About the School

The University of Virginia School of Data Science—the first of its kind in the nation—advances discovery, innovation, and societal impact through collaborative, open, and responsible data science research and education. Founded in 2019, the school brings together expertise across business, computation, engineering, humanities, law, mathematics, social sciences, statistics, and law to address complex, real‑world challenges. Its academic offerings include a B.S. in Data Science, an undergraduate minor, residential and online M.S. in Data Science programs, and a Ph.D. in Data Science, all designed to prepare students for a rapidly evolving data‑driven world.

About the Position

The University of Virginia’s School of Data Science (SDS) seeks a strategic, collaborative, and student‑centered Director of Admissions and Recruiting to lead graduate and undergraduate enrollment efforts for the nation’s premier data science institution. The Director oversees the full admissions lifecycle—from inquiry through matriculation—and partners closely with faculty, current students, and marketing/communications to advance SDS’s mission and enrollment goals. The Director will design and execute a comprehensive admissions strategy that supports the school’s long-term enrollment goals and strategic priorities across all academic programs, including our current undergraduate, master’s in residential and online formats, and PhD as well as future offerings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute recruitment and admissions strategies for SDS undergraduate, master’s, PhD, and future programs; represent the school at recruitment events.
• Advise and engage prospective students and families, advocate for prospective students.
• Lead the admissions team, including staff and student ambassadors, in implementing recruitment plans and meeting enrollment goals; set team performance metrics.
• Create a high-quality applicant pool; oversee conversion and yield strategies across the admissions funnel.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop targeted messaging, digital campaigns, recruiting materials, and website/email content aligned with program goals.
• Manage the admissions recruiting, travel, and marketing budget. Oversee financial aid and scholarship processes, including awarding.
• Analyze recruitment and admissions data to adjust strategies to meet or exceed goals.
• Report on admission yields and trends to School leadership, advocate for the admissions team.
• Maintain awareness of the competitive landscape, including peer institutions, comparable program offerings, and market trends, to inform strategy and positioning.
• Direct the student ambassador program to support ongoing recruitment and engagement efforts.
• Partner with faculty program directors throughout the admissions cycle on recruitment, admissions criteria, yield events, and enrollment targets.
• Liaise with Academic Operations, Instructional Design, Career Services and program directors to ensure accurate communication about curriculum and program expectations, and career outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Office of Student Support to ensure seamless transitions for matriculated students from admission through onboarding.
• Represent the School and cultivate strong relationships with -university colleagues, including central admissions, international studies, and student financial services offices.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 8 years of related work experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in higher education, counseling, business, or related field
• Progressively responsible experience in admissions, recruiting, financial aid, marketing, advising, or a related field within a higher education setting
• Experience with marketing strategies, recruitment pipelines, and prospective outreach
• Proficiency with admission systems or customer success platforms (e.g., Slate, Salesforce/TargetX), university student information systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, SIS, Terra Dotta, Banner), and/or survey tools (e.g., MS Forms, Qualtrics)

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituents. They will have a proven ability to manage complex processes, competing deadlines, and confidential information with professionalism and sound judgment. The candidate will thrive in fast-paced, team-oriented, and entrepreneurial environments. They will bring creativity, demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills, and technological proficiency.

Position Details:

This is a full-time in-person position at the School of Data Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. The position may require some weekend and evening work and occasional travel. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, after required training and with the approval of supervisor.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $100,000 – 110,000, commensurate with education and experience

Anticipated Start Date: May 2026

Health and Other Benefits (visit Health and Other Benefits for additional information)

• UVA Health Plan: the choice between 3 different health plans
• Vision Coverage
• Dental Plan
• Benefit Savings Plans
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Paid Time Off: starting with 22 days of time off per year, 12 or more holidays, 8 weeks parental leave

Education Benefits (visit Education Benefits for additional information) After six months of employment, full-time and part-time (20+ hours) employees in a benefits-eligible position are offered options of:

• Use of up to $5250 per calendar year towards a for-credit degree program or for-credit certificate program
• Use of up to $2000 of the total $5250 noted above per calendar year for professional development including job-related training, conferences, and initial certificate exams.

This is an exempt level, benefited position. The University will perform background checks on all hires (if required) prior to employment. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. For this role, the University will not sponsor or consider candidates requiring sponsorship for employment visas now or in the future.

Please apply online, and search for R0081448. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• Resume

• Cover letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field; multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants: Search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.

References will be completed via direct reach. Please plan to provide at least three references when applying.

A background check is required and will be conducted per university policy prior to the first day of employment.

For questions about the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Human Resources Recruiter, at das6zb@virginia.edu.

For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community, please see www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor's degree
Experience: At least eight years of experience.
Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.