Phillips Exeter Academy

Director of Student Information & Registrar

Phillips Exeter Academy, a co-educational residential school serving students in grades 9 through 12, and post-graduate level, was founded in 1781 by John Phillips.  Exeter has a tradition of academic excellence, a distinguished faculty, and a long history of educating young people to find their place in the world.  The 671-acre campus with academic and residential buildings, a 309,432 volume library, playing fields and green lawns is located in Exeter, a southern New Hampshire town which retains its 18th-century New England charm.  The Academy enrolls more than 1000 students from around the world.  Exeter offers a rich curriculum with over 400 courses taught by 210 faculty in eighteen academic departments.  The Academy employs approximately 425 staff who support the living, learning and teaching environment of a diverse student body.  The Academy's longstanding commitment to excellence has made the school one of the finest in the country.  To learn more about Phillips Exeter Academy, visit http://www.exeter.edu/.

The Position

Reporting to the assistant principal, the director of student information & registrar (“Registrar”) is responsible for the maintenance of student records at the institution level, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of all registration and transcript records of incoming, current, and former students. The Registrar facilitates effective student registration and enrollment; builds and maintains course sections, student and teacher schedules; organizes and maintains up-to-date course catalogue and sections changes, student waitlists, delinks, course audit request, and classroom set up. The Registrar advises students, faculty and staff on registration matters; and interprets and enforces policies and regulations of the Academy.

The Registrar, in collaboration with key campus stakeholders, will develop a vision and plan to establish the Student Information and Registrar Office that will support the functional areas of scheduling and information management, calendar management, standardized testing, and any other areas deemed appropriate for a registrar’s office. The Registrar and key stakeholders will determine the expectations for the office’s services, including transcript requests and fulfillment process for current students and alumni, overseeing all aspects of standardized testing, and generating, posting, and maintaining the official annual Academic Calendar, print online daily schedules/planners, including format calendars and test week schedules. During this development, the Registrar and key stakeholders will determine the staffing needs for the Student Information and Registrar Office and develop job descriptions and organizational charts for this office and the departments impacted by the formation of this new department. The Registrar and key stakeholders will present the reorganization proposal for approval and work with Human Resources on preparing a timeline and implementation plan for these organizational changes.

The following responsibilities are a representative sample of the expectations the Registrar will perform and/or will oversee within the department.

Schedule and Information Management

• Leads in the refinement and development of the position to align with best practices in the registrar field; and builds a student information system that enables student information to be managed by key departments from application to enrollment to alumni status.
• Builds course sections, student and teacher schedules, maintains course section, student registration, instructor assignment and course catalogue changes in the Colleague system, and resolves scheduling conflicts.
• Collects and organizes data required for the schedule build including student registration requests, rosters, department and sport staffing, sport and faculty format requests, committees and room allocation.
• Oversees the processes for the production of official transcripts and performs degree verification to maintain students’ eligibility for graduation through Degree Audit.
• Oversees the collection and distribution of grades and teacher/advisor comments at the six marking periods (October, December, February, March, April, May).
• Works with Academic Deans to identify and develop policies and strategies for the provision of registration and academic record services. Provides advice, data and expertise as needed for review of policy impacts and curricular revisions.
• Facilitates effective student registration and enrollment by ensuring proper prerequisites and rules are in place in the Colleague system, and in general, maintains and disseminates curriculum requirements for the different academic disciplines.
• Advises students, faculty, and staff on registration matters, and maintains student waitlists, delinks, and course audit requests.
• Coordinates with Exeter Summer School to automatically produce and maintain their daily schedules and grades and comments reports.
• Provides research, analysis and resolution of student issues as they relate to records and registration.
• Works with administrators, deans, faculty, ITS and counselors to facilitate and improve services to students, including catalog and registration/records questions.
• Produces timely and accurate statistics including class rosters, enrollment dashboards, and other reports to inform campus decision-making and planning.
• Coordinates with representatives on all systems related to courses, student and faculty assignments, and schedules, including Canvas, the Academy’s Learning Management System (LMS) and the Online Schedule (OLS) tool.
• Manages and monitors all aspects of the student database (Colleague) that have an impact on records and registration, including training new staff, and helping existing staff increase skills levels.
• Researches industry best practices and technologies to maintain awareness and apply to work environment.
• Manages, executes and provides direction on the technology required for the Registrar functions and maintains data integrity and quality in the Colleague system.
• Provides leadership and develops appropriate recommendations for the implementation of related technology application in support of enhanced services for new and current student registration, scheduling, student course planning, transcripts, grading and course/advisor comments.
• Collaborates with the Director of Studies and the Office of Communications to improve the processes for generating the Courses of instruction, including further automation and searchable online version.

Calendar Management

• Generates and maintains the official annual Academic Calendar, print online daily schedules/planners including format calendars and test week schedules. Proposes the Academic Calendar to the Principal.
• Posts the Academic Calendar, daily schedules (including format calendars), and test week schedules.

Standardized Testing

• Supervises and coordinates processes related to all standardized exams set up and NCAA certification.

Other

• Communicates with students on course changes in collaboration with student advisor, department chair, Dean of Academic Affairs, and college counseling.
• Answers parents’ questions concerning academic schedules.
• Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending trainings, courses or conferences as needed or required.
• Communicates with the Dean of Faculty about any potential impacts on staffing and workload related to scheduling.
• Attends department head meetings to stay abreast about topics and decisions discussed in these meetings.
• Assumes other projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must have a bachelor’s degree.  Master’s degree preferred.

The ideal candidate will have:

• 5+ years of progressively responsible relevant experience in secondary or higher education administration and records management.
• 5+ years of experience with FERPA regulations as related to student records.
• 5+ years of experience with degree audit, classroom scheduling and student information (SIS) systems.
• 5+ years of experience with NCAA athletic eligibility certification.
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience assessing business processes and integrating new technology into office procedures and processes.
• 5+ years of supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop and maintain collegial relationships with Academy administrators, students, and faculty with diplomacy.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills.
• Proven strong presentation skills and presence.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills as well as a strong customer (student-centered) focus.
• Ability to maintain neutrality and work under stress.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity to privacy.
• Proficiency in basic data management systems and basic computer applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Facility with technology and the ability to analyze data that support a data driven enrollment environment.
• Willingness and ability to learn additional applications as needed.
• Ability and willingness to travel (by car, air, train, or bus) domestically and internationally as needed.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusivity and to serving the needs of a diverse and inclusive community with diplomacy and tact.

Application

Submit a cover letter and a current resume, as one document (pdf or MS Word format), to recruitment@exeter.edu.  Please indicate in the subject line:  Registrar.  The deadline for submission is April 30, 2017.  The successful candidate for this position will be subject to a comprehensive pre-employment background check.   

The Academy offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug- and smoke-free workplace. 
 

The Academy is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, gender, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, genetic information, or physical or mental disabilities which do not prevent performance of essential job tasks. 

The Academy is committed to recruiting, supporting and fostering an equitable, diverse and inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. Those who share this goal are encouraged to apply.

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Due to the volume of responses received for job postings, we are unable to provide individual status updates.  All applicants will receive electronic confirmation of application submission and final status.  Only those applicants selected by the search committee will be contacted directly.  We appreciate your understanding, cooperation and interest in employment at Phillips Exeter Academy.