Bennington College · 2 weeks ago
Director of Operations, Graduate and Special Programs
Bennington, VT
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$94K/yr - $94K/yr
5+ years expBennington College, a preeminent liberal arts college distinguished for its pioneering approaches to student learning and agency, seeks a Director of Operations, Graduate and Special Programs. The Director is responsible for leading all facets of operational oversight and strategic direction for the recruitment, evaluation, and enrollment processes of graduate and special program students.
Higher Education
Responsibilities
Lead systems and operational planning, development, and maintenance for all EMT functions supporting Bennington’s Graduate and Special Programs. This includes all MA, BFA, and off-calendar (summer and Field Work Term) programs
Participate in regular meetings with program leadership and staff to develop marketing procedures associated with data collection to deliver performance marketing analytics and accurate real-time funnel reporting
Develop and manage a robust program custom dataset in Slate, allowing for direct management of each program’s system definitions and requirements. Standardize data architecture to simplify current program management, develop consistent and foreseeable timelines for process steps, and create an additional suite of default options for new program launch
Create portals and reader workflows to help program staff manage their applicant funnels, review applicant information, and initiate follow-up communication. Develop portals for administrative staff to track statuses for all incoming graduate and special program students
Manage and ensure timely execution of key business processes with relevant business units for all graduate and special programs, including financial aid, information technology, student billing, registrar, and admission offices. Work in close partnership with colleagues in Financial Aid, Marketing, and Communications to ensure timeline and accurate data transmission for each program’s key functions
Oversee the review and delivery of all relevant communication to admitted and enrolling students, including admit letters, financial aid letters, deposit confirmations, identity state creation instructions, and initial onboarding communications
Develop systems procedures (including portals, checklists, and reminder emails) to facilitate process steps for low-residency students who periodically return to campus, in close consultation with an on-campus graduate and special programs coordinator
Responsible for directly supervising, mentoring, and coaching assigned team members, guiding them in their work, and overseeing their professional development and progress. Provide performance coaching and feedback to assigned direct reports to ensure efficient and professional execution of job responsibilities
Admission CRM (Slate) administration. Maintain the Slate platform throughout all program admission cycles, supporting e-mail campaigns and other student communications, user security management, application and portal/web support, creating reports and documentation, and user/staff training
Oversee system configuration, maintenance, enhancement, and quality control processes for Bennington’s graduate and special program applications, from submission through decision release. Execute periodic auditing procedures, including retention policies, population management, and rules adjustments
Develop and maintain EMT dashboards, as well as ad-hoc queries and other reports. Assist in the development and maintenance of queries, reports, and online portals for other campus constituents. Develop and maintain new workflows, application forms, and associated communications
Assist with data management for prospects, inquiries, and applicants from internal and external systems and vendors. Support imports into Slate CRM, including de-duplication, testing, data integrity, and cleaning for bulk uploads into associated systems (e.g., HubSpot)
Ensure the accuracy and integrity of high-quality data entered into Admission systems through ongoing assessment and quality control audits. Maintain confidentiality of information. Ensure that access to and use of data is managed effectively and in compliance with established admissions guidelines
Contribute to specific administrative functions as determined by the Program directors, the Vice President of Enrollment, and the Director of Admissions. Assigned administrative functions may include: communications, on-campus and virtual events, and training
Promote a positive, congenial atmosphere and working relationship with students, employees, supervisors, and other individuals that this position may come in contact with
Demonstrate a high degree of accountability and ensure efficiency of assigned duties on a daily basis. Be proactive, solution-oriented, and recommend ongoing improvements to existing practice. Assist with other special projects as needed
Use proper judgment in the use of College funds for travel, events, and other expenses. Submit accurate and timely expense reports
In all areas of responsibility, promote a commitment to building a deeply inclusive culture and sense of belonging for all community members
Support program staff with other duties as required, including virtual event support, promotion, and occasional guidance on application review
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years' admissions experience, including extensive knowledge of Admissions CRM systems
Minimum of three years of supervisory experience (coaching, mentoring, developing talent)
Minimum of five years of data retention, including data management practices, database architecture, systems integrations, and creative problem-solving
Excellent Slate CRM skills, including: the development of queries and reports using configurable joins; custom workflows, datasets, and portals; user management and/or database auditing; Deliver and Inbox experience; forms and new application creation
Strong technology orientation; experience with Google/MS Office Suite, as well as the ability to learn proprietary applications and to strengthen database proficiency
The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, coordinating ongoing meetings, checklists, and reminders while building strong relationships with numerous stakeholders
Ability to engage in thoughtful, high-volume email exchange with internal and external constituents. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Experience coordinating and/or supporting online events and other forms of virtual engagement
Must be able to work with limited direction, prioritizing multiple tasks, including detailed process issues. Must have high attention to detail and accuracy, alongside strong organizational skills
A commitment to building an inclusive community, alongside enthusiastic support for a progressive liberal arts education
Preferred
Master's degree preferred
Slate experience preferred
Benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life
Long-term disability insurance
Retirement
Tuition benefits
Tuition Exchange scholarships
On-site fitness center
Generous time off benefits
Company
Bennington College
Bennington College is a private, nonsectarian liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont.
51-200 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Bennington College has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (3)
2024 (4)
2023 (2)
2022 (7)
2021 (2)
2020 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
Endeavour Foundation
2024-03-05Grant
Leadership Team
Laura Walker
President
Recent News
vermontbiz.com
2025-11-10
vermontbiz.com
2025-09-09
Company data provided by crunchbase