Associate Campus Director, Lakewood, WA

Associate Campus Director Role Overview

Excelon Associates is seeking an Associate Campus Director to lead enrollment growth and day-to-day campus operations at a specialized veterans campus in Lakewood, WA. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who knows the school business, understands the military community, and is ready to make an immediate impact.

The role reports directly to the Oklahoma Campus Director. From day one, it carries responsibility for admissions, career services, registrar and compliance, and instruction across the current student population. As enrollment scales toward 100 students annually, the scope of those responsibilities grows with it, but the accountability starts immediately. The primary focus is driving enrollments: this is a growth role, not a maintenance one. Many candidates draw on VA education benefits and military transition pathways such as DoD SkillBridge to reach this student population.

About the Campus

This is a unique, mission-driven campus exclusively serving U.S. military veterans. Located adjacent to an active military installation, the campus operates a focused Crane Operations program with evening classes designed around the schedules of transitioning and active-duty servicemembers. Civilians are not enrolled. It is a tight-knit, high-purpose environment where every student has served, and crane operator credentialing aligns with standards from bodies such as the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own the full admissions cycle for a veterans-only student population and hit aggressive enrollment targets.
• Develop and execute outreach strategies targeting transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and military-affiliated networks.
• Build and maintain relationships with on-base personnel, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), and military transition programs to drive the referral pipeline.
• Manage career services, registrar and compliance, and instructional functions for the current student population.
• Guide prospective students through enrollment with a consultative, mission-aligned approach.
• Track and report on admissions metrics, conversion rates, and enrollment targets.
• Identify and remove operational inertia, leading the culture change the campus needs to grow.

What We Look For

• Veteran status and base access eligibility are required. The position demands on-base presence and credibility with a military student population.
• Proven experience running or growing a campus, school, or enrollment-driven operation. Knowledge of the school business comes first.
• A self-directed, growth-focused leader who is comfortable changing a complacent culture.
• A doer rather than a delegator. This is a hands-on role, not one built around managing a team to do the work.
• A strong admissions or enrollment sales background, ideally in vocational or non-traditional education.
• Genuine commitment to veteran outcomes and the confidence to hold students and staff to a high standard.
• Willingness to work non-traditional hours aligned with evening program schedules.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary of $95,000 to $105,000, with flexibility up to approximately $125,000 for candidates who bring demonstrated campus growth experience.
• 401(k) with immediate eligibility.
• Benefits package effective after 60 days.
• A clear growth path as enrollment scales and operational scope expands.

Who Thrives as an Associate Campus Director

This role is built for an enrollment-first leader. The strongest candidates measure themselves by starts and conversion, own the full admissions cycle personally, and are energized by aggressive growth targets rather than steady-state administration. They know the school business well enough to run admissions, career services, registrar, compliance, and instruction without needing a large team to lean on.

Military credibility is essential here, not a nice-to-have. The campus serves veterans only and sits next to an active installation, so the person who succeeds carries veteran status and base access, builds real relationships with on-base personnel and VSOs, and understands what transitioning servicemembers need from an education path.

Finally, this is a turnaround as much as a growth role. The campus needs someone willing to reset a complacent culture and hold both students and staff to a higher standard, all in genuine service of better outcomes for the veterans who enroll.

About Excelon Associates

Excelon Associates is a retained executive search firm founded in 2007, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida. The firm recruits leadership and specialized talent across higher education, post-secondary career education, healthcare, financial services, and government.

This Associate Campus Director search is managed by an Excelon recruiter who serves as the single point of contact through screening, interviews, and offer. You can explore the firm’s higher education recruitment practice, browse current open roles, or review recent campaigns to see the kinds of searches Excelon runs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Apply for This Associate Campus Director Role

Excelon does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital or veteran status, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.