Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, is committed to the discovery of Wisdom and the transmission of Learning, through research and through undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality. Guided by its Catholic and Jesuit traditions, Fordham fosters the intellectual, moral and religious development of its students and prepares them for leadership in a global society.
~The Mission of the University
Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, seeks a Vice President for Enrollment Strategy to build upon its long history of academic excellence and forward its commitment to impacting the world through meaningful opportunity, transformative learning, and research that matters. Firmly rooted in the life of New York City, Fordham is a private university for the public good. Approximately 17,000 students are taught by nearly 750 full-time instructors on residential campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx; the Westchester campus in West Harrison, New York; and the Fordham London campus in the U.K. This vibrant and diverse learning community also has program offerings throughout the world, more than 1,000 administrators, a fiscal year operating budget of $800 million (net of $400 million in financial aid allocation), and an endowment of approximately $1 billion. The University is steeped in the Jesuit tenet of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, and is committed to scholarly research and teaching excellence. Additionally, Fordham strives to contribute to the well-being of New York City, the nation, and the planet through education and research for the common good. The University seeks to engage deeply and authentically with its local communities to promote mutual learning and solidarity. Fordham commits to making the pursuit of racial, economic, environmental, and social justice an inextricable and interdependent part of its academic excellence.
Position Summary
The Vice President for Enrollment Strategy (VPES) serves as the chief enrollment officer of the University, providing strategic leadership, vision, and innovation in student recruitment, enrollment management, and retention. Reporting directly to the president and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the incumbent will drive the development and execution of the University’s enrollment management strategy. A proactive leader with substantive experience in higher education and strategic enrollment planning, the VPES is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive, data-driven enrollment strategy aligned with the University’s mission, values, and long-term goals. The VPES will guide enrollment forecasting, scholarships, and tuition discounting in creating a sustainable fiscal model in a challenging economic environment. The successful candidate will be a transformational leader who embraces new technologies, leverages predictive analytics, and champions contemporary marketing strategies to optimize recruitment, retention, and student success.
The VPES will oversee the division of enrollment management encompassing international enrollment initiatives, student financial services, enrollment support, enrollment systems, admission, and enrollment data and analytics. Providing motivational leadership to an enrollment leadership team of seven seasoned professionals and an overall team of more than 100 dedicated staff, the VPES will ensure the division meets revenue, headcount, and profile goals among undergraduate, international, and transfer populations.
The VPES will join a sophisticated, collaborative senior leadership team guiding intentional efforts to establish and meet institutional goals. In partnership with the provost, the VPES will provide leadership in the retention of students as well as the market-informed development and launch of academic programs. Working closely with the chief financial officer, the VPES will develop, execute, and assess the allocation of financial resources in the enrollment and retention of students. In addition to being a highly visible partner for academic and administrative colleagues, the VPES will be a compelling advocate for the Fordham community nationally and internationally.
Essential Functions
As a position of significant impact on the University, the Vice President for Enrollment Strategy will perform the following essential functions:
University Leadership
- Advise the president and the Board of Trustees in all matters related to recruitment, enrollment, financial aid, and strategic positioning of the University amid the rapidly evolving landscape for comprehensive universities.
- Guide, support, and implement institutional strategic initiatives, and lead the development of strategic enrollment plans to support institutional goals.
- Educate and prepare the Fordham community for changes in financial aid regulations, legal and normative changes in admission practice and policy, demographic changes and market trends, and the evolving needs and expectations of student populations.
- Lead efforts to expand Fordham’s national and international reach, ensuring a strong pipeline of prospective students from diverse backgrounds while enhancing the University’s reputation and recognition.
- Represent Fordham with wisdom and insight through presentations and conversations, attending conferences, engaging with partner schools, programs, and organizations, and responding to media requests.
- Monitor and respond to changing demographics, market trends, and national policy shifts impacting enrollment strategies.
- Regularly assess the University’s market position, explore ways to enhance the University's reputation, and ensure vendor partnerships and resources are strategic, appropriate, and productive.
