Edtech.com's Summary

Trocaire College is hiring a Director of Admissions to lead and oversee the admissions office and one-stop operation. The Director will develop and implement strategic student recruitment plans, optimize admissions processes, and enhance community partnerships to support institutional enrollment goals while managing a team and budget.

Highlights

Lead recruitment and admissions operations, including developing strategic enrollment plans and coordinating application processes.
Oversee data analytics to assess recruitment performance and inform strategic initiatives.
Manage and mentor admissions staff, establishing goals and fostering professional growth.
Collaborate with marketing, faculty, and financial aid to align communications and enrollment objectives.
Maintain relationships with regional educational institutions, community partners, and vendors.
Require at least five years of progressive admissions or enrollment leadership experience and a bachelor's degree, with advanced degrees preferred.
Strong skills in statistical research, data analysis, communication, and team leadership are essential.
Compensation range is $90,000 to $110,000, including relocation assistance.
Trocaire College serves over 1,000 students in career-oriented programs with a mission rooted in the values of the Sisters of Mercy.
Director expected to have an active campus presence and support the College's commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Director of Admissions Full Description

Trocaire College, a private, career-oriented Catholic college, is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as its next Director of Admissions. The Director will be a highly visible and actively engaged member of the campus community, overseeing the office of admissions and the one-stop operation. The Director will work in close partnership with university leadership, faculty, and staff, leading efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive student recruitment plan, optimize admission processes, refine admission communication, and enhance the one stop operation to support institutional enrollment goals.

The Director of Admissions will champion strategic outreach initiatives to expand Trocaire’s visibility, deepen community partnerships, and build a diverse and mission-aligned student body. They will employ a sophisticated understanding of analytics, leveraging data to inform strategy, segment messaging and optimize outcomes, while maintaining a deeply student-centered approach. Through outstanding communication and collaborative leadership, the Director will build trust, strengthen relationships on campus, and keep stakeholders meaningfully informed and engaged in the recruiting and admission process.

The Director will lead an enthusiastic and committed admissions staff, and will provide mentorship and guidance, while establishing clear goals and facilitating professional growth. Additionally, they will provide fiscal oversight of the office, ensuring responsible budget management and the strategic and effective stewardship of organizational resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities for the Director of Admissions are as follows:

Leadership

Act as a player-coach, contributing directly to the Trocaire admissions office operation while providing leadership, guidance and support to the office of admissions and one-stop.
Represent Trocaire College at campus events, professional meetings, and recruitment activities as well as institutional meetings and committees to advance key initiatives.
Establish goals, motivate and manage staff, and monitor enrollment progress; foster a culture of mentorship, staff development, critical thinking, collaboration, leadership, accountability and empowerment within the division.
Establish and maintain positive relationships with Buffalo and Western New York area constituencies, including secondary schools, four-year and community colleges and business organizations, to create partnership opportunities.
Manage relationships with any vendors or third party providers that impact the work of the Admissions office.

Recruitment & Admissions

Develop, clarify, and coordinate the implementation of a strategic recruitment plan for new student enrollment.
Lead the coordination of application processing, admissions review, and enrollment decisions.
Develop and execute a formalized prospect management framework designed to strategically engage, nurture and advance prospects through the admissions funnel.
Review and develop written policies and procedures that are effective, efficient, and maintain high levels of customer service.

Collaboration

Partner with the Office of Marketing to create communication flows that compellingly articulate Trocaire’s value proposition while cultivating meaningful engagement and sustained interest among prospective students.
Partner with faculty and academic leadership to assess the strength and relevance of existing programs while identifying emerging markets and opportunities for programmatic and enrollment growth.
Collaborate with Financial Aid to align scholarship and aid strategies with enrollment objectives and student success outcomes.
Build trusted partnerships with key partners to enhance the student experience from recruitment to retention, and improve student success.

Data & Technology

Oversee the use of admissions systems to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and data integrity.
Utilize data analytics to assess recruitment performance, forecast enrollment trends, and inform institutional planning.
Provide data-driven guidance for all aspects of student recruitment programs and strategic enrollment initiatives.

