The Associate Director provides strategic leadership for University Honors’ elite admissions and yield initiatives, overseeing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs, staff, and resources that support the yield of high-achieving undergraduate students. A central priority of this role is identifying, cultivating, and enrolling the top academic talent in the state of Tennessee, while advancing institutional enrollment, yield, and student success goals for University Honors and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The Associate Directly operates mainly in the critical post-application phase, using high-touch engagement, precision data analysis, faculty and alumni activation, and personalized conversion strategies to ensure top academic talent selects UT and commits to an honors pathway.

The Associate Director of Elite Honors Admissions leads efforts to yield academically exceptional students to University Honors programs and supports elite yield initiatives in partnership with the Haslam College of Business. The position designs and executes targeted yield strategies for highly selective student populations—including Tennessee’s highest-achieving students, National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists, and students with outstanding academic credentials.

A core responsibility of the role is the design, coordination, and assessment of high-impact yield events aimed at converting admitted elite students into enrolled scholars. The Associate Director leads yield event strategy and execution, including large-scale visit programs, targeted engagement experiences, and collaborative yield initiatives with academic colleges and campus partners. The position evaluates the effectiveness of yield events and strategies through data analysis and assessment, using insights to refine outreach, improve conversion outcomes, and inform future yield planning.

In close collaboration with Enrollment Management, academic colleges, campus partners, secondary school personnel, and families across Tennessee and beyond, the Associate Director ensures a coordinated, data-informed approach to yield initiatives. The role represents University Honors in Enrollment Management recruitment and administrative meetings and serves as a key liaison to internal and external stakeholders.

As a member of the University Honors leadership team, the Associate Director collaborates with fellow Associate Directors, the Director, and the Executive Director to ensure effective departmental operations. Responsibilities include contributing to long-term strategic planning; analyzing the impact of departmental decisions; establishing, assessing, and refining standards of performance; and recommending and implementing policy changes in collaboration with senior leadership. The Associate Director may represent the Director at campus meetings and events and is responsible for approving expenditures and payroll within delegated authority.

The position manages the University Honors application and review process using Slate (admissions software) and provides leadership across key functional areas, including yield strategy development, admissions coordination, yield planning and assessment, yield event design and execution, strategic communications, and continuous improvement. The Associate Director also manages budgets and represents the division in engagements with senior university leadership, donors, and external partners, as appropriate.

Through leadership of multiple elite yield initiatives, the Associate Director plays a vital role in positioning University Honors and the University of Tennessee as the destination of choice for Nation’s most accomplished students.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree

Experience:

• Minimum of three years of experience in higher education, preferably in student affairs, student services, student success, admissions, marketing, human resources, business, sales, or comparable functional areas
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, yield, and support high-achieving and academically elite students

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of selective recruitment, yield, and honors education practices.

• Knowledge of higher education policies, procedures, and student success initiatives.

• Skill in strategic planning, data analysis, and recruitment assessment.

• Skill in professional communication with students, families, faculty, and external stakeholders.

• Ability to work independently, exercise judgment, and manage complex initiatives.

• Ability to provide work direction to staff and student employees.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree

Experience:

• Background in admissions and/or honors education

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Experience with Slate admissions software

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR13
• Anticipated hiring range: Minimum $72,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

Elite Admissions Conversion, Yield Strategy, and Admitted-Student Engagement

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of elite admissions conversion, honors selection, and enrollment yield initiatives for highly qualified applicants and admitted students.
• Design, implement, and assess high-impact admitted-student engagement experiences, including personalized academic visits, immersive honors programming, and targeted yield events across daytime, evening, and weekend schedules.
• Lead high-touch engagement strategies for elite applicants and admitted students using an individualized, relationship-based model that supports informed enrollment decisions and honors pathway selection.
• Build and sustain relationships with applicants, admitted students, families, and key academic influencers to support enrollment decision-making and long-term commitment to the University of Tennessee and University Honors.
• Implement personalized communication and decision-support strategies that guide top academic applicants from admission to enrollment.
• In collaboration with Enrollment Management and academic colleges, execute strategies that convert highly qualified admitted students into enrolled honors scholars whose academic achievement strengthens institutional profile and student success outcomes.
• Analyze enrollment decision patterns among elite academic cohorts and refine engagement strategies to improve honors participation and institutional yield.
• Benchmark University of Tennessee's elite admitted-student yield practices against peer and aspirant honors programs to ensure competitive positioning and continuous improvement.

Operational Leadership and Enrollment Strategy Support

• Provide operational coordination and functional supervision of the Admissions Coordinator for Elite Honors Visits and Engagement.
• Manage processes and workflow associated with honors admissions review, admitted-student engagement, and enrollment yield initiatives.
• Oversee the administration of approximately $1 million in donor-funded scholarships awarded to highly qualified admitted students.
• Ensure responsible stewardship, coordination, and allocation of scholarship resources in alignment with donor intent, institutional priorities, and enrollment yield strategy.
• Conduct data analysis and assessment of admitted-student engagement and conversion outcomes to inform strategy refinement.
• Represent University Honors in institutional enrollment, retention, and high-achieving student success planning discussions.

Strategic Partnership and Institutional Collaboration

• Partner closely with University Honors and Haslam College of Business leadership to align elite admitted-student engagement and enrollment yield strategies with institutional academic excellence and reputation goals.
• Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with academic units, campus offices, and external stakeholders to enhance student engagement and support enrollment decision-making.
• Serve as a member of the University Honors leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, performance assessment, and continuous improvement of honors enrollment outcomes.
• Activate deans, department heads, and distinguished faculty in targeted admitted-student engagement and decision-support moments.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform additional responsibilities that support University Honors enrollment goals, student success priorities, and institutional strategy.