Technology Systems and Data Analytics
- Collaborate with Information Technology (IT) to ensure the effective implementation, integration, and optimization of enrollment technologies (e.g., CRM, SIS, generative AI), enhance data reporting capabilities, and support innovation through emerging digital tools and platforms.
- Utilize advanced data analytics to measure, analyze, and assess divisional efforts to enhance student recruitment, optimize financial aid strategies, and improve yield.
- In collaboration with key campus partners, assess student success metrics, utilizing retention and graduation data to inform admission selection objectives, and intentionally plan for and facilitate preparation for shifting student demographics.
Collaboration
- Cultivate relationships with external partners, including high schools, community colleges, corporate entities, and alumni networks, to expand recruitment channels.
- Collaborate with University Marketing and Communications to develop and implement innovative digital marketing, social media, and communication strategies to elevate the University’s brand awareness among targeted audiences to meet recruitment goals.
- Collaborate with the athletics division to identify potential student populations and strategies to increase recruitment efforts and ensure a strong partnership between the departments.
- Provide counsel and advice to deans on matters related to graduate and professional student enrollment and collaborate with academic and student affairs leadership to enhance recruitment efforts and support student engagement.
- Provide regular reports to trustees, faculty, staff, new employees, and divisional partners, encouraging understanding and engagement in enrollment management functions and the appropriate and transparent dissemination of data and information.
- Collaborate with any and all areas of the University that support the enrollment process.
Strategic Enrollment
- Develop and execute a strategic enrollment management plan that ensures a sustainable, talented, and diverse student body across all academic programs, authentically engages the campus community, and inspires interest in a Fordham education.
- Implement changes to admission and financial aid policies and practices to meet state and federal compliance regulations, in a manner that is consistent with Fordham’s values and mission.
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Enrollment Management division, overseeing its key functional areas to support enrollment goals and student success. Areas of oversight include:
- Undergraduate Admissions: Lead recruitment and selection strategies to attract and enroll a diverse and qualified student body.
- Student Financial Services: Oversee financial aid policies to expand access to assistance, student accounts (bursar) operations for tuition billing and payment processing, and student employment programs that provide work opportunities to students through work-study programs.
- Enrollment Systems and Operations: Maintain data integrity and optimize enrollment systems and processes for efficiency and effectiveness.
- Enrollment Research: Leverage data and analytics to drive strategic enrollment planning, admissions, and financial aid decisions.
- Identify, explore, and cultivate new student application sources aligned with Fordham’s values and strategic goals.
Financial Acumen
- Partner with the Office of Finance to align enrollment strategies with revenue goals, optimize financial aid modeling, and support long-term financial planning through accurate enrollment forecasting and tuition revenue projections.
- Identify and track key performance indicators ensuring effective use of resources, including the division’s budget and personnel.
- Oversee financial aid and scholarship allocation to maximize accessibility while meeting institutional revenue and net tuition revenue goals.
- Assist with financial aid fundraising and stewardship, and make clear the case to sustain and increase Fordham’s generous financial aid promise.
Supervision and Mentorship
- Oversee a team of more than 100 people across facets of admission and student financial services with a focus on employee development and retention.
- Foster a collaborative environment and empower direct reports to lead within and across their teams in a manner that supports division-wide goals and institutional objectives.
- Enhance professional development through formal and informal opportunities to support employee growth and foster best-in-class admission, recruitment, and financial aid programs.
- Lead and mentor a high-performing enrollment management team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
Skills, Qualifications, and Abilities
It is expected that the Vice President for Enrollment Strategy will hold a master’s degree in higher education administration, business, marketing, or a related field. A doctorate in higher education, business or a related field is preferred. The VPES will possess at least 10 years of demonstrated leadership success as an innovator in enrollment management. In addition, the successful candidate will also possess many of the following abilities and characteristics:
Vision and Leadership
- Demonstrated success in developing and executing comprehensive strategic enrollment plans aligned with institutional goals, producing measurable results. Results driven with expertise in national and international recruitment, with a focus on diverse student populations including first-generation, international, transfer, and adult learners.
- Proficiency in financial aid strategy, including optimization, forecasting, scholarship allocation, and leveraging aid to support enrollment and access.