Qualifications, Skills, and Characteristics

Trocaire College is seeking an experienced admissions leader with a minimum of five years of progressive experience in admissions or enrollment. The successful candidate will be required to have earned a bachelor’s degree; an advanced degree from an institutionally accredited institution is preferred. In addition, the successful candidate will possess the following:

Demonstrated deep understanding of regional and national trends and issues in higher education, college admissions, and the evolving needs of students and families;
A visible and communicative leader who values relationships, listens deeply and engages with the community;
A collaborative spirit, committed to the well-being of students and providing exemplary customer service to students, families and campus constituents;
Strength in statistical research and analytical capacity; strong data acumen and the ability to use data to understand issues and develop effective strategies; the ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights for various stakeholders;
Experience leading a team of admissions professionals with an approach that prioritizes mentorship, empowerment, transparency and accountability;
Demonstrated emotional intelligence; empathetic with the ability to engage and educate students, families and colleagues;
Approachable, positive leader experienced in managing through change thoughtfully and successfully;
Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, including excellent public speaking skills, with the ability to build relationships, communicate clearly and compellingly, and enhance the positive reputation of the division and institution across audiences; and
Exceptional work ethic, excellent organizational, prioritization and delegation skills to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with highest standards for accuracy; ability to use tact and diplomacy and maintain confidentiality.

Trocaire College

Trocaire College is a private, career-oriented Catholic college that empowers students with the resources and supportive environment needed to achieve their academic goals. As one of 17 colleges and universities sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, its core mission is to allow each person to be a valuable contributor to the workforce needs of the community. Trocaire offers bachelor’s, associate, and certificate programs, as well as workforce development programs in healthcare, veterinary sciences, business, and technology. Trocaire ranks in the top one-quarter of colleges and universities in the country for return on investment by Georgetown University and is designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications. Trocaire College, often described as “a college of first and second chances” with “transformational” impact, serves over 1,000 students enrolled in one of 19 active degree programs or workforce development classes. Trocaire employs 172 faculty (28 full-time and 144 part-time) and 117 staff (75 full-time and 42 part-time).

Over 13,000 alumni exemplify the meaning of “Careers of Achievement, Lives of Purpose.” Trocaire graduates stay in the area and are proud to call the Western New York (WNY) region home, with more than 90% residing within a 60-mile radius of Buffalo. All 100% of Trocaire College alumni who completed a recent survey are proud to say they are Trocaire graduates. Trocaire’s footprint in Western New York makes it a leader in career-oriented higher education within the region, offering academic and workforce development programs in healthcare, veterinary sciences, and business. Trocaire College Carnegie Classification, Special Focus: Nursing, includes 240 institutions. This represents 6% of U.S. colleges and universities in the Institutional Classification. Trocaire has also been identified as one of the new Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which are higher access, higher earnings institutions that can serve as a model for fostering student success.

Mission Statement

Trocaire College, a private, career-oriented Catholic college, in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, strives to empower students toward personal enrichment, dignity, and self-worth through education in a variety of professions and in the liberal arts. Recognizing the individual needs of a diverse student body, Trocaire College provides lifelong learning and development within a community-based environment. Trocaire College prepares students for service in the universal community.

History

Founded in 1958 in Buffalo, NY, by the Sisters of Mercy as Sancta Maria College, it offered higher educational opportunities to women of the order. The College gained distinction early on in the field of nursing and health science education.

In 1967, the College’s name was officially changed to Trocaire, which is Gaelic for mercy, to honor the heritage of the founding sisters. Trocaire granted admission to lay female students in 1965 and male students in 1972. The College has evolved extensively over the past 50 years. It confers several associate and bachelor’s degrees with an emphasis on health care professions. In 2008, the College expanded its offerings with an extension site in Williamsville, NY, and later in 2012, with a massage therapy program. More recently, in 2024, Trocaire expanded the Williamsville site to introduce a veterinary technology program. The Trocaire College of today is a vibrant, multi-dimensional coeducational Catholic private college that continues to operate in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Trocaire is an active member of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education.

Trocaire is well regarded within the Buffalo healthcare community, as its alumni are in positions throughout major systems like Catholic Health and Kaleida Health, as well as some of the region’s fastest-growing tech companies. Trocaire supports students in finding opportunities before they even graduate. Alumni feel pride in their alma mater, and students choose Trocaire for its four key values that set it apart.

