Director of Undergraduate Admissions & Advising

The Opportunity

Cornell University seeks a collaborative and student-centered leader to serve as the Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Advising for the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and advance the School’s undergraduate admissions and advising strategy, strengthen student recruitment and engagement, and foster an exceptional undergraduate experience that supports student success from admission through graduation.

The Director will provide strategic leadership and oversight for undergraduate admissions, recruitment, and academic advising, developing and implementing innovative approaches that advance the School’s enrollment priorities and support the academic success and overall experience of its undergraduate students. Working closely with the University Admissions/Enrollment Division and admissions leaders across Cornell’s colleges and schools, the Director will help advance university-wide enrollment goals while representing the distinct priorities and perspectives of the Brooks School.

In this role, the Director will lead the Undergraduate Admissions and Advising team in developing and executing comprehensive first-year and transfer student recruitment and yield strategies, engaging prospective students and their families, and providing guidance throughout the admissions process. The Director will also oversee a holistic approach to undergraduate advising and student support, including academic advising, orientation, student programming, and initiatives designed to foster student engagement, belonging, and academic success.

As a key partner in the Brooks School’s student services leadership, the Director will collaborate closely with colleagues across academic advising, registrar services, career management, and graduate programs to enhance the student experience and strengthen student outcomes. The role will also provide leadership in addressing complex student matters, supporting students of concern, and fostering coordinated approaches to student success in partnership with faculty, academic leadership, and campus colleagues.

The successful candidate will be an innovative and forward-thinking leader with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives, lead and develop high-performing teams, and build collaborative relationships across a complex academic environment. In addition, the ideal candidate will be passionate about supporting students throughout their academic journeys and advancing practices that strengthen access, engagement, and student success.

This is an opportunity for an experienced higher education professional to make a meaningful impact at one of Cornell’s newest academic schools by shaping undergraduate admissions and advising, strengthening the student experience, and helping students thrive throughout their educational journeys.

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Contract College position based in Ithaca, NY. This position follows a 4:1 campus-to-home hybrid work arrangement during the academic year, and a 3:2 campus-to-home hybrid work arrangement during summer and academic breaks. This hybrid work arrangement is subject to change at any time. Work hours are 8:00am-4:30pm Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend hours to help support departmental events. Some travel is required during the recruitment season.

About the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy  harnesses the University’s broad disciplinary excellence in public policy, along with its innovative teaching, research, and engagement programs, to solve pressing global challenges. The school’s faculty applies an interdisciplinary and problem-oriented focus to wide-ranging public policy issues as they explore how government choices intersect with people’s lives.

The Brooks School is home to approximately 50 staff members, more than 80 tenure stream and teaching faculty, and a distinguished group of part-time faculty who are leaders in public policy and healthcare, bringing real world expertise into the classroom. The school enrolls nearly 800 undergraduate, professional, and graduate students across its programs in Ithaca, at its Washington, DC facility, and online in partnership with eCornell.

An innovative and growing school, the Brooks School has recently launched new undergraduate experiences and professional degree programs. It is also making significant investments in expanded and enhanced facilities in both Ithaca and Washington, DC, to support robust enrollments, program growth, and new strategic initiatives.

What We Need

We are seeking an experienced college admissions professional with a strong background in recruitment, a thorough understanding of the prospective student lifecycle, and experience providing academic advising and support to current students. Additionally, you will have:

• A Bachelor's Degree and at least 5-7 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Experience working with undergraduate students.
• Excellent communication skills: writing (across multiple platforms), speaking (including presentations). Ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, prospective undergraduate applicants, faculty, alumni , and administration.
• Aptitude for communications-related technology including CRM, social media, virtual presentation software, etc. Also, strong Excel skills, word processing, databases.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. Experience using sound judgement, maintaining confidentiality, and discretion.
• Experience collaborating and working on a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills and service orientation.
• High energy, initiative , and enthusiasm. Works independently.
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to plan and work per schedule/calendar, handle multiple tasks, and complete tasks within time constraints.
• Ability to travel occasionally.

If you possess these experiences and skills this may be the role for you! There are a few other qualifications we would view as incredibly helpful in this role, to include:

• Master's Degree or equivalent.
• Supervisory experience.
• Familiarity with evolving trends in higher education and admissions.
• Experience in crafting messaging and content for external audiences.
• Experience presenting to groups.
• Experience in marketing & communications or university admissions.
• Experience with CRM and application management systems (e.g. CollegeNet, Salesforce)
• Experience supervising administrative/transaction-oriented staff and/or student employees.
• Advising/counseling experience.

A cover letter and resume are required for consideration for this position. Your cover letter should describe your interest in the position and explain how your experience and professional goals align with the role’s objectives and opportunities for mutual success.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 1 day per week and on-campus 4 days per week during the academic year; remotely 2 days per week and on-campus 3 days per week during summer and academic breaks. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
• This position is based in Ithaca, New York. Employees who work remotely may receive multiple W-2 Forms depending on their work location. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholding for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside of New York State.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.