- Extensive knowledge of the higher education ecosystem and demonstrated ability to analyze, articulate, and address market trends, demographic shifts, regulatory changes, and evolving student expectations.
- Exceptional leadership and team development skills, with a commitment to staff mentorship and professional growth.
- Demonstrated ability to quickly identify key issues and develop and communicate strategic imperatives grounded in data-driven research to a diverse group of cross-functional leaders of all levels.
- Ability to develop and communicate a positive, compelling, distinctive vision and related goals to motivate a team to execute actionable, cutting-edge, and creative actions toward that vision and related goals.
Collaboration, Communication, and Analytical Skills
- A track record of success in building and growing strong relationships across pipelines and populations, in conducting national and international recruitment and marketing campaigns, and in raising the visibility and reputation of an organization.
- Ability to be bold, creative, and visionary while also being collegial, collaborative, and inclusive; a strong desire to contribute to a successful leadership team.
- Proven ability to work with diverse constituencies, both on and off campus; propensity to serve as an ambassador for the University and to engage effectively with prospective students and families, current students and families, high school counselors, faculty, staff, alumni, community-based organizations, national admission and financial organizations, and other external audiences on behalf of the institution.
- An understanding of NCAA regulations for Division I athletics and demonstrated experience building partnerships and processes with coaches and athletic administrators to actively and competitively facilitate the strategic recruitment of student athletes.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence across complex organizational structures.
- Advanced knowledge of digital and data-driven enrollment and enrollment marketing practices, including effective use of CRM, SIS, social media and digital marketing tools, and emerging technologies such as generative AI.
Personal Qualities
- Progressive change agent who cares about making pivotal and conscious change, is willing to take calculated risks, and leads with sensitivity and integrity.
- Even-keeled, thoughtful temperament, with impeccable integrity, appropriate transparency, and excellent judgment.
- Exceptional work ethic and excellent organizational and delegation skills to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and handle highly confidential information.
- Self-motivated, critical thinker with advanced problem-solving abilities and creativity.
- Commitment to and respect for the University’s Jesuit and Catholic mission, with the ability to reflect institutional values in enrollment strategies.
Fordham University
Much of Fordham’s spirit comes from the nearly 500-year history of the Jesuits as pioneers in education. It is the spirit of full-hearted engagement—with profound ideas, with communities around the world, with justice, with beauty, and with the entirety of the human experience. Much of the University’s Jesuit history and mission comes down to three ideas, which, translated from the Latin, mean roughly this:
▪ Strive for excellence (magis) in everything you do.
▪ Care for the whole person (cura personalis).
▪ Be people in the service of others (homines pro aliis).
The University serves more than 17,000 students (nearly 9,400 undergraduates and approximately 7,000 graduate and professional students) across nine schools:
▪ Fordham College at Lincoln Center
▪ Fordham College at Rose Hill
▪ Gabelli School of Business
▪ Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
▪ Graduate School of Education
▪ Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education
▪ Graduate School of Social Service
▪ School of Law
▪ School of Professional and Continuing Studies
Fordham has approximately 750 full-time instructors, over two-thirds of whom are tenured or tenure-track faculty. University points of pride include the following:
▪ 231 Fulbright Scholars
▪ 94% of the undergraduate Class of 2024 was employed, continuing their education, engaged in public service or pursuing other meaningful endeavors within six months of graduation
▪ 3,000+ students take Community Engaged Learning courses each year, connecting with local organizations working to solve societal problems and promote the common good
▪ 3,500 partner organizations in Fordham’s internship program
Campuses
Lincoln Center
The eight-acre Manhattan campus spans two city blocks, with a landscaped plaza, adjacent to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. It is home to approximately 9,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students attending Fordham College at Lincoln Center, the Gabelli School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Social Service, the School of Law, and the School of Professional and Continuing Studies.
Rose Hill
Fordham’s 85-acre Bronx campus features Gothic architecture and tree-lined walkways. It is home to more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students attending Fordham College at Rose Hill, the Gabelli School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, and the School of Professional and Continuing Studies.
