Who We Are

Our mission is simple but critical: to build pathways for adult learners to earn high-quality, workforce-aligned degrees and credentials from North Carolina’s public universities.

At Project Kitty Hawk, our work reflects our company values: 

Collaboration – We prioritize our partners’ success and reputation, aligning every initiative with their goals, reflecting their values, and enhancing their impact. 

Innovation – We innovate, not replicate. As creative problem solvers, we use data-driven insights to push boundaries, continuously improve our services, develop solutions, and redefine what it means to serve nontraditional learners. 

Empathy – We understand the unique challenges of nontraditional learners, and are committed to supporting them with empathy, respect, and solutions that fit their needs. 

Integrity – We operate with transparency and accountability in everything we do. We uphold honesty, take ownership of our work, and maintain the highest standards. 

Teamwork – We embody the collaboration we seek. We always strive to be dependable, supportive, and solutions-oriented teammates. 

Together, we partner with universities in the University of North Carolina (UNC) System to produce innovative, flexible degree and credential programs in high-demand fields. Each PKH team member plays a vital role in advancing this mission and shaping the future of education for adult learners. 

These values will enable us to realize PKH’s vision: to make North Carolina’s public universities the top choice for adult learners and to amplify the UNC System’s role as a national leader in higher education innovation, access, and student success. By joining our team, you have an opportunity to contribute to our achievement of that vision, in the process helping to create opportunities for thousands of learners to earn their success and move up the economic ladder.

At Project Kitty Hawk we hire talented people who are not only dedicated to our mission but share our belief that working together makes us stronger and more effective. In this organization you’ll find individuals with a range of interesting backgrounds and life stories; the true magic happens when those individuals come together to solve problems in service of a common goal. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective, talents, and ideas to the table as we strive to make a meaningful impact.  

The Role

The Admissions Partner Development Specialist plays a critical role in transforming how PKH partner institutions admit and enroll adult learners. As an embedded admissions expert, this individual will work side-by-side with institutional admissions and enrollment teams to assess current practices, identify areas for improvement, and implement best-in-class processes that reflect the unique expectations and needs of today’s adult learners.

This role will move from one partner institution to the next as we support both existing and potential new partnerships. This role requires a high level of initiative, relationship-building expertise, and an operational mindset. The Specialist will act as a strategic consultant and change agent—partnering with stakeholders across institutional departments to drive process and technology improvements that enable scalable, learner-centric solutions. They must be comfortable navigating complex environments, advocating for innovation, and ensuring measurable improvements are sustained.

The Admissions Partner Development Specialist is expected to understand and document institutional workflows, recommend enhancements rooted in adult learner best practices, and contribute to broader efforts to standardize and scale operational excellence across the PKH network.

What you'll do:

Embed with existing and new partner institutions (one at a time) to learn, map, and assess current admissions workflows, systems, and institutional policies.
Identify gaps or inefficiencies and recommend people, process, and technology improvements aligned with adult learner expectations and enrollment best practices.
Support implementation of improved admissions processes through training, change management, and performance monitoring.
Build and maintain collaborative, trust-based relationships with institutional stakeholders across admissions, enrollment, and related departments.
Serve as a liaison between PKH and the partner institution, ensuring alignment on goals and consistent communication.
Analyze data, stakeholder feedback, and enrollment outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented changes and inform future improvements.
Create and maintain onboarding resources and ongoing training roadmaps for institutional staff related to adult learner admissions.
Share insights and recommendations with PKH leadership to help shape scalable practices across partner institutions.

What you bring:

Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of 2 years of experience in adult learner support, admissions, advising, or related functions within online or nontraditional higher education
Proven track record of driving process improvements or supporting change initiatives in admissions or student services
Deep understanding of the adult learner lifecycle, including common barriers and motivations
Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable improvements
Familiarity with CRM, SIS, LMS, and other higher education technologies
Excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and interpersonal—with the ability to influence and inspire across organizational levels
High degree of initiative, accountability, and follow-through
Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and adapt to evolving priorities
Understanding of FERPA and other policies governing student records and privacy

Preferred:

Bachelor’s degree in education, business, or a related field
3+ years of experience in higher education recruitment, admissions operations, or advising—particularly with adult or online learners
Experience facilitating cross-functional projects or leading trainings in institutional settings

What We Offer

Project Kitty Hawk offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes full medical/dental/vision coverage, a 401K with match, and a generous time-off policy with paid volunteer time. In addition, we are committed to providing competitive salaries with the potential for performance bonus and remote working flexibility.

Project Kitty Hawk is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.    

Project Kitty Hawk is dedicated to this policy concerning recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please contact Kelly Snow at klsnow@projectkittyhawk.com.

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Project Kitty Hawk

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Admissions Partner Development Specialist