AI Specialist

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $62,579.00 - $84,480.00

Position Summary

The AI Specialist supports National University’s mission by enabling practical, scalable AI solutions that improve the prospective student experience and increase enrollment effectiveness. The AI Specialist partners across Marketing, Enrollment, IT, Analytics, Student Services, and Academics to implement AI-enabled tools and workflows, including conversational AI, personalization, content automation, and insight generation, across the full student lifecycle. They are highly execution-oriented, technically curious, and skilled at translating business needs into AI use cases that drive measurable outcomes in speed-to-lead, conversion, personalization, and operational efficiency.

Essential Functions:

AI Implementation & Execution

• Supports the deployment and day-to-day execution of AI-enabled initiatives that improve prospective student engagement and enrollment outcomes.
• Configures, maintains, and optimizes AI-powered tools across channels such as website chat, SMS, email, CRM workflows, and lead engagement platforms.
• Translates business needs into clear AI use cases, workflows, and operational requirements in partnership with Marketing, Enrollment, IT, and Analytics.
• Assists in building scalable AI-driven engagement journeys that increase speed-to-lead, personalization, and conversion performance.

Prompting, Content Systems & Knowledge Enablement

• Develops and maintains prompt frameworks, response libraries, and conversation flows aligned to NU brand voice, compliance standards, and student needs.
• Supports the continuous improvement of knowledge base content used by AI bots and automated engagement tools to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Creates AI-assisted messaging templates and content variations for SMS, email, and chatbot experiences to improve engagement and relevance.
• Partners with stakeholders to ensure AI outputs remain student-centered, inclusive, and aligned to NU’s mission and programs.

Testing, Quality Assurance & Optimization

• Supports UAT and QA for AI experiences, including validating responses, routing, escalation logic, personalization rules, and system behavior.
• Monitors AI bot and workflow performance, identifies breakdowns or friction points, and recommends improvements based on user behavior and outcomes.
• Assists with A/B testing and experimentation to optimize AI messaging, prompts, and channel performance.
• Maintains documentation of changes, testing outcomes, and enhancements to support repeatability and operational consistency.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Governance

• Partners with Marketing, Enrollment, IT, Student Services, Academics, UX, and Compliance to ensure AI solutions are aligned, secure, and scalable.
• Supports responsible AI adoption by adhering to governance standards, privacy requirements, data policies, and institutional guardrails.
• Coordinates with technical teams and vendors to resolve issues, manage enhancements, and maintain stable performance.
• Helps drive internal adoption through enablement resources, process documentation, and light training support for teams using AI tools.

Enrollment Down-Funnel Conversion Optimization

• Partners with Enrollment, Marketing Ops, and Analytics to improve full-funnel conversion performance: inquiry-to-application, application-to-enrollment, enrollment-to-start.
• Identifies drop-off points and barriers across the prospective student journey using AI insights, behavioral data, and funnel diagnostics, then recommend targeted improvements.
• Supports execution and optimization of down-funnel engagement workflows across SMS, email, chat, retargeting, and advisor follow