Trocaire’s Four Key Values

Academics: Their programs are engaging and active yet grounded in practicality and flexibility. They emphasize experiential learning while providing a strong liberal arts education. The programs are career-oriented and market-driven, constantly evolving to provide the most cutting-edge information to support future job opportunities.
Careers: Graduates are well-prepared, skilled industry professionals who use their degrees to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. They become part of a successful alumni network of more than 10,000 Trocaire graduates.
Community: As a small, student-centered institution, Trocaire is a nurturing and encouraging community that educates effectively and persistently. The graduates will live and work in Buffalo, so they benefit from and contribute to our strong, community-based partnerships for clinicals, internships, and service opportunities.
Heritage: The traditions are rooted in the Sisters of Mercy and their goal to “meet the unmet” need in our community. The students are often the first in their families to pursue higher education and often have families of their own. Moreover, Trocaire students are often already working professionals or may already have some prior academic experience at other higher education institutions. At Trocaire, they find a community ready to nurture their ambition and talent while preparing them for careers of service.

Mercy Heritage

By cultivating a welcoming, inclusive and communal environment where human dignity, self-discovery and professional competence transform the lives of our students, Trocaire College seeks to honor and preserve the legacy of Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy who started the school more than 60 years ago. One of Trocaire’s foremost goals is to encourage its students to change not only their lives, but also the lives of others in the greater Western New York Community.

All Sisters of Mercy worldwide, and the institutions they established, trace their roots to their founder, Catherine McAuley, an Irish-Catholic laywoman. Catherine recognized the many needs of people who were economically poor in early nineteenth-century Ireland and concluded that she and women like her could make a difference in their lives. Spending a sizable inheritance, she opened the first House of Mercy on Lower Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland, on September 24, 1827, a place to shelter and educate women and girls.

Catherine’s original intention was to assemble a lay corps of Catholic social workers for the task. However, impressed by her good works and the importance of sustaining this vital work among the poor, the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin suggested that Catherine establish a religious order. Three years later, on December 12, 1831, Catherine and two companions became the first Sisters of Mercy.

In the 10 years between the founding of the order and her death in 1841, she established 14 independent convents in Ireland and England dedicated to serving the most vulnerable of society – largely women and children. In fact, all Sisters of Mercy take a vow to serve the poor as part of their commitment to religious life. Today, the Sisters of Mercy maintain a strong presence throughout the world and are deeply involved in education, health care, pastoral ministry and social services.

Location

Trocaire College has two locations, the Main Campus on Choate Avenue in Buffalo and the Extension Site on Transit Road in Williamsville. Trocaire is easy to find and accessible from all major transportation routes, including the New York State Thruway (I-90 and I-190), as well as public transportation via the NFTA Metro Bus service. Western New York and the Buffalo Niagara region are outstanding places to live, work, and play, offering a great lifestyle for those who call the region home. Surrounded by beautiful waterways, rolling hills and mountains, the region offers thousands of recreational spots, shopping, food and restaurants, craft breweries, amazing music venues, sporting events and so much more.

To learn more about Buffalo.

Compensation

Trocaire College offers a competitive compensation package, including relocation assistance, and a salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. The range identified for this role is $90,000 – $110,000. In this important leadership position, the successful candidate will have an active on-campus presence. Offers of employment will be conditional upon satisfactory results of a background check.

To Apply

NES, a national executive search firm specializing in higher education, is assisting Trocaire College with this search for a Director of Admissions. If you wish to have a confidential conversation about this opportunity or submit nominations, please contact: Drew Nichols or Laura Robinson. To apply, please email the following items: 1) a resume, 2) a detailed letter of interest, and 3) contact information for five professional references. For best consideration, all application materials should be submitted electronically by October 13, 2026. All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be handled with the utmost confidentiality, and candidates will be notified before references are contacted. The Director’s anticipated start date is Late Fall, 2026.

It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals. We are committed to a diverse workforce. We value all employees’ talents and support an environment that is inclusive and respectful. We are strongly committed to this policy and believe in the concept and spirit of the law. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting all employees on an equal basis. Employment decisions are based on the principles of equal opportunity. No employee shall be discriminated against based on any characteristic protected by law. All personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, training, and participation in other work-related programs are administered without regard to any characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. We believe in and practice equal opportunity. The Chief Human Resources Officer serves as our Equal Opportunity Coordinator and has overall responsibility for assuring compliance with this policy. All employees are responsible for supporting the concept of equal opportunity and diversity and assisting our College in meeting its objectives.

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Director of Admissions

Edtech.com's Summary

Director of Admissions Full Description

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