Director of Recruiting & Communications
Monday – Friday / 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Home Campus (or permanent work location) – Willmar MN or Hutchinson MN -- to be determined upon hire; limited remote/telework is available.
About the Role:
Are you passionate about communication, education, and students? Are Oxford commas and puns part of your vocabulary? Do you enjoy leading, inspiring, and engaging with others, whether it’s a creative team or a student tour group? If so, our Director of Recruiting and Communications may be for you!
At Ridgewater College, the Director of Recruiting and Communication oversees prospective student recruitment activities, communication plan development, and execution of creative strategy and special events. It’s a role that allows you to be innovative while making an impact and helping students find their futures. You’ll be part of a dynamic team that supports one another across our campuses in Willmar and Hutchinson. Your team includes admission engineers, data wizards, marketing masterminds, and digital magicians. You’ll also have support from colleagues across our student services, academic, and administrative departments.
What You’ll Do:
Lead, supervise, and direct a team of seven mission-driven individuals
Design, execute, and manage strategic communication plans for future and accepted Warriors, employees, crisis situations and external communications
Oversee the planning, writing, graphic design, and production of all communication materials
Manage the recruiting team and supervise the planning and implementation of special events, including college fairs and campus visit days
Partner with the Director of Marketing and Community Outreach to execute the college marketing plan and support community outreach activities
Build and manage relationships with media, community organizations, college employees, and others
Supervise the development and maintenance of the College’s external website and social and digital media strategies
Plan and manage a comprehensive recruiting and admissions communication cycle, including writing content for CRM communications
Collaborate with the Director of Student Success to support the new student orientation and registration process and execute student experience communication plans
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Three (3) years professional work experience in a related field.
Exceptional written, verbal and interpersonal communication and public relations skills, and experience developing and presenting effective and meaningful presentations and reports
Knowledge of the new student recruitment process
Exceptional time, project management and organizational skills including the ability to effectively prioritize work duties to meet external and internal deadlines, delegate when appropriate, and manage multiple projects simultaneously
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as social media and web tools
Experience with development and implementation of strategic communication plans content/messaging creation for social and print media marketing materials
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree
Experience in higher education, preferably at a community or technical college
Supervisory experience and demonstrated ability to provide team leadership and develop collaborative working relationships
Vendor and contract management experience
Experience developing and managing budgets
Knowledge or experience with customer relationship management (CRM) software
Other Requirements
NOTICE: In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, employees driving on college/university business who use a rental or state vehicle shall be required to conform to MnSCU’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a Motor Vehicle Records check.
About
A Minnesota community and technical college, Ridgewater offers more than 100 educational programs in transfer and technical education. In fact, some of our programs are unique in not only Minnesota, but also the nation. With campuses in Willmar, Hutchinson, and online , Ridgewater serves more than 5,500 students. For 2020 and 2021, Ridgewater has been ranked as Minnesota’s #1 Community College based on value, strong academics, student life, facilities, diversity, student experiences, location, and safety! (Source: www.niche.com)
Benefits Info
The State of Minnesota offers a variety of benefits designed to support your skills and career development, and provide you with the tools and resources for a healthy personal life.
Our exceptional benefits balance four key elements that make life and work meaningful: health and wellness, financial well-being, professional development, and work/life balance. These benefits, along with your salary, make up your total compensation. Benefits available* include:
Medical and dental plans
Generous vacation, holiday, and sick days
Prescription drug coverage
Health care spending and savings accounts
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Wellness programs and resources
Convenience clinics
Public pension plans
Deferred compensation plan
Health care savings plan
Life, short and long-term disability, and AD&D insurance
Credit union memberships
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
*Programs, resources, and benefits eligibility varies based on type of employment, agency, funding availability, union/collective bargaining agreement, location, and length of service with the State of Minnesota.
Click "apply" to apply online
AA/EEO employer - A member of Minnesota State