevant to assigned specialty area.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with external educational institutions, professional organizations, community partners, and other stakeholders supporting specialized recruitment initiatives.
  • Coordinate implementation of specialized application processes, technologies, or systems supporting assigned recruitment area.
  • Develop recommendations to improve recruitment, application processing, yield, and enrollment outcomes within assigned specialty area.
• Visitor Experience & Student Engagement
  • Participate in the visitor experience by conducting information sessions, interviews, transcript evaluations, admit-on-the-spot appointments, Counselor of the Day activities, and other recruitment appointments.
  • Maintain continuous and responsive communication with prospective students through email, phone, text messaging, virtual platforms, social media, and in-person interactions.
  • Respond to prospective student inquiries within established departmental service standards.
• Student Yield & Enrollment Initiatives
  • Coordinate and support signature yield programs, regional receptions, virtual programming, admitted student events, and specialized recruitment initiatives.
  • Coordinate yield initiatives supporting assigned specialty populations.
  • Participate in tele-recruiting, virtual outreach, and other enrollment conversion strategies designed to move students successfully through the admissions funnel.
• Application Management
  • Read, evaluate, and recommend admissions decisions for applications within assigned territories.
  • Conduct holistic application review consistent with institutional admission standards.
  • Provide transcript evaluations and specialized admissions guidance, including interpretation of transfer credit, prerequisite coursework, or other specialized admission requirements, as applicable.
  • Assist with application completion, document review, and applicant counseling.
• Leadership & Mentoring
  • Serve as a resource and mentor to Admissions Counselors regarding admissions policies, recruitment strategies, specialized admission processes, and enrollment best practices.
  • Assist with onboarding, training, and professional development of Admissions staff.
  • Participate in developing recruitment strategies, communication plans, and enrollment initiatives.
  • Serve on institutional committees, workgroups, and cross-functional project teams supporting enrollment management initiatives.
  • Collaborate with leadership on assessment, process improvement, and implementation of new recruitment initiatives, technologies, and enrollment systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required and/or equivalent knowledge, training, and experience required. Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Counseling, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, or a closely related field preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, transfer advising, or closely related student services experience required. Experience serving as a subject matter expert, mentoring staff, coordinating specialized recruitment initiatives, or leading admissions projects is preferred.

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, and higher education best practices.
• Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate strategic recruitment plans supporting institutional enrollment goals.
• Strong knowledge of transfer admissions, transcript evaluation, articulation agreements, specialized admission requirements, or other assigned programmatic specialty areas.
• Ability to analyze admissions data, enrollment trends, and recruitment outcomes to support strategic planning and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, train, and provide guidance to admissions staff.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and culturally responsive student engagement within a Catholic, Lasallian, liberal arts environment.
• Ability to establish collaborative working relationships with students, families, faculty, staff, community partners, and external educational organizations.
• Demonstrated initiative, professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to work independently while contributing effectively as a collaborative member of the Admissions team.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, student information systems, database management systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and internet-based technologies.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and travel extensively as required.

Licenses & Certifications

• Valid driver’s license and ability to drive a vehicle.

Application Process

This position is part of a continuous recruitment and will remain open until filled. The first review of applications will begin on August 24, 2026. To be considered in the initial review, please submit your application before this date. Interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place during the week of September 7, 2026.

Supplemental Questions

Please upload your responses to the following questions as a separate document along with your resume. Use clear, specific examples from your experience, including your role, actions taken, and outcomes where applicable.

• Describe your experience recruiting transfer students. What strategies have you used to build relationships with prospective transfer students and increase transfer enrollment?
• This position will support recruitment efforts for Saint Mary's Nursing programs. Please describe any experience you have working with nursing, healthcare, or other specialized academic programs. How did you collaborate with faculty or academic departments to support recruitment goals?
• Saint Mary's College is rooted in the Lasallian tradition and is committed to creating an inclusive and student-centered environment. Please describe how your personal or professional values align with supporting students from diverse backgrounds and fostering a welcoming educational community.
• Describe your experience using CRM systems such as Slate or similar admissions management platforms. How have you used technology and data to improve recruitment, communication, or enrollment outcomes?
• Tell us about a time you developed or implemented a recruitment strategy or outreach initiative that improved recruitment or enrollment results. What was your role, and how did you measure success?
• Describe a time when you built a strong relationship with a school, community college, faculty member, or external partner that resulted in improved recruitment or student success. What approach did you take, and what was the outcome?

Benefits

Saint Mary's College of California provides a comprehensive and competitive benefits program designed to support the health, financial security, and overall well-being of eligible faculty and staff.