Admissions Counselor

Are you passionate about helping students access higher education? The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) is seeking an enthusiastic and student-centered Admissions Counselor to join our team.

In this role, you'll serve as a key ambassador for UAS, guiding prospective students through every step of the admissions process. Our Admissions Counselors build relationships with schools and communities across Alaska and beyond, representing the university at events both on and off campus.

Whether you're hosting a campus tour, traveling to rural schools, or creating engaging communications, you'll play a vital role in shaping the next generation of UAS students.

The Admissions Counselor plays a vital role at UAS by guiding prospective students through the admissions process with professionalism, empathy, and strategic insight. As part of a dynamic and student-centered team, this position supports institutional enrollment goals by building relationships, evaluating applications, and promoting the university's mission and programs to diverse audiences.

To thrive in this role, you'll need a blend of interpersonal finesse, strategic thinking, and deep empathy. Here's a breakdown of what sets successful counselors apart:

Strong Communication: You’ll be the face of the institution for prospective students. Clear, persuasive, and empathetic communication, both written and verbal, is key. Strong public speaking skills are essential for engaging with both large and small groups.

Relationship Building: Cultivating trust with students, families, community organizations, and school counselors helps build lasting connections and supports enrollment growth.

Organizational Savvy: Managing application pipelines, deadlines, travel schedules, and data requires excellent time management, organization, and attention to detail.

Data-Informed Decision Making: Understanding enrollment trends, demographics, and yield rates helps tailor outreach strategies and improve recruitment outcomes.

Cultural Competence: Being sensitive to diverse backgrounds and experiences ensures inclusive, respectful, and effective engagement with all prospective students and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Student Recruitment and Outreach

• Serve as a primary point of contact for prospective UAS students and their families throughout the enrollment funnel (prospective student through enrollment).
• Guide prospective students through the application process and ensure timely follow-up at each stage of the admissions process.
• Provide clear and accurate information about UAS programs, admissions process, financial aid, scholarships, and enrollment steps (including placement testing, housing, course registration, and orientation).
• Using recruitment software, initiate and maintain proactive and consistent communication via text, phone, email, and in-person interactions.
• Conduct individual and group presentations and campus tours for students and families, both virtually and in person.
• Attend, coordinate, and host extensive recruitment events (on-campus, virtual, and off-site), including high school visits, community events, and college and career fairs.
• Participate in large and small-scale events, including, but not limited to new student orientation, enrollment days, open houses, and other student-facing events.
• Maintain quality service standards in all interactions with individuals and groups in and outside of UAS.

Recruitment Territory Management

• Develops and implements strategic recruitment plans for assigned territories; analyzes enrollment and recruitment data to identify opportunities and modify outreach strategies; exercises independent judgment in prioritizing recruitment activities, travel schedules, stakeholder engagement, and resource allocation; provides recommendations to the Director of Admissions regarding recruitment initiatives and enrollment strategies.
• Plan and execute targeted recruitment efforts for assigned geographic territories or populations.
• Travel extensively to communities across Alaska (rural and urban) and out of state to represent UAS.
• Develop and maintain relationships with high school counselors, educators, community-based organizing, and other stakeholders.
• Identify and engage new schools, organizations, or populations to increase student recruitment and enrollment.
• Creatively plan and attend events that engage specific students in assigned territory. Using recruitment software, manage student communication and track engagement and enrollment data.
• Ensure students in assigned territory are carefully referred to academic advisors and student support staff to ensure a smooth transition to enrollment.

Lead Student Ambassadors 

• Lead the work of the Student Ambassadors, including, but not limited to, developing weekly projects and work plans, monitoring their execution of campus tours, guiding their prospective student outreach, and conducting quality assurance checks of their activities.
• In coordination with the Director of Admissions and recruitment team, conduct training for and provide feedback to the student ambassadors.
• Ensure the smooth operation of in-office and on-campus recruitment efforts by managing recruitment supply inventory, coordinating the availability of event and in-house marketing materials, and supporting the timely completion of student-led inventory and outreach tasks

Special Admissions Projects

• Under the direction of the Director of Admissions, engage in special projects related to recruitment.
• Projects may include, but are not limited to, targeted communications projects involving email, text, and phone outreach, creation of print publications, and social media.
• Represent the Office of Admissions at division meetings and on university-wide committees relevant to recruiting and student transition.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in related field and two years relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

A valid Alaska Driver's License and clean driving record in compliance with UA Safe Driving Criteria.

Position Details:

This position is located on the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau. This is a full-time, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 78, based on education and experience.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Because we may close the posting once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is established, we encourage early submission. Please note that once a viable pool is identified, further applications may not be reviewed. 

📃To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.

☎️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Mae Delcastillo, Director of Operations/HR Coordinator for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, at uas.emsa@alaska.edu or 907-796-6335.

Located in the ancestral homeland of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples, the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) is fully committed to advancing the education and research aspirations of Indigenous peoples and is committed to ongoing work toward decolonization. These efforts are reflected in our UAS programs and formal community partnerships across our three campuses and throughout all of Southeast Alaska.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the ADA team at ua-ada@alaska.edu.

The University of Alaska (www.alaska.edu) is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and Educational Institution.  The University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination (www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination) against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online:  https://uas.alaska.edu/compliance/clery-act/annual-security-reports.html. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing  uas.orca@alaska.edu.