Assistant Director of Working Professional MBA Recruiting and Admissions

Position Summary:

Rice Business is a globally recognized, top-ranked graduate business school distinguished by its rigorous academic standards and a full portfolio of MBA programs, including Full-Time, Professional (Weekend, Evening, and Hybrid), and Online modalities. The Assistant Director of Working Professional MBA Recruiting and Admissions serves as a strategic partner for the school, tasked with identifying future global business leaders.

Reporting directly to the Rice Business Assistant Dean of Recruiting and Admissions, this role is vital to the sustained growth and prestige of Rice Business. As a key member of the recruitment team, the Assistant Director executes a high-impact outreach strategy designed to attract and secure top-tier talent. The Assistant Director orchestrates a curated applicant journey, providing concierge-level guidance from initial inquiry through enrollment. Primary responsibilities include representing Rice Business through extensive recruitment efforts, leading and facilitating dynamic information sessions, and reinforcing the value proposition of a Rice MBA to prospective students. The Assistant Director also hosts one-on-one consultations, acting as an advisor to prospective MBA candidates as they navigate their educational and career aspirations. This position manages a robust portfolio of prospective students and leverages data-driven insights to convert high-potential leads into an elite cohort of students.

This role provides comprehensive recruitment and enrollment support across the entire Working Professional MBA portfolio. The Assistant Director also serves as an internal Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the Working Professional MBA modalities but maintains a strong understanding of all Rice Business MBA program formats to ensure specialized needs and unique market nuances are addressed with precision. The Assistant Director acts as a versatile recruiter for all modalities while providing deep expertise in the Professional Evening, Weekend, and Hybrid MBA programs.

The Assistant Director of Working Professional MBA Recruiting and Admissions manages relationships with prospective students and joins a team of enrollment management professionals committed to representing the Rice Business MBA with excellence and professionalism.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

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

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate for this position is a sophisticated and experienced communicator and a driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment with a proactive approach to professional responsibilities. This person has a firm grasp of graduate management education, an innate ability to build trust and rapport with candidates, and exceptional organizational skills to manage high-volume portfolios.

This individual is committed to operational excellence and relationship building. The ideal candidate understands the sales and enrollment management cycle and uses data to inform relationship-management strategies from the first point of inquiry through matriculation. A commitment to creative problem-solving, the ability to function autonomously, a focused approach to meeting targets, and a strong sense of self-accountability are critical qualities for success in this role.

Workplace Requirements:

Rice Business primarily delivers residential classes and activities that take place almost daily between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. We value a highly collaborative and community-based culture, with expectations to provide in-person support and services to all members of our community. Remote work options are limited. Most employment activities must be performed in person and on campus. This in-person approach is central to the successful achievement of our research and academic missions.

This position includes a high volume of professional events occurring during evenings and weekends, as well as the possibility of domestic and international travel.

Workplace Location:

This position is exclusively on-site, requiring all duties to be performed in person at McNair Hall on a five-day, in-office schedule with standard work hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Remote work opportunities may be assessed and approved on an as-needed basis following the successful completion of the probationary period. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

- Bachelor's degree

No substitutions permitted

- 3+ years of higher education and/or relationship management/recruiting experience

In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

Skills:

- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent diplomacy and organizational skills
- Familiarity with graduate business education processes and programs
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including professionalism and collaboration
- Ability to lead and facilitate presentations and information sessions with clarity and confidence
- Ability to conduct candidate assessments
- Ability to establish and maintain relationships with prospective students
- Excellent computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Preferences:

- Extensive professional experience in relationship management
- Experience working within the graduate business education landscape
- Experience working in higher education or sales
- Familiarity with CRM systems or equivalent platforms used to support relationship-management responsibilities

Essential Functions:

- Actively identify, nurture, and manage high-potential candidate populations across all Working Professional MBA modalities, adopting an ownership mindset for assigned recruitment territories and areas of expertise
- Recommend creative and innovative engagement strategies to maintain a robust candidate pipeline
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with prospective students through consistent, high-touch follow-up and personalized communication from the initial inquiry stage through enrollment
- Serve as an SME for professional MBA prospects, providing valuable insights on program alignment and career return on investment (ROI) to help candidates identify the best-fit Rice Business MBA program
- Actively engage in the enrollment management funnel by responding to inquiries in a timely manner and documenting accurate information within the CRM system
- Develop, lead, and facilitate compelling, high-impact recruitment presentations and one-on-one advising sessions, both in person and virtually
- Represent Rice Business through on-campus events, Houston metropolitan-area outreach activities, and domestic travel to engage and attract top talent
- Support the integrity of the recruitment CRM database (Slate) by documenting all candidate interactions accurately and ensuring data-driven continuity with the operations team
- Perform comprehensive and evidence-based evaluations of candidate application files, assessing qualitative and quantitative factors and making formal recommendations regarding admissions decisions
- Conduct evaluative interviews to help build a high-caliber and diverse MBA cohort aligned with institutional standards and strategic enrollment goals
- Support the ongoing analysis of the candidate pool to ensure developing cohorts meet strategic enrollment goals established by the Assistant Dean and senior Rice Business leadership
- Collect and provide the Assistant Dean and senior leaders within the Rice Business Recruiting and Admissions Office (RAO) with synthesized qualitative candidate insights that complement quantitative funnel data and inform strategic decisions regarding cohort composition and recruitment tactics
- Lead the execution of high-impact yield events in collaboration with the Candidate Experience and Operations team to minimize attrition and secure a high-quality incoming cohort
- Provide strategic and tactical support to the broader Recruitment and Admissions Operations team, contributing to institutional enrollment goals
- Demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism and operational excellence
- Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

- Cultivate and maintain high-trust relationships with internal Rice Business departments and faculty, serving as a liaison between the enrollment management team and the broader university community to foster collaboration
- Approach every internal and external interaction with a positive, solution-oriented mindset
- Commit to continuous learning related to graduate management education trends and competitive market dynamics, applying that knowledge to support Rice Business's position as a leader in recruitment innovation
- Represent Rice Business with key strategic partners, ensuring recruitment efforts remain aligned with the evolving needs of the global business workforce
- Act as a proactive steward of the Rice Business brand by identifying potential messaging or branding inconsistencies and recommending strategic solutions to maintain brand integrity
- Provide comprehensive support throughout the full lifecycle of recruitment and yield events, from detailed pre-event planning through premier execution, ensuring every event reflects Rice Business's commitment to excellence

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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 get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected] . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.