Director of the Center for Innovation in College Admission

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial leader to serve as the next Director of the Center for Innovation in College Admission. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape research, policy, and practice at a pivotal moment in higher education.

NACAC is the world's largest association supporting professionals who guide students through the transition to higher education, serving more than 28,000 members globally. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Director will oversee a high-impact national initiative focused on reimagining college admission and expanding equitable access to postsecondary education. Successfully launched in 2025, the Center is entering its next phase of growth and impact. Equipped with foundational work—including NACAC's joint report with NASFAA, Toward a More Equitable Future for College Access, and the Center's theory-of-change blueprint—the Director will lead efforts to redesign the college admission process for greater equity. The Director will also guide the Center's continued growth, expanding staffing, advancing programming, and executing an annual strategic plan while partnering closely with NACAC leadership to ensure organizational alignment.

Focused exclusively on innovation in college admission, the role requires a leader who can translate new ideas into practical, scalable solutions for the field. The Director will serve as a unifying presence, prioritizing listening, relationship-building, and engagement across NACAC's broad community to build momentum and ensure the Center's work reflects both strategic discipline and diverse perspectives. With national visibility, the Director will represent the Center publicly while overseeing core operations, including planning, budgeting, convenings, and member engagement, and managing current staff with the opportunity to grow the team. The Director will also play a key role in advancing philanthropic strategy, partnering closely with NACAC's CEO and Chief Advancement Officer to secure and align funding with program priorities and long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and influential executive with senior-level experience in higher education, college admission, philanthropy, research, or a related field. They will bring an entrepreneurial mindset, exceptional communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to build partnerships and lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. A deep commitment to equity and student access is essential. A bachelor's degree is required; a graduate degree is strongly preferred. All staff members at NACAC strive to uphold the organization's staff values, including collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, innovation, compassion, and respect. The position is based in Arlington, VA, with regular in-person engagement expected.

Applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. For fullest consideration, candidates should provide, as two separate documents, a résumé and a letter of interest that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the Leadership Profile submitted by August 12, 2026. Applications should be submitted via the WittKieffer Candidate Portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to WittKieffer consultants Christy Pratt, Robert Springall, and Roxana Woudstra at rwoudstra@wittkieffer.com.