Manager, Roanoke College Visit Experience

About Roanoke College

Roanoke College is a place where every student who works hard has the opportunity to succeed. We champion potential, providing essential learning and leadership through innovative academic programs and transformative educational experiences, giving students the mettle, mindset, and empathy to pursue lives of purpose, build meaningful careers, and meet society’s most pressing needs. Located in scenic Salem, Virginia, Roanoke College is an intimate, welcoming community that has served the local region and beyond for nearly 200 years. Now, we’re building on momentum and offering a Roanoke experience for today’s students and a legacy that belongs to every Maroon. Learn about the College's new strategic plan, Imagine Roanoke: A Strategic Plan for Roanoke College and the 21st Century Learner.

Roanoke College is a nationally ranked residential liberal arts college affiliated with the Lutheran Church (ELCA), located in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. A Phi Beta Kappa institution, Roanoke College is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among its faculty, staff, and students; women and members of under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The Position

This position will oversee and enhance the Admissions visitor experience at Roanoke College, ensuring that Admissions guests (particularly prospective students and their families) have a positive and memorable interaction with the College. This role will oversee all aspects of the visitor journey from visit inquiry to departure, ensuring a seamless experience. This role will coordinate with faculty and staff from departments such as Admissions, Financial Aid, Advancement, Academic Affairs, Student Success, Athletics, Marketing and Communications, Auxiliary Services, etc., to strategize, plan and assess tours, open houses and other public-facing Admissions events with a focus on customizable, personalized and concierge-level services. This role will train student employees and other College staff on best practices to positively engage guests. The ideal candidate will excel in providing excellent customer service, possess strong leadership and organizational skills, and bring a sense of purpose and passion to the role. This position will also include some travel and student recruitment.

Key Responsibilities:

Visitor Experience Management:

• Oversee the end-to-end visitor journey, ensuring high levels of satisfaction.
• Ensure the visiting environment is welcoming, informative, engaging and well-organized.
• Continuously gather and analyze feedback from visitors to identify areas for improvement.

Team Leadership and Training:

• Supervise and train front-line staff, including student and staff tour guides, front desk staff, and other Admissions and Financial Aid customer service representatives.
• Develop and implement training programs for staff to enhance service delivery.
• Lead by example in providing exceptional customer service.

Event Coordination:

• Plan and coordinate special events, tours, or promotional activities that enhance the visitor experience.
• Create and maintain a calendar of visit days, open houses, webinars and other special events for prospective students and their families that is aligned with the College’s events calendar.
• Lead cross-functional teams to execute events of the highest caliber.
• Work closely with marketing, communications and event staff across the College to align messaging and content, and promote visits/events.

Collaboration Across Departments:

• Develop and maintain highly collaborative relationships with departments across the College to ensure the visitor experience is consistent across all touchpoints.
• Coordinate with departments across the College to plan and execute visit experiences.

Visitor Engagement and Communication:

• Act as the liaison and convener for teams executing visits/events.
• Serve as a resource for visitors through collaboration with counselors and other staff to address inquiries and provide information about the venue, exhibits, programs, or services.
• Work with marketing to develop engaging communication materials, such as signage, brochures, and digital content to enhance the visitor experience.
• Work with Marketing and Admissions staff to create a comprehensive communications plan to promote visits and create a feedback loop for visitors.

Quality Control and Issue Resolution:

• Monitor visitor feedback through surveys and direct communication to identify friction points and resolve outstanding issues.
• Implement corrective actions based on feedback to continuously improve the experience.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Track visitor statistics and engagement metrics to assess performance.
• Prepare reports on visitor satisfaction and recommend improvements to leadership.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement:

• Stay current on trends and innovations in the visitor experience industry and implement best practices.
• Propose and test new programs, technologies, or strategies to improve overall visitor engagement.

Education, Experience, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in in marketing, communications, English, mass communications, public relations, counseling, hospitality/tourism, business, or a related field.
• Three (3) years’ experience in a service-oriented position; experience in higher education a plus.
• Excellent communications and organizational skills.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to multi-task in fast-paced environment.
• Creative and innovative thinking with attention to details.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management systems a plus.
• Knowledge of the College and surrounding area a plus.