Associate Director, International Admissions

JOB SUMMARY:

The Associate Director, International Admissions provides strategic and operational leadership for RISD’s international recruitment and admission efforts. Working with the Director, Admissions, and VP, Enrollment Management, the Associate Director develops and executes a data-informed, multi-year strategy to attract, evaluate, and enroll talented artists and designers from diverse countries, educational systems, and lived experiences.

As RISD’s primary admissions leader for international recruitment, the Associate Director manages priority markets and partnerships, leads international application review, analyzes enrollment data, and represents RISD worldwide. The Associate Director serves on the Admissions leadership team and as a Designated School Official (DSO), overseeing the admissions-related I-20 process in coordination with the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO), International Student & Scholar Affairs (ISSA), and other campus partners. The position ensures that international recruitment and enrollment practices are culturally responsive, federally compliant, and aligned with RISD’s enrollment goals and global mission.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/DUTIES:

International Recruitment Strategy and Outreach

• Develop, implement, and annually assess a multiyear international recruitment plan aligned with institutional enrollment goals, academic priorities, and available resources.

• Identify priority, growth, and emerging markets using enrollment trends, student quality, geographic diversity, affordability, mobility, risk, and institutional fit.

• Plan and conduct international travel and recruitment activities, including school visits, portfolio programs, fairs, counselor engagement, family information sessions, and virtual programming. Develop market-specific outreach and yield strategies with Admissions Communications, Student Financial Services, and other campus partners.

• Monitor geopolitical, economic, policy, and mobility developments; advise enrollment leadership on their potential impact; and manage assigned budgets and recruitment investments based on outcomes and return on investment.

International Application Review and Policy

• Lead or coordinate the review of assigned international first-year and transfer applications, including academic records, school context, English-language proficiency documentation and portfolio materials, and provide guidance for international graduate application review as appropriate.

• Develop guidance for evaluating international credentials and educational systems; train admissions readers in equitable, culturally responsive practices; and support quality assurance, committee preparation, and consistent policy application.

• Identify barriers affecting international applicants and recommend improvements to policies, communications, forms, and workflows. Maintain knowledge of ethical recruitment standards and regulatory developments, referring immigration matters beyond the position’s authority to ISSA.

Partnerships and Global Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with international schools, art and design programs, counselors, EducationUSA centers, community organizations, alumni and other mission-aligned networks. Evaluate prospective partnerships based on access, mission alignment, student preparation, geographic priorities, scalability, and anticipated outcomes.

• Develop and manage an International Alumni Recruitment Network in partnership with Alumni Relations, including ambassador selection, training, communications, event participation, and program assessment. Provide alumni with approved messaging, ethical recruitment and referral guidance, and clear boundaries regarding admissions decisions and immigration advice.

• Represent RISD at international events, conferences, counselor programs and portfolio-development activities, and create year-round opportunities for counselors and educators to learn about RISD’s curriculum, community, admissions process, and portfolio expectations.

Enrollment Data and Market Analysis

• Track and analyze international inquiries, applicants, admits, deposits, and enrolled students by market, school, and recruitment activity, including conversion, yield, melt, market concentration, enrollment quality, event effectiveness, and return on investment.

• Produce regular market briefs and an annual assessment of recruitment activities, partnerships and outcomes. Partner with enrollment leadership to develop forecasts, enrollment targets and recommendations for future investment.

Office-Wide Admissions and DSO Responsibilities

• Review domestic and international applications and portfolios, participate in the admissions committee, and support office-wide recruitment, yield, and enrollment priorities through tours, information sessions, portfolio programs, and advising.

• Maintain a regular presence in the Providence-based Admissions office and contribute to staff training, visitor experience, and cross-functional enrollment initiatives.

• Serve as a DSO and oversee assigned SEVIS, reporting, record-maintenance, incoming-student support and admissions-related I-20 responsibilities in coordination with the PDSO, ISSA, Registrar and other responsible offices. Complete required training and refer matters outside the position’s authority to the appropriate campus resource.

Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Admissions leadership team, contribute to office-wide strategy, planning and policy development, and lead cross-functional projects related to international recruitment, application review, yield and student transition.
• Support professional staff, seasonal readers, student employees, or project teams as assigned, while modeling ethical, inclusive, student-centered, and culturally responsive professional practice.

Additional Duties

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in admissions, enrollment management, international education, or a related field are required.

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for the minimum educational requirement.

• A valid passport and driver’s license, and the ability to meet institutional travel requirements, are required.
• Must meet federal DSO eligibility requirements, including being a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and a regularly employed member of the school administration whose office is located at the school. Appointment is contingent upon formal nomination and authorization by RISD through the applicable SEVP process.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated experience implementing international recruitment strategy and evaluating applications from multiple educational systems.

• Strong analytical skills and experience using CRM, reporting, and data-visualization tools, with the ability to lead complex projects, develop partnerships, and work effectively across organizational areas.

• Excellent written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills across cultural and professional contexts, and a commitment to equitable, holistic admission practices and a globally diverse creative community.
• Must develop and maintain expertise in SEVP regulations, SEVIS reporting, institutional certification, and F-1 student requirements.
• Commitment to supporting an inclusive work environment and the ability to work respectfully and effectively across differences in background, role, and perspective.
• Experience in admissions at an art, design, architecture, or portfolio-based institution, with knowledge of visual arts curricula, portfolio preparation, and the needs of emerging artists and designers preferred.
• Experience managing budgets, international recruitment partners, or alumni ambassador and volunteer recruitment programs preferred.
• Prior service as a DSO at an SEVP-certified institution preferred.
• Familiarity with Slate or a comparable admissions CRM, international credential resources, and data-reporting platforms preferred.
  

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• May supervise student workers.

UNION:

No

WORK MODALITY:

Hybrid Eligible

EMPLOYMENT STATUS:

Full-time, Regular, Exempt

GRADE:

540EX

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY:

Resume (Required)

Cover Letter (Required)

Salary Grade Structure

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes inclusion and belonging as fundamental to its learning and working community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to this community and to our commitment to excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

About Us

Rhode Island School of Design is a nonprofit college and museum founded in 1877 in Providence, RI — one of the first art and design schools in the US. Our students engage in rigorous, studio-based learning and liberal arts studies.

By cultivating expansive and elastic thinking, RISD equips artists, designers and scholars to generate and challenge the ideas that shape our world. Find out much more about RISD at risd.edu/about.