Vice President for Enrollment Management

SAIC

Chicago, Illinois

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (“SAIC” or “the School”), one of the world's premier institutions for art and design education, seeks a visionary and strategic leader to serve as its next vice president for enrollment management (VPEM). Reporting directly to the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, and working closely with the President and serving on her cabinet, the VPEM will lead SAIC’s enrollment division, encompassing student recruitment, admissions, and financial aid. The new VPEM will be tasked with shaping a comprehensive institutional strategy while forging a forward-looking, analytical, student-centric, collaborative, ethical, and access-oriented approach to enrollment management.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is widely recognized as a global leader in art and design education, celebrated for its bold innovation and creative excellence. With a legacy of advancing both the teaching and practice of contemporary art, SAIC’s impact resonates across disciplines and around the world. Ranked second among fine arts graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report, the School is defined by its groundbreaking educational model, one that eliminates traditional majors and empowers students to forge their own interdisciplinary paths.

SAIC’s diverse community of 3,395 degree-seeking students includes artists, designers, scholars, and visionaries who challenge norms and redefine the boundaries of creative expression. The School’s unique affiliation with the Art Institute of Chicago, the nation’s second-largest fine arts museum, offers students unparalleled access to world-class collections and cultural programming. Complemented by cutting-edge facilities and deep-rooted partnerships with Chicago’s educational, civic, and cultural institutions, SAIC provides a dynamic and richly resourced environment for artistic exploration and growth.

The VPEM will lead strategic initiatives to cultivate a creative student body across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. This role requires close collaboration with the Division of Marketing and Communications to lead outreach initiatives targeting prospective students; partnership with the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Advancement to enhance scholarship programs and improve retention; and oversight of Admissions and Student Financial Services to ensure enrollment strategies and financial aid policies align with the institution’s net tuition revenue goals.

Ideal candidates for the Vice President for Enrollment Management will bring a proven track record of success in enrollment strategy and leadership as well as experience cultivating a culture of data-informed decision-making and leveraging analytics and predictive modeling to guide strategic planning and operational effectiveness. This individual will also have experience developing strategies to better leverage and expand access to financial aid, collaborating with senior campus leaders and faculty to promote student success, and communicating effectively with a range of audiences. Candidates should also be adept at building sustainable systems and processes using technology and be deeply committed to cultivating a student body aligned with SAIC’s distinction as a leader in artistic excellence.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/school-art-institute-chicago/vice-president-enrollment-management.

Jeff Kessner, Partner

Alycia Johnson, Managing Associate

Jenny Rubin, Senior Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.