Working Title: Honors Admissions and Recruitment Director

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Academic Affairs Unit

Department: 100147 - Honors College

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 08/22/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Honors College is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and student-focused professional to serve as Honors Admissions and Recruitment Director. This position plays a vital leadership role in shaping the incoming class of the JMU Honors College and advancing university goals related to academic excellence and student enrollment. The ideal candidate will bring experience in student recruitment or admissions, excellent communication and project management skills, and a commitment to promoting student success and engagement. The successful candidate will join a collaborative, dynamic, and mission-driven team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Design and implement an annual Honors College recruitment plan in coordination with the JMU Office of Admissions and other university partners.

Develop and lead targeted outreach and yield initiatives that support Honors College enrollment goals.

Coordinate all prospective student communication, including web, email, print, and social media campaigns.

Plan and lead recruitment events such as Honors open houses, info sessions, and participation in university-wide events.

Oversee the Honors application and admissions process, including application design, reviewer training, and decision-making.

Manage Honors recruitment scholarship processes.

Use data to assess recruitment outcomes and refine strategies.

Supervise a team of student employees and manage the Honors Ambassadors program.

Coordinate the Honors Summer Institute, a pre-college program for high school students.

Represent the Honors College on university committees related to enrollment and recruitment.

Qualifications:

Master’s degree required.

Previous professional experience in higher education, preferably in admissions, recruitment, or academic advising.

Demonstrated ability to develop and manage strategic initiatives.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong organizational and project management abilities.

Experience working with student information systems, customer relationship management platforms, or recruitment data.

Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with diverse stakeholders.

Comfort with public speaking and representing the Honors College to prospective students, families, and campus partners.

Additional Considerations:
Experience in Honors education.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.