The New England Conservatory, an independent not-for-profit institution, is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools, educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world. With approximately 750 music students representing more than 40 countries, NEC cultivates a diverse, dynamic community for students, providing them with performance opportunities and high-caliber training by 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of making and teaching music through college-level musical training in classical, jazz, and Contemporary Improvisation. It offers unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships that empower students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC's mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Division of Expanded Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.

Position Summary

New England Conservatory (NEC) seeks a collaborative, strategic, and data-informed enrollment leader to serve as Director of Enrollment Management.

Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, the Director provides leadership for undergraduate and graduate recruitment, admission operations, enrollment communications, CRM strategy, and enrollment analytics. The Director oversees the day-to-day management of the Enrollment Office and leads a team dedicated to delivering an exceptional experience for prospective students from inquiry through matriculation.

Working closely with faculty, academic leadership, financial aid, marketing and communications, and student affairs, the Director develops and executes recruitment and enrollment strategies that support NEC's enrollment and revenue goals while advancing the Conservatory's mission to educate and train the next generation of artists.

Essential Functions

Enrollment Strategy and Recruitment

Develop and implement annual recruitment and enrollment plans aligned with institutional enrollment goals.
Monitor and analyze enrollment trends throughout the recruitment cycle, including inquiries, applications, auditions, admits, deposits, and melt.
Partner with the Chief Growth Officer to support enrollment forecasting and strategic planning.
Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to support program-specific recruitment initiatives and enrollment priorities.
Represent NEC at recruitment events, professional conferences, and industry organizations.

Admission Operations

Oversee all admission operations from inquiry through enrollment.
Ensure efficient and student-centered application, audition, review, and decision-making processes.
Direct planning and execution of admissions events, audition experiences, campus visits, virtual programming, and yield initiatives.
Establish and maintain operational processes that promote service excellence, efficiency, and accountability.

Enrollment Communications and CRM Strategy

Oversee communications with prospective students throughout the enrollment lifecycle.
Supervise the development and execution of recruitment communication plans and campaigns.
Lead CRM strategy and optimization, ensuring effective use of Slate to support recruitment and enrollment goals.
Partner with Marketing and Communications to ensure alignment between enrollment messaging and institutional brand strategy.

Enrollment Analytics and Reporting

Develop and maintain enrollment dashboards, reports, and projections to support decision-making.
Analyze recruitment, conversion, and enrollment performance and recommend strategic adjustments.
Utilize data to identify opportunities for growth, process improvement, and enhanced student engagement.
Prepare enrollment reports and presentations for senior leadership, faculty, and the Board of Trustees.

Leadership and Team Management

Provide leadership, supervision, mentorship, and professional development for enrollment staff.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
Establish goals, assess performance, and support continuous improvement across all enrollment functions.
Promote a culture of customer service, accountability, and innovation.

Institutional Collaboration

Partner closely with Financial Aid, Marketing and Communications, Student and Academic Affairs, Academic Affairs, Institutional Research, and Business Operations.
Collaborate with faculty admissions committees and academic departments throughout the admissions cycle.
Support institutional initiatives related to enrollment growth, student success, and strategic planning.
Serve on institutional committees and working groups as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

Master's degree required.
Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, enrollment management, or higher education recruitment.
Demonstrated success managing enrollment processes, recruitment initiatives, and admissions operations.
Experience supervising and developing professional staff.
Strong analytical skills and experience using data to inform enrollment strategy and decision-making.
Experience working with CRM systems; Slate experience strongly preferred.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Strong organizational and project management abilities.
Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, families, and external stakeholders.

Preferred

Experience in a conservatory, arts-focused institution, or highly selective higher education environment.
Familiarity with undergraduate and graduate recruitment practices.
Music background or understanding of arts education environments.

NEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Annual Clery Report

In accordance with the federal Clery and Campus SaVE Acts, New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) commits to providing all current and prospective students and employees with access to the annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report will provide the reader with a record of statistics regarding crimes that were reported in the NEC community during the previous three years as well as College policies and procedures, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. This report may be accessed here. A paper copy can be requested by contacting NEC's Director of Public Safety at 290 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.