Presidents, chancellors and chief academic officers at colleges and universities worldwide turn to WittKieffer to recruit exceptional leaders for mission-critical roles across the enterprise. In addition to academic leadership, our expertise building senior leadership teams, including chief finance, development/advancement, diversity, enrollment, student life, human resources, compliance, marketing and communications officers, athletics directors and other institutional leaders makes our Education Practice uniquely versatile. Our consultants’ collaborative, cross-functional approach — driven by a commitment to shared values and informed by firsthand experience leading higher education teams — enables a level of partnership with our clients that distinguishes a WittKieffer search.
Recruiting Exceptional Leadership across the Enterprise
WittKieffer recruits athletics directors with the ability to build community and institutional affinity, support strategic fundraising initiatives and ensure the success and well-being of student-athletes to lead top collegiate athletics programs across the nation.
Our consultants, many of whom have served as senior development officers themselves, recruit vice presidents; principal and major gifts officers; campaign leaders; and directors of planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and alumni relations for education institutions nationwide.
WittKieffer conducts more chief diversity officer searches than any other firm. In the last three years, we have helped more than 30 colleges and universities recruit leaders who are making a profound impact on their campuses and collectively building a stronger higher education community.
Across our Education, Healthcare and Life Sciences practices, WittKieffer has placed more than 150 senior finance professionals. We have partnered with nearly 50 colleges and universities on searches for chief financial and administrative officers in the last five years.
WittKieffer has conducted over 300 searches in the enrollment space, more than any other firm. In the past five years alone, we have supported over 130 searches for enrollment leadership at colleges and universities across the country and the world.
We identify HR leaders across the education landscape with proven success stewarding enterprise-level talent acquisition and management, workforce engagement and professional development, regulatory compliance, organization development and institutional equity.
WittKieffer works on behalf of colleges and universities across the country to identify chief information officers, chief information security officers and other IT executives to provide strategic and operational leadership to ensure long-term institutional success.
WittKieffer has placed hundreds of exceptional law school deans, chief legal officers, chief compliance officers and other institutional leaders who are strengthening their institutions’ policy, advocacy and compliance framework and infrastructure.
Our consultants partner with client institutions to recruit outstanding leaders who champion student engagement and success, collaborate effectively with faculty and academic administrators, and help students and other constituents co-create inclusive educational campus communities.
Success Story
Already a successful administrator prior to being named Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid at Washington University in 2016, Ronné Turner knew unconventional tactics were necessary when a global pandemic altered the recruitment process. Adjusting quickly to a new environment, WashU waived the standardized test requirement, waived application fees for most, and encouraged applicants to submit a video to help the admissions committee get to know them more personally. With on-campus visits suspended, Turner worked closely with staff, faculty, and current students to engage with prospective students and applicants, telling the WashU story in ways previously unheard-of. Meanwhile, Turner worked with the financial aid office to ensure current students and families were well supported and able to continue their studies at WashU. With advocacy from Turner, WashU provided significant start-up funds to support less-well-resourced students as they started in Fall 2020. Despite the hurdles, Turner and WashU yielded a highly talented and robust class of outstanding students from around the country and the world for the Class of 2025.
Vice Presidents/Officers Resources
Learn more about leadership opportunities at the institutions we serve.
We partner with leading education institutions every day. Let us know how we can help yours. Practice Leader Zach Smith, Ph.D. can answer your questions or tell you more.
Explore our resources to discover the impact of leadership in vice presidents/officers.