Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice and the Enrollment Division:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

 Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

The Enrollment Division, comprising over 75 highly talented professionals, leads all undergraduate admissions and financial aid for the university. Included within the enrollment division is the Office of Admissions, the Office of Financial Aid, Enrollment Marketing and Communication, Enrollment Systems and Operations, University Partnerships, and Enrollment Analytics. The division has seen a doubling of applications since 2017, with nearly 37,000 applications and an admit rate under 8%. The division is also responsible for awarding millions of dollars in loan-free, grant aid through the Rice Investment, an innovative financial aid program that makes it clear for families what they will likely qualify for in advance of applying to the university. 

Position Summary:

The Senior Associate Director of Admission is a senior officer role responsible for developing and executing strategic recruitment initiatives with a focus on domestic and international student populations. This position leads recruitment travel and outreach to targeted markets and ensures the admissions process reflects the university’s commitment to academic excellence and diversity. The role requires deep expertise in both domestic and international educational systems, the ability to interpret complex academic credentials, and experience managing high-performing teams in a fast-paced, data-driven environment. Reporting to a Deputy Director, this individual will manage projects with a high degree of complexity, scope, visibility, and independence.

The Admissions Officer IV is an expert in the field of admissions and enrollment and helps administer the admission process for thousands of students each year.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The Senior Associate Director will manage advanced functions that correlate with their supervisor’s content area. Such functions may include, but are not limited to, managing major programs and outreach, international student recruitment, staff training and development, coordinating the file review process, etc. These functional areas may require delegating responsibilities and monitoring the work of other team members. The Senior Associate Director will interact with senior leadership to participate in strategic planning and decisions related to their work.

Workplace Requirements:

This position may be offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration, with a minimum of 3 days on campus after the six-month probationary period. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. Travel required. This is a term-limited position from August 1, 2025 - July 31, 2026.

Proposed Hiring Range: $80,000 annually, dependent on experience and qualifications.
*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree 3+ years of experience working in a college or university admission office or as a high school college counselor or teacher

Skills:

Domestic and International Recruitment Expertise: Demonstrated success in recruiting students from diverse global backgrounds and a nuanced understanding of international educational systems and credentials Strategic Planning: Ability to design and implement targeted recruitment strategies aligned with institutional goals Application Evaluation: Experience reading and evaluating domestic and international applications for admission, including holistic and committee-based review processes. Flexibility to adapt to changes in policies, procedures, or regulations affecting admissions operations Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present to large and small audiences and to communicate complex information clearly to diverse stakeholders Relationship Management: Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with prospective students, families, alumni, school counselors, and international partners Project Management: Proficiency in managing multiple projects simultaneously, developing project plans, setting priorities, and meeting deadlines. Ability to identify issues or obstacles in day-to-day work and develop solutions to address them. Capacity to analyze data, trends, and metrics to make informed decisions and improvements Collaboration: Strong collaborative skills to work effectively across departments and with external partners. Highly knowledgeable and trusted source of information on admissions and enrollment for coworkers and external constituents Cultural Competency: Deep understanding of cultural differences and the ability to engage effectively with students and families from various backgrounds Data Analysis: Proficiency in analyzing recruitment and admissions data to inform decision-making and strategy Technology: Familiarity with CRM systems, MS Office, and virtual recruitment tools. Compliance: Knowledge of international student regulations, visa processes, and institutional policies

Additional Skills:

Interpersonal skills that demonstrate professionalism, relatability, and collegiality Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively on high-level, complex projects, ensuring successful completion and achieving desired outcomes within established timelines and budgets Familiarity with the multiple work areas of a modern admissions office, including CRM systems, reporting and analytics, recruitment, evaluation and selection, marketing and communications, access and inclusion, on-campus programming, staff training, budget management, and staff development Proficient in using admission and enrollment data to make data-informed decisions, measure and assess progress toward strategic goals, present data, and revise practices as needed Strong verbal and written communication, presentation, and customer service skills Strong reading comprehension and ability to make distinctions among competitive applicants High level of proficiency in MS Office Suite Excellent organizational and time management skills Ability to present meaningful information that helps inform decision-making

Preferences:

8+ years of experience in a highly selective university or college admission office Advanced degree in a related field Experience in international recruitment Experience in chairing or co-chairing an admissions committee at a highly selective college or university Strong writing and presentation skills desired

Essential Functions:

Works with other members of the admission staff on projects related to recruitment, evaluation and selection, marketing and communications, access and inclusion, on-campus programming, alumni engagement, staff training, budget management, and staff development as assigned Collaboratively works with supervisor on year-over-year planning, process, and project management Contributes to strategic planning within the Enrollment Division Independently and collaboratively manages projects with a high degree of complexity, scope, and visibility Utilizes data to measure team success and help articulate the team’s effectiveness Establishes and maintains strong relationships with high school counselors and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and serves as functional lead for relevant counselor programming Represents Rice University Office of Admission at relevant regional, national, and international conferences, forums, panels, and other public engagements Evaluates applications and makes recommendations on selection utilizing the committee-based evaluation process Serves as lead in the application review process, including being a senior reader, pre-committee chair, or committee chair Ensures compliance with federal and state laws concerning college admission, FERPA, and other applicable regulatory expectations Responds to inquiries, providing accurate information in a timely manner Performs all other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.