Associate Director of CRM Strategy

  • Staff, full-time (32+ hours per week)

Title: Associate Director of CRM Strategy

Position Number: 998354 

Unit/Department: Admission

Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications of the selected candidate 

Department Summary:

Drake University's Office of Admission is responsible for enrolling the University's vibrant, talented, and diverse undergraduate students. Led by the Dean of Admission and in collaboration with a team of talented professionals, this department works in conjunction with campus partners to identify and recruit future Bulldogs (students, not actual bulldogs) both in the state of Iowa and across the United States and world.

Job Summary:

The Office of Admission seeks a dynamic individual to join our amazing team. We are hiring for an Associate Director of CRM Strategy to be the lead manager of the office’s client relationship management (CRM) system, Technolutions Slate, and provide an array CRM support services to the Office of Admission and key campus partners.

As the lead CRM manager, the Associate Director of CRM Strategy is a subject matter expert on Slate and supports continual product development that serves undergraduate recruitment and enrollment goals and strategies.

The Associate Director of CRM Strategy reports to the Dean of Admission and collaborates closely with various leaders within the office of admission and across campus that support recruitment efforts such as Financial Aid, New Student and Parent Programs, and Residence Life to name a few. Key duties of the Associate Director of CRM Strategy include developing and supporting front-facing CRM functionality (i.e. events, web microsites/portals, interactive forms, etc.). Additionally, the Associate Director of CRM Strategy participates in the development of CRM-based tools used by the Office of Admissions and campus partners such as query/report construction and other data analytical tools.

Outside of Slate responsibilities, the Associate Director of CRM Strategy also manages the Assistant Director of CRM Strategy who works in collaboration managing the Slate instance and assigned projects. The Associate Director of CRM Strategy also helps support vendor-provided services used by the Office of Admissions, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and participates in appropriate CRM user forums.

As all undergraduate admission operations (applications, communications, queries, reports, etc.) run through Slate, this CRM lead position is vital to the success of the Office of Admission. As a result, we are looking for someone responsible, trustworthy, and dependable with good interpersonal skills and a curiosity to push Slate and maximize our usage of the tool. This individual should have great attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to adapt to change (as the work of recruitment and admission is constantly evolving).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Minimum 2 years of experience managing a client relationship management (CRM) system, Slate preferred

• Ability to work independently and effectively while managing multiple initiatives

• Outstanding attention to detail

• Excellent time management skills

• Great interpersonal skills

• A positive and professional attitude

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, and analyze detailed information accurately

• Experience in a higher education or other non-profit environment

• Knowledge of SQL, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, or other scripting languages, a plus

Job Duties:

  • 35% - CRM Lead for Office of Admission and Drake University Serve as the Customer Relationship Management system (Technolutions Slate) lead and functional expert for the Office of Undergraduate Admission and Drake University as a whole. Responsible for identifying, designing and applying the most effective ways to use Slate (CRM) from inquiry to yield in order to achieve enrollment goals. Serve as the official liaison for CRM between the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Bright College, Orientation, the Office of Residence Life, Financial Aid and college and school undergraduate. Collaborate and lead efforts to align the CRM, best practices and how it is used to improve the customer journey in other units. Apply demonstrated expertise and leadership to guide and train university Slate users in order to streamline system use, systematize innovation, and standardize use of CRM tools, queries and reports across units. Create culture of collaboration with key Slate leaders on campus, specifically with CRM team members, to upskill and identify opportunities for training. Includes leading Slate user group and setting agendas and priorities for regular meetings. 
  • 25% - Design, maintain and evolve CRM with data driven decision making and improving customer journey in mind, as well as serve as strategic partner and consultant in designing, maintaining, and evolving the instance of Slate. Collaborates and advises enrollment management and university teams on how to better leverage data from CRM to improve customer journey, inform new or adjusted approaches and strategies throughout undergraduate enrollment cycle to meet enrollment goals. Collaborate closely with Dean of Admission and associate directors to design reports and data visualization tools to create more effective reports, tools and dashboards that drive action for all levels of enrollment management team. Collaborate with Associate Director for Operations and Data Management to identify and address strategic and operational data needs through ongoing and periodic development and maintenance of queries, reports, informational portals, integrations, data visualizations and more. Ensure that all policies of data management are followed in accordance with Drake guidelines and data is clean, accurate and usable for all team members. Collaborate with Associate Director of Communication Strategy to track effectiveness of electronic and digital communications. 
  • 20% - Function as the primary operational administrator and manager of the CRM and driving CRM evolution. Function as the primary operational administrator and manager of the CRM, including coordinating upgrades, performing maintenance and developing customizations. Coordinates and manages the efforts of staff to assess, test and maintain CRM system (forms, applications, templates, etc.). Responsible for exploring, recommending and implementing new uses of functionality under direction of and in collaboration with Dean of Admission, Assistant Director of CRM strategy, as well as undergraduate leadership team (including operations, events, communications, enrollment strategy and data analysis for entering first year, transfer and international students) and staff. Drive Drake’s ability to consistently innovate, enhance, and evolve how undergraduate admission and other campus units leverage the CRM to meet enrollment goals and solve problems.
  • 10% - External Applications and Cycle Prep leadership. Own strategic direction for external application development and onboarding of new applications for undergraduate admission and external partners, events, etc. Consult directly with Assistant Director of CRM Strategy and campus partners that host and review special applications throughout the enrollment cycle. Provide leadership direction for maintaining digital structure and supporting processes for application review processes for undergraduate admission within CRM. Supports Assistant Director of CRM Strategy in developing hands-on knowledge around current processing functions to better understand workflow and the student experience. Work collaboratively with Operations and Processing team as needed to troubleshoot problems and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • 5% - Training. Identify opportunities for consistent continuing education and training for CRM within Office of Undergraduate Admission and campus partners such as Bright College, Orientation, and graduate college and school admission teams. Work collaboratively with Assistant Director of CRM Strategy and campus partners to identify, design and deliver programs throughout enrollment cycle.
  • 5% - Team Management and Collaboration. Create culture of collaboration around use of CRM to drive innovation forward. Hire, train, develop, and manage Assistant Director of CRM Strategy. Identify opportunities for project work. Work with Associate Director for Communications to develop communication skillset and bench strength within Office of Admission.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

If you have any questions about this job positing or the application process, please email joel.johnson@drake.edu

 

 

 

For faculty positions, selection will depend on the receipt of recommendation confirming the candidate's scholarly achievements and teaching abilities and/or on the candidate's satisfactory passing of a teaching demonstration if selected for an on-campus interview. For staff positions, selection will depend upon careful review of each applicant’s references, education, and, if applicable, experience.


ABOUT DRAKE
Drake University is recognized as a top private university in the Midwest. Drake is a midsize university in Des Moines, Iowa, with an increasingly diverse student body. We are deeply committed to equity and inclusion and creating a sense of belonging for all members of the campus community—faculty, staff, and students alike. More than 900 faculty and staff are part of the Bulldog pack, a close-knit group of colleagues enthusiastic about preparing students to be global citizens and leaders, challenging assumptions. Drake University is not only an outstanding institution of higher learning, it is also a wonderful place to work. We are enthusiastically committed to welcoming new ideas and people into the fold, and to retaining and rewarding stellar employees.

All positions at Drake provide opportunities to contribute to Drake University’s core mission of creating an exceptional learning environment that prepares students of all backgrounds for meaningful lives and professional accomplishments. 


STRONG COMMITMENT TO A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
At Drake University, we don’t just accept differences—we celebrate them, we support them, and we thrive on them for the benefit of our students, our employees, and our community. As reflected in our Core Values, we embrace a diverse and inclusive community. 


EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Drake University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.  Drake University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. If you would benefit from an accommodation at any point in the recruitment process (including using our online application process), please contact Drake Human Resources (p: 515.271.3133; e: jobs@drake.edu) and let us know how we can assist you.