Senior Director of Pre-College Pathways

The University of Notre Dame is a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence and inspired by our Catholic character, Notre Dame fosters an environment of care that nurtures the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

About the role

The University of Notre Dame, a leading Catholic global research university, seeks an innovative, mission-oriented, and strategic leader for the position of Senior Director of Pre-College Pathways. This role is pivotal in advancing the vision outlined in Notre Dame 2033: A Strategic Framework.

The Undergraduate Enrollment Division works to open doors to a Notre Dame education, empowering students to pursue, discover, and share knowledge, truth, and faith. The division is committed to creating socioeconomic mobility, increasing the global Catholic community on campus, and ensuring the undergraduate student body represents the gifts and experiences of the full human family.

Reporting to the Executive Director for Enrollment Management, this leadership role is responsible for architecting the strategic vision and providing direct oversight for two vital institutional assets: the Office of Pre-College Programs and the Notre Dame TRIO Programs.

• The Office of Pre-College Programs delivers highly selective, rigorous academic and residential experiences for high-achieving high school students globally, engaging them with Notre Dame’s world-class faculty and Catholic mission.
• The Notre Dame TRIO Programs encompass federally funded initiatives (such as Upward Bound and Talent Search) rooted in the local community, providing college-access resources, mentorship, and advocacy for first-generation and low-income students.

Together, these departments will create a cohesive ecosystem that expands educational opportunity, drives socioeconomic mobility, and cultivates the next generation of mission-aligned leaders.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Pathway Management: Develop and coordinate a comprehensive strategic vision for the University's pre-college and access pathways, ensuring alignment with the University’s mission and broader enrollment goals.
• Divisional Leadership: Provide direct supervision, mentorship, and strategic direction to the Pre-College Programs and TRIO Programs teams, ensuring their efforts are integrated, compliant, and mission-aligned.
• Access and Outreach Strategy: Oversee the design and delivery of high-impact pre-college academic experiences and federally funded TRIO initiatives that articulate the value of higher education to global and local student populations.
• Programmatic Engagement: Lead the execution of world-class on-campus residential, virtual, and community-based initiatives that foster a deep sense of belonging, academic capability, and community for participating students.
• Strategic Collaboration: Partner closely with Undergraduate Admissions and enrollment leadership to align early talent identification with future recruitment pipelines, utilizing data-informed insights to optimize program efficacy.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with senior leadership, faculty across academic colleges and schools, local school districts, and community stakeholders to deliver a compelling experience for all students.
• Innovation and Compliance: Stay abreast of federal regulations, youth protection guidelines, best practices, and emerging trends in college access and pre-college programming to ensure Notre Dame remains a leader in the field.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • 5+ years of experience in higher education or a similar industry (specifically within college access, pre-college, or student success programming)
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master’s or Doctoral degree
  • Exceptional communication (written and oral), presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively influence and inspire multiple stakeholders
  • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, with proven experience in developing and implementing data-driven strategies that have resulted in measurable improvements
  • A strong understanding of college readiness frameworks, federal TRIO grant regulations, and enrollment management principles within a highly selective university environment
  • Experience leading student access, youth programming, or academic-enrichment teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven organization