Westchester
The Westchester campus, located in West Harrison, New York, is home to branches of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, the Gabelli School of Business, the Graduate School of Education, and the Graduate School of Social Service. Fordham also has the Louis Calder Center, a 113-acre biological field station in Armonk, New York.
London
Several hundred students from Fordham and other colleges and universities study at Fordham’s London campus each year. Fordham London hosts study abroad programs in business and the liberal arts and provides students with internship opportunities in various fields. Fordham moved its London operations to the city’s historic and vibrant Clerkenwell district in 2018; the new campus is a manifestation of the University’s commitment to bolstering its international programs and educating students to become global citizens.
Strategic Plan
As part of its commitment to continuous and collaborative planning, Fordham recently finalized its next strategic plan, Delivering on the Promise of Fordham, which charts the University’s course through 2030. President Tania Tetlow has shared an exciting vision for how Fordham University could impact the world through meaningful opportunity, transformative learning, and research that matters. Fordham’s strategic planning process has been broadly inclusive and informed by the Jesuit process of discernment. It was designed to identify Fordham’s strengths and opportunities, clarify its strategic priorities and objectives, assign responsibility for achieving them, and implement metrics for measuring success. Planning commenced with President Tania Tetlow’s September 2023 State of the University address. Since then, hundreds of community members—faculty, staff, students, administrators, and alumni—engaged in several dozen listening sessions and completed written surveys to help shape the plan.
In drafting the plan, Fordham relied on the voices of all who shared feedback and ideas. They also sought data to test their collective instincts, including Fordham’s first comprehensive audience research study. They made choices, informed by data analysis and learned, that to invest in a few key areas to create a rising tide that will lift all. This vision for Fordham’s future aligns perfectly with the demands of today’s students and is rooted in three foundational pillars: Fordham’s Jesuit mission, status as a world-class university, and unparalleled location in New York City.
By 2030, Fordham aims to achieve measurable improvements in undergraduate yield, retention rates, graduate program enrollment, net tuition revenue, grant funding, and the alignment between tuition costs and student financial needs. Integrated assessment tools will ensure that student learning outcomes and other key metrics continuously inform and refine its strategic work.
Enrollment
Fordham seeks students who are academically prepared and intellectually curious. In assessing applications, the Office of Undergraduate Admission conducts a holistic review of the items required to apply. Beginning with the fall 2021 entering class, Fordham University has extended its test-optional policy to include applicants through fall 2025; among the 2,468 enrolling first-year students in fall 2024, 76% chose not to submit standardized test scores.
Fordham’s admissions policies ensure a diverse class that will bring a wide variety of perspectives and experiences.
Statistics for the class entering in 2024 include:
Completed Applications: 43,325
Offers of Admission: 25,687
Enrolled Students: 2,468
Acceptance Rate: 59%
Fall 2024 Enrolled Student Profile:
High School GPA: 3.64
SAT Middle 50%: 1340–1473**
ACT Composite Middle 50%: 30–33**
Top 10% of Class: 31.4%
Top 25% of Class: 68.0%
Overall, students enrolled at the start of the 2024 academic year:
17,000 students in nine schools
11,000 undergraduates
2,500 first-year students
5,600 graduate and professional students
Female: 61.7%
Male: 38.2%
Domestic Students of Color: 50.1%
- American Indian: <1%
- Asian: 12.4%
- Black: 6.6%
- Hispanic/Latinx: 25.8%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: <1%
- International: 8.3%
- Race or Ethnicity Unknown: 2.4%
- Two or More Races: 5.1%
- White: 39.2%
Religious Affiliation:
- Buddhist: 1.0%
- Catholic: 32.3%
- Greek Orthodox: 2.8%
- Hindu: 2.4%
- Jewish: 2.1%
- Muslim: 5.6%
- Protestant: 10.5%
- No Preference: 14.5%
- Not Specified/Unknown: 24.3%
- Other: 4.4
Financial Aid
Fordham recognizes that for many families, cost is a key factor when evaluating colleges. Fordham is able to address these concerns from a position of fiscal strength; it has a healthy endowment and a strong network of alumni and friends who believe in the value of a Fordham education.
The Financial Aid Office is responsible for the distribution of $650 million in federal, state, and institutional aid. 27.6% of Fordham students are federal Pell Grant recipients, and 21.4% are first-generation college students.
Leadership
Tania Tetlow, President
Tania Tetlow has served as the 33rd president of Fordham University since July 2022, becoming the first layperson and first woman to hold the office. A legal scholar and former assistant U.S. attorney, she is dedicated to the transformative power of Jesuit education. Under her leadership, Fordham has deepened its investment in STEM while strengthening its foundation in the humanities and professions. She oversaw the successful completion of the $350 million Cura Personalis Campaign and secured a record-breaking $100 million gift to support science education and facilities.
Previously, Tetlow was president of Loyola University New Orleans, where she led a financial turnaround, improving the University’s bond rating and expanding programs. She also served as senior vice president and chief of staff at Tulane University and spent a decade as a Tulane law professor, specializing in constitutional law, criminal procedure, and domestic violence policy.
Before her academic career, Tetlow served as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting violent crime and fraud cases. She clerked for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and worked in complex litigation. She holds a B.A. from Tulane University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was a Harry S. Truman Fellow.
A Catholic and native of New Orleans, Tetlow comes from a family of Fordham alumni. Her late father, a former Jesuit priest and psychologist, earned his Ph.D. at Fordham, while her mother, a biblical scholar and attorney, earned multiple degrees from the University.
University Governance
The Fordham University Board of Trustees, led by Chair Armando Nuñez Jr., is currently composed of 37 members, primarily graduates of the University’s various schools or members of their family, and members of the Jesuit community. The president of the University is an ex officio voting member of the board. The board, operating under the laws of New York state and by University Statute, is responsible for directing and managing all business and affairs of the University, and is the final authority over all other matters involving the University, including the budget and all changes in tuition and fees and salaries, and benefits.
In recent years, current and past members of the board have made significant contributions to Fordham, which have established more than a dozen endowed chairs and several dozen endowed and current-use scholarship funds, as well as helped fund the construction of new residence halls at Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, the new Law School at Lincoln Center, and the renovation of Hughes Hall.
The faculty’s role in University governance is carried on through participation at the University, school, and department levels through representative bodies, committees, and meetings of the faculty at large. Fordham’s Faculty Senate is the representative body of the university’s faculty and is made up of 25 members elected proportionately from the faculties of Fordham’s colleges and graduate and professional schools. The Senate exercises faculty responsibilities for university governance through its committee structure and advises the president of the university. The University Statutes are posted here.
Unions at Fordham
Certain non-tenure-track faculty are represented by SEIU (Service Employees International Union), Local 200 United. Local 810, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, represents Fordham’s facilities workers, while clerical employees are represented by Local 153, Office and Professional Employees International Union. Copies of the collective bargaining agreements are available here. Graduate student workers in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences operate under a CBA with the Communication Workers of America (CWA). Student Resident Assistants on the Rose Hill campus are represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU).
Compensation and the Fordham Work Environment
Fordham offers a competitive compensation package, including relocation assistance, and a salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. The range identified for this role is $400,000 to $450,000. In this important leadership position, the successful candidate will have an active on-campus presence.
To Apply
NES, a higher education search firm specializing in enrollment management searches, is assisting Fordham University in seeking the Vice President for Enrollment Strategy. For more information, or to nominate someone for this position, contact Laura Robinson (laura.robinson@nessearches.com) or Catherine Capolupo (catherine.capolupo@nessearches.com). All conversations will remain confidential unless otherwise stated and agreed. Interested candidates should submit a resume and a letter of interest describing their unique qualifications for this role. Candidates should also provide the names and contact information of at least five professional references. For confidentiality, references will not be contacted without permission. For best consideration, all application materials should be submitted electronically to fordham@nessearches.com by June 6, 2025. The preferred start date for the new Vice President for Enrollment Strategy will be in the summer of 2025.
Fordham University admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Violence Against Women Act, and other federal, state, and local laws.