Associate Registrar

Associate Registrar

The Associate Registrar plays a vital leadership role within the Office of the Registrar, supporting the University's academic mission by overseeing complex operational, compliance, and service functions. This position supervises Assistant Registrars and serves as a member of the Registrar's Office leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, policy implementation, and service delivery improvements. The Associate Registrar ensures that assigned areas operate efficiently, comply with university, state, and federal regulations, and support student success.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a member of the Registrar's Office leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, policy development, and service delivery improvements.
• Supervise managers and administrative staff across functional areas, effectively delegating responsibilities, setting clear expectations, monitoring outcomes, and recognizing results.
• Work with Assistant Registrars and Office of the Registrar leadership team to manage caseload distribution and work assignments.
• For areas of responsibility, oversee compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, exercising sound judgment and ethical decision-making.
• Develop and implement tools to identify business and compliance risks, prioritize work, establish mitigation strategies, and plan for peak operational periods.
• Lead process improvement initiatives and collaborate with Enterprise Platforms technology team and campus stakeholders to enhance data integrity and operational efficiency.
• Lead efforts with campus partners to resolve student issues including complex or sensitive situations.
• Collaborate with campus partners to lead process changes that improve team effectiveness and support student success.
• Oversee multiple functional areas within the Office of the Registrar, depending on office needs. Lead team of managers and administrative staff.
• Exercise delegated authority to interpret and apply academic, curriculum, and records policies; escalate complex or precedent-setting issues as needed and clearly communicate the rationale for decisions.
• Collaborate with campus partners and colleges/schools to ensure seamless integration of student, staff, and faculty support.
• Provide excellent customer service and model a high standard of professionalism, sound judgement, and responsiveness.

Compliance, Data, and Risk Management

• Provide direct supervisory oversight for multiple critical and core areas of the Registrar's Office.
• Develop tools to support leadership in identifying risk, determining appropriate mitigation strategies, and evaluating internal controls with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Work with Assistant Registrars and Registrar's Office leadership team to test the department's disaster recovery and business resumption planning.
• Proactively educate and advise staff and campus community on academic policy, compliance rules, processes/procedures while communicating expectations clearly and supporting understanding across audiences.
• Provide guidance and analysis on the interdependencies among business processes, student information systems, and data.
• Prepare, analyze, and interpret data; produce recurring and ad hoc statistics, metrics, and reports.
• Serve as a liaison to auditors and government agencies and coordinate compliance reviews and responses while demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and accountability in all interactions.
• Interpret and apply academic, enrollment, curriculum, course, and student records-related policies in complex or non-routine situations, ensuring consistency and compliance with institutional, state, and federal policy. Ensure timely, well-reasoned decisions and explain outcomes clearly to stakeholders.
• Regularly monitor federal, state, and institutional legislation to ensure compliance and lead proactive updates to office policies and procedures as needed.

Institutional Collaboration

• Lead and collaborate with colleges, schools, and campus partners to solve complex problems, support students, and enhance the overall student experience including managing high-stakes or sensitive situations with professionalism and care.
• Represent the Office of the Registrar on university committees, task forces, and workgroups.
• Partner with key campus offices, colleges and schools, student affairs, academic advising, and academic support services to ensure cohesive service delivery.
• Provide excellent customer service and model a high standard of responsiveness across interactions with students, faculty, and staff.
• Monitor and respond to federal and state legislation impacting registrar operations and academic records.
• Work with Registrar leadership team to evaluate, streamline, and automate administrative services, reporting, enrollment processes, and academic and records policies, developing implementation plans and guiding teams through change.
• Facilitate and lead key policy initiatives, projects, and cross-functional efforts.
• Ensure business processes are documented and maintained to support continuity, risk mitigation, and staff transitions.
• Lead the development and implementation of new technologies, operating procedures, and policies related to registrar systems, with an emphasis on operational continuity, security, and data stewardship.
• Collaborate with functional teams, IT partners, and campus stakeholders to implement and maintain solutions that enhance the student learning experience.
• Advise faculty, students, and staff on academic policies, procedures, and Registrar's Office-related matters, responding promptly, managing complex or challenging situations effectively, and meeting commitments.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, sound judgment, and a commitment to service in a complex, highly regulated academic environment, with the ability to build trust and lead through collaboration.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in a Registrar's Office or related professional experience including demonstrated progression in scope and responsibility.
• Supervisory experience with demonstrated success leading teams, including hiring, coaching, delegating work, setting expectations, and evaluating performance.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply institutional, state, and federal regulations, and to develop or implement processes that ensure compliance.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to plan, prioritize, and manage a diverse workload using sound independent judgment and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to lead high-stakes, fast-moving, and high-visibility functions while managing multiple priorities in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, collaborate across teams, manage conflict and change, and establish, motivate, and lead high-performing teams.
• Excellent oral, written, presentation, and customer service skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex policies, decisions, and processes to different audiences.
• Ability to manage and adhere to tight deadlines and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Experience identifying compliance risks and implementing policies or processes to mitigate associated risks
• Demonstrated commitment to providing high-quality customer service, inspiring trust in others, and responding effectively to complex, sensitive, or challenging situations.
• Proven ability to think critically and strategically, navigate ambiguity, and develop innovative, effective solutions to complex problems.
• Experience managing operations or programs in a large, complex organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in higher education, public administration, or related field.
• Experience as an Associate or Assistant Registrar in a large, public university
• Experience working with accrediting agencies, auditors, or government entities.
• Demonstrated experience leading process improvement initiatives, system implementations, or organizational change efforts
• Project management experience and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of student information systems, data governance, and the operational impacts of system, process, and policy decisions
• Experience leading and developing manager-level staff and building leadership capacity across teams.
• Advanced skills in planning, organizing, and managing competing priorities.
• Experience implementing or supporting large-scale system transitions (e.g., student information systems).
• Demonstrated ability to align operational work with broader institutional or strategic priorities
• This position is designated as one of Special Trust and requires adherence to university data security and confidentiality standards.

Salary Range

$100,000+ Depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Additional hours during peak periods as needed

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest