Registrar

Merrimack College invites applications and nominations for the position of Registrar. This is an opportunity for a highly strategic, results-driven leader to join a fast-moving, growing institution. The Registrar will be responsible for accurately maintaining student records, promoting an environment of continuous improvement, and providing a high-level of service to Merrimack's students.

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard School of Business, and the Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work. The College's suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master's Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed in U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings, placing 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is an NCAA Division I athletic institution.

The Registrar provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and continuous process improvement for the Office of the Registrar at Merrimack College. The Registrar is responsible for the integrity, accuracy, security, compliance, and service effectiveness of academic records, registration, degree progress and conferral processes, and related student-facing academic administrative services. This role partners closely with Academic Affairs, Admissions, Finance, Student Affairs, Information Technology, Institutional Research, and other campus stakeholders to ensure a high-quality, student-centered experience from matriculation through graduation. The Registrar also serves as a key steward of academic policy implementation, data governance, and the effective use of student information systems, including Jenzabar J1.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3 to 5 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education registrar operations, academic records administration, or a closely related area.
• Demonstrated success supervising and developing professional staff and leading cross-functional administrative operations.
• Strong knowledge of Registrar operations, academic records administration, FERPA, and higher education compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience with student information systems; significant experience with Jenzabar J1 strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience creating efficient workflows, redesigning business processes, and implementing automation to improve service quality, compliance, and operational performance.
• Some experience evaluating or leveraging AI and other technology-enabled solutions in student services, operations, or administrative processing, with sound judgment regarding privacy, ethics, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, improve processes, and manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and change-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, families, faculty, academic leaders, and administrative partners.
• High degree of judgment, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential student and academic information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred
• 7 to 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education registrar operations, academic records administration, or a closely related area.
• Experience in a private higher education environment.
• Experience leading technology-enabled transformation, including workflow optimization, process automation, or AI-supported service delivery in higher education administration.
• Familiarity with accreditation reporting, National Student Clearinghouse reporting, veteran certification, and collaboration with institutional research and finance offices.