Registrar

Merrimack College is a selective, private college in a beautiful, residential setting — just minutes from Boston, Massachusetts.Merrimack College invites applications and nominations for the position of Registrar. This is an opportunity for a highly strategic, results-driven leader to join a fast-moving, growing institution. The Registrar will be responsible for accurately maintaining student records, promoting an environment of continuous improvement, and providing a high-level of service to Merrimack’s students.

THE COLLEGE

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students, and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard School of Business, and the Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work. The College’s suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, placing 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is an NCAA Division I athletic institution.

THE POSITION

The Registrar provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and continuous process improvement for the Office of the Registrar at Merrimack College. The Registrar is responsible for the integrity, accuracy, security, compliance, and service effectiveness of academic records, registration, degree progress and conferral processes, and related student-facing academic administrative services.

This role partners closely with Academic Affairs, Admissions, Finance, Student Affairs, Information Technology, Institutional Research, and other campus stakeholders to ensure a high-quality, student-centered experience from matriculation through graduation. The Registrar also serves as a key steward of academic policy implementation, data governance, and the effective use of student information systems, including Jenzabar J1.

Position Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Office of the Registrar, ensuring accurate, efficient, and student-centered delivery of core academic administrative services.
• Oversee all Registrar functions, including course registration, academic scheduling, grading, transcript processing, enrollment verification, transfer articulation, degree audit, graduation clearance, degree conferral, and academic records management.
• Develop, document, and maintain policies, procedures, and service standards related to registration, grading, withdrawals, academic standing, records retention, and academic records administration.
• Ensure compliance with FERPA and all applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations and reporting requirements related to academic records, privacy, and audit readiness.
• Serve as the institutional authority on academic records compliance, data governance, records security, and appropriate access to student information.
• Serve as the functional lead for Jenzabar J1 across academic records, registration, workflow, reporting, and data integrity functions within the Registrar’s Office.
• Partner with Information Technology to optimize system configuration, streamline workflows, implement enhancements, maintain data integrity, and resolve system-related issues affecting Registrar operations.
• Lead the design and continuous improvement of efficient workflows, automated processes, and service delivery models to reduce manual effort, improve turnaround times, strengthen accuracy, and enhance the student experience.
• Promote appropriate adoption of emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to support records processing, communications, and operational decision-making while maintaining compliance, privacy, and sound institutional controls.
• Partner with the Provost’s Office and academic departments to maintain the academic calendar, schedule of classes, curriculum updates, classroom assignments, and related academic operations.
• Monitor service performance, processing timelines, and key metrics for Registrar operations and use data to improve efficiency, compliance, and student satisfaction.
• Support institutional planning by providing accurate and actionable reporting on enrollment, registration activity, academic progress, graduation, and related student lifecycle metrics.
• Maintain strong internal controls and prepare for internal and external audits related to academic records, registration, compliance, and reporting processes.
• Lead, coach, and develop professional staff within the Registrar’s Office, fostering accountability, collaboration, strong customer service, and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with campus partners to resolve escalated student matters involving registration, academic standing, degree progress, records, and continuation at the College.
• Participate in institutional committees and planning efforts related to enrollment strategy, retention, compliance, academic operations, and student success.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3 to 5 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education registrar operations, academic records administration, or a closely related area.
• Demonstrated success supervising and developing professional staff and leading cross-functional administrative operations.
• Strong knowledge of Registrar operations, academic records administration, FERPA, and higher education compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience with student information systems; significant experience with Jenzabar J1 strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience creating efficient workflows, redesigning business processes, and implementing automation to improve service quality, compliance, and operational performance.
• Some experience evaluating or leveraging AI and other technology-enabled solutions in student services, operations, or administrative processing, with sound judgment regarding privacy, ethics, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, improve processes, and manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and change-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, families, faculty, academic leaders, and administrative partners.
• High degree of judgment, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential student and academic information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred
• 7 to 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education registrar operations, academic records administration, or a closely related area.
• Experience in a private higher education environment.
• Experience leading technology-enabled transformation, including workflow optimization, process automation, or AI-supported service delivery in higher education administration.
• Familiarity with accreditation reporting, National Student Clearinghouse reporting, veteran certification, and collaboration with institutional research and finance offices.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

For best consideration, please submit materials as soon as possible. The requested application materials listed below should be submitted via DSG’s candidate portal.

Application materials shall include a resume and a cover letter outlining interest, administrative experience, and appreciation for Merrimack College’s mission. All applications and nominations will be treated confidentially.

The compensation range for this position is $100,000 – $125,000 with a generous benefits package.

Steve Leo, Managing Director
Brian Bustin, Senior Associate
Storbeck Search
MerrimackDirectorStudentAccts@dsgco.com

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Salary Range: $100,000.00 - $125,000.00