Recruitment Manager

Recruitment Manager

The Recruitment Manager is responsible for leading front-facing prospective student recruitment and yield activities across the Schar School's full academic portfolio, including undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and bachelor's-to-accelerated master's (BAM) programs. The position supports strategic enrollment growth through the identification, design, execution, and evaluation of initiatives that strengthen lead generation, applicant conversion, admission acceptance, and enrollment outcomes across both the top and bottom of the enrollment funnel. The Recruitment Manager serves as a visible representative of the Schar School and is responsible for planning and executing in-person and virtual recruitment events, managing external outreach and partnership development activities, and cultivating relationships with prospective students, feeder institutions, employers, government agencies, and community organizations. The position plays a key role in enhancing the School's visibility within the Washington, D.C. region and among policy- and government-focused audiences nationally. As an integral member of the Admissions and Recruitment team, the Recruitment Manager works collaboratively with admissions staff, recruitment marketing, faculty, program leadership, alumni, and student support partners to ensure a cohesive, strategic, and student-centered approach to recruitment and engagement. The position is expected to exercise sound judgment, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, and contribute to data-informed recruitment and enrollment strategies. The position maintains both Arlington and Fairfax campus presence based on operational and recruitment needs, and includes occasional evening, weekend, and travel responsibilities in support of recruitment and enrollment initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Designs and executes top of the funnel recruitment initiatives to increase undergraduate and graduate student leads, applications, enrollments, and coursework participation in Schar School programs with direction from the Senior Director of Enrollment and Marketing;
• Plans, coordinates, and manages Schar School participation at external recruitment activities including graduate fairs, policy conferences, networking events, employer engagement activities, and university-hosted recruitment events;
• Creates and implements campus-based recruitment strategies that engage current undergraduate students in Schar School undergraduate coursework, learning communities, and accelerated master's programs;
• Cultivates and manages recruitment partnerships with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, policy institutes, employers, military and veteran communities, and international organizations to generate prospective student leads and strengthen enrollment pipelines;
• Builds and maintains relationships with feeder institutions, community colleges, high schools, honors programs, and academic departments to increase awareness of Schar School opportunities and generate prospective student interest;
• Collaborates with the Recruitment Marketing Manager to identify, procure, and manage recruitment materials and event-related promotional resources; and
• Supports post-lead candidate engagement strategy as directed by Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions.

• Designs and implements yield strategies to improve admitted student conversion and enrollment outcomes across Schar School undergraduate and graduate programs with direction from the Senior Director of Enrollment and Marketing;
• Leads the planning, coordination, and execution of front-facing admitted student engagement events, including receptions, admitted student days, virtual events, and classroom visit opportunities;
• Organizes and manages Schar School participation in centrally hosted admitted student events while advocating for School-specific recruitment and enrollment priorities;
• Partners with faculty, program directors, admissions teams, alumni, and current students to strengthen recruitment and yield programming that communicates the value of Schar School academic programs and career outcomes; and
• Ensures that the front-facing strategy has cohesion with other engagement activities being undertaken in the Schar School and across campus (i.e. emails, orientation campaigns, mailings).

• Evaluates recruitment spending and recruitment lead generation performance/activities to determine return on investment based on enrollment outcomes;
• Manages recruitment budgets, including travel, conferences, events, and partnership activities;
• Manages operational logistics for recruitment events including scheduling, vendor coordination, and attendee engagement activities, collaborating with the Recruitment Marketing Manager for advertising;
• Monitors yield trends, enrollment performance, and conversion metrics and recommend strategic improvements to yield activities;
• Supervises student ambassadors, hourly-wage employees or graduate assistants as assigned; and
• Coordinates recruitment travel schedules, event logistics, and operational support activities.

• Cultivates key relationships within the Schar School and campus community including faculty and staff, alumni, current students and student support offices;
• Supports schoolwide events that can have recruitment impact in strengthening the school's visibility in the Washington, D.C. regional market and nationally among policy and government-focused audiences;
• Serves on school and campus wide committees as assigned; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Generally, a minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education recruitment, admissions, enrollment management, or related outreach and engagement roles;
• Knowledge of higher education recruitment, lead generation, and enrollment conversion practices for a diverse audience;
• Skill in planning and executing recruitment and yield events;
• Skill in relationship management, public speaking, and written communication;
• Skill in utilizing CRM and Microsoft Suite to track recruitment activity and analyze enrollment data;
• Ability to manage multiple recruitment priorities, budgets, logistics, and operational activities simultaneously;
• Ability to think critically, act independently, and identify strategic opportunities; and
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related field;
• Generally, 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in higher education recruitment, admissions, enrollment management, partnership development, or related student-facing outreach roles preferred;
• Knowledge of undergraduate and graduate enrollment trends within public policy, government, international affairs, or related academic disciplines;
• Knowledge of engaging with military-affiliated, veteran, transfer, adult learner, or working professional student populations;
• Ability and working proficiency in Salesforce CRM;
• Knowledge of the Washington, D.C. higher education, policy, nonprofit, and government landscape;
• Skilled in managing budgets; and
• Knowledge of Gen-Z cultural norms.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Recruitment Manager at Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: June 15, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by: July 2, 2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer