Admissions Counselor

Department: Costello College of Business

Classification: Education Support Spec 2

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Arlington, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Motor Vehicle Records Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Donald G. Costello College of Business at George Mason University is one of the largest business schools in Virginia, and is located near Washington, D.C., in Arlington and Fairfax, and at George Mason’s global campus in Incheon, South Korea. The college’s AACSB-accredited business and accounting curricula prepare undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and across the globe for career success in business and government. Its research-based faculty and focus on multi-disciplinary academic programs, inclusive entrepreneurship, modular education, experiential learning, and corporate partner engagement are transforming the landscape of business education and workforce development. Learn more at business.gmu.edu.

George Mason has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment. Mason is highly ranked for its campus diversity and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2024 as the top-performing public university in Virginia for social mobility.

About the Position:

The Admissions Counselor enhances the recruiting efforts of the Costello College of Business’s Graduate Programs, with a focus on access, diversity, equity, and inclusion, to help achieve the College of Business’s and University’s strategic goals. The Admissions Counselor plays a crucial role in recruiting, evaluating, and selecting high-quality students for the Costello College of Business graduate programs. The Admissions Counselor should be able to provide expertise on a portfolio of graduate programs, review admissions decisions, and optimize the utilization of university resources. This includes developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, specifically those on college campuses. Collaboration with program faculty and staff is essential to guide recruitment efforts. The Admission Counselor provides purchasing, procurement, and travel authorization support for the Graduate Admission Team.

Responsibilities:

Candidate Recruitment and Review

• Engages in proactive communication strategies to connect with prospective graduate students through various channels, including phone outreach, e-mail, texting, and in-person or virtual admissions consultations;
• Executes admissions consultations, utilizing an online scheduling tool and additional communication methods;
• Focuses on encouraging quality candidates to advance in their application journey while immersing them in the brand and culture of George Mason University, the Costello College of Business, and their program of interest;
• Implements strategies to optimize yield between application stages to enhance the overall admissions process;
• Manages applicant file review for programs applicants; and
• making timely and accurate decisions and recommendations.

Administrative & Fiscal Support

• Provides all purchasing and travel administrative support to the graduate admissions team and acts as back up for the Office Manager for the Costello College of Business graduate programs if required. Administrative and fiscal support could be used for, but not limited to, events, conferences, purchasing supplies, professional services, and managing the requests for proposal process;
• Stays up to date with university and state purchasing and travel policies to ensure compliance in all transactions, while also ensuring that the graduate admissions team adheres to all university and state guidelines for procurement, travel, and budget management;
• Uses and learns university and state systems and tools, including but not limited to eVA, P-Card, the Mason Finance Gateway, Chrome River, and Mason Leaps to complete purchasing and travel authorizations, payments, and reimbursements; and
• Collaborates with the Director of Graduate Enrollment to track and monitor budgets for efficient resource use. 

Academic Institution Pipelines

• Develops and executes a recruitment plan for college campuses throughout the mid-Atlantic. This includes engaging in the planning and execution of recruitment programming, which encompasses hosting virtual events or traveling to college campuses for information sessions or large-scale recruitment events; and
• Represents the Costello College of Business and George Mason University to the College’s and University’s standards.

Knowledge and Relationship Management

• Maintains awareness of services, programs, and courses within the Costello College of Business and the University;
• Collaborates with assigned programs to effectively leverage these offerings to drive new enrollment; and
• Builds strong, collaborative relationships with program, College, and University associates.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated work experience in a related professional setting, and experience with administrative tasks;
• Knowledge of Gen Z cultural norms, George Mason University’s mission, and financial processes;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite;
• Well-written, strong group and 1-on-1 communication skills, ethical decision making;
• Customer and service oriented approach;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Ability to work respectfully and professionally with a diverse group of stakeholders;
• Ability to manage time and make good prioritization decisions; 
• Financial accountability; and
• Valid driver's license: must currently possess an appropriate, active, valid motor vehicle operator’s license that meets all of GMU’s requirements for operating state vehicles and equipment under Mason’s Vehicle Use Policy 1411 https://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/vehicle-use/. The Office of Risk Management reserves the right to review the driver’s licenses and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) of all candidates selected with employment contingent upon a favorable review.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Demonstrated work experience in higher education admissions, student recruitment, and/or enrollment management or sales, retail, or service;
• Hands on experience in financial processes and/or data analysis/reporting;
• Knowledge of higher education recruitment and admission best practices, Costello College of Business curriculum and missions, and institutional financial procedures;
• Salesforce CRM proficiency, data analytics proficiency, generative AI to optimize efficiency;
• Multi-lingual;
• Skills with financial management, compliance and reporting; and
• Ability to work independently and think critically to provide solutions to difficult problems; create value and ability to adapt.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Admissions Counselor at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume.

Posting Open Date: October 30, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: November 13, 2024

Open Until Filled:  Yes