Aurora University
Aurora University is hiring: Athletic Recruiting Liaison in Aurora
Aurora University, Aurora, IL, US, 60505
Salary : $40,000.00 - $45,000.00 Annually
Location : Aurora, IL
Job Type: Full-Time Staff
Job Number: 202500133
College/School: Office of Strategic Enrollment Management
Opening Date: 09/05/2025
Max Number of Applicants: 50
Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.
AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples' lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.
We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found
Position Purpose:
The Athletic Recruiting Liaison supports the Institution's mission by recruiting a diverse student population of student athletes to undergraduate programs. In collaboration with coaches, the liaison facilitates the enrollment of prospective student athletes by taking them through the admission process. This role is essential to building strong incoming classes aligned with AU's commitment to access, academic quality, and student success.
Core Competencies:
Essential Job Functions:
Education: Bachelor's Degree required.
Experience:
Skills:
Special Requirements:
The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.
Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.
Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.
To see more benefits details and breakdowns please see our benefits guide
01
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
02
Do you have prior experience in sales or in a sales agent role?
03
How many years of prior experience do you have in higher education admission?
04
Do you have a valid driver's license and proof of vehicle insurance?
05
Do you understand that this position is not remote and will require you to be onsite or work in a hybrid capacity within the Chicagoland area?
Required Question
Location : Aurora, IL
Job Type: Full-Time Staff
Job Number: 202500133
College/School: Office of Strategic Enrollment Management
Opening Date: 09/05/2025
Max Number of Applicants: 50
Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.
AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples' lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.
We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found
Position Purpose:
The Athletic Recruiting Liaison supports the Institution's mission by recruiting a diverse student population of student athletes to undergraduate programs. In collaboration with coaches, the liaison facilitates the enrollment of prospective student athletes by taking them through the admission process. This role is essential to building strong incoming classes aligned with AU's commitment to access, academic quality, and student success.
Core Competencies:
- Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
- Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, our singular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. We do this by being an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and purposeful lives.
- Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
- Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned, including voluntary participation in university committees, activities and events.
Essential Job Functions:
- Identifies, recruits and enrolls a specified quantity of prospective students in an assigned sport and works in concert with the athletic coaching staff on the co-recruitment of undergraduate (freshman and transfer) athletes.
- Assist with special programs and research projects; participates in the development and implementation of enrollment strategies to achieve institutional enrollment goals.
- Achieve assigned recruiting metrics, including visits for assigned territory.
- Timely follow up at all levels of the enrollment funnel to yield the correct call to action for the next required step.
- Provide accurate information about Aurora University's degree program and admissions procedures.
- Evaluate high school transcripts, some test scores (ACT/SAT), provide recommendations on athletes in order to advise coaches, students, and family on student admission and scholarships.
- Attends college fairs and in house phone nights, and provides impactful communication with prospect families to build strong personal relationships.
- Assists coaches with the coordination of athletic related recruiting events including, but not limited to: open houses, game day events, overnight campus visits and junior prospect events.
- Works with the Assistant Vice President for Freshman Admission to keep coaches informed about open houses, AU4U events, and other key events, as well as providing updates on admissions and institutional matters as needed.
- Communicate Aurora University's advantages to various populations in varying situations.
- Provides the Assistant Vice President for Freshman Admission with territory, monthly, weekly benchmark report, and communication report per sport and coach.
- Recommends promotional materials needed to promote each sport, with University Communications and Sports Information Director.
- Facilitates communication between coaches and athletes by coordinating information through Slate, Front Rush, and related systems.
- Help manage each coach's individual recruiting roster to ensure accuracy; if inaccurate, takes the appropriate action to correct.
- Develop and manage a communication process to the athletes and their families from the athlete's first contact through final assignment decision.
- Work directly with coaches, faculty and recruited athletes to coordinate, schedule, communicate and execute campus visits.
- Support open houses, on-campus and off-campus territory recruitment events.
- Guide prospective families through the financial aid process; assist families to determine a comprehensive financial plan for attendance at Aurora University.
- Manage student interns to assist in fulfilling admission counselor duties.
- Engage with current CRM, Colleague and other technology recruitment strategies; actively recommend ideas and process improvements.
- Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Vice President for Freshman Admission or AU administration.
Education: Bachelor's Degree required.
Experience:
- Experience in higher education admission is important.
- Knowledge of Aurora University academic programs preferred.
- Experience in sales is preferred.
Skills:
- Receptive to the needs of and ability to relate well to prospective families is necessary.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and time management skills.
- Self-motivated to achieve goals.
- Ability to work well with others and willingness to take on meaningful additional responsibilities.
- Customer-service orientation and professional manners.
- Knowledge of Microsoft software essential. Knowledge of Colleague/Slate preferred.
- Ability to handle and act upon confidential information.
- Ability to speak in front of unknown audiences.
- Ability to prioritize work and to meet deadlines required. Flexibility with an evolving work situation.
- Ability to accept divergent views while maintaining a constructive working relationship with other team members.
- Ability to work with a computer for long periods of the day.
- Ability to attend off campus meetings.
- Office setting, standing, walking, sitting.
- Ability to interact via telephone, in person and via electronic media.
- Ability to lift boxes of materials when needed.
Special Requirements:
- A valid driver's license and driving record which meets institutional requirements is required.
- Requires travel between campus locations or to attend off-site meetings.
The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.
Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.
Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.
- Health Insurance
Choice of HMO or PPO offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois. - Dental and Vision Insurance
Choice of two dental plans and vision insurance offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield. - Life Insurance and AD&D
1.5 times annual salary, dependent on age. Additional life insurance also may be purchased for self, spouse, and children. - Long Term Disability
60% of salary, taxable and nontaxable options. - TIAA Retirement Account
The University offers a 403b retirement plan, administered by TIAA. Matching contributions offered first day of employment to eligible employees, at the discretion of the University and Board of Directors. - Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
FSAs are available for medical costs and dependent care costs. - Paid Time Off
Vacation, personal, and sick leave are provided to eligible employees. - Holidays
The university observes nine major holidays where the university is closed. - Tuition Assistance
Tuition assistance for AU undergraduate courses is available to eligible employees and eligible family members beginning the term following one (1) year of regular, full-time employment. Tuition assistance for graduate programs paid at 60% for employee following Senior Leadership approval. - Tuition Exchange Consortiums
AU is a member of the Tuition Exchange (TE) and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) enabling full-time employees and eligible family members to be eligible for tuition assistance at more than 600 universities nationwide. Eligibility for the CIC-TEP and TE programs is one (1) year of regular, full-time employment as of 8/31.
To see more benefits details and breakdowns please see our benefits guide
01
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
- High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (GED)
- Associate degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Professional degree
- Doctorate degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
02
Do you have prior experience in sales or in a sales agent role?
- Yes
- No
03
How many years of prior experience do you have in higher education admission?
- No experience
- Less than 1 year of experience
- 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
- 2 years but less than 3 years experience
- 3 or more years of experience
04
Do you have a valid driver's license and proof of vehicle insurance?
- Yes
- No
05
Do you understand that this position is not remote and will require you to be onsite or work in a hybrid capacity within the Chicagoland area?
- Yes
- No
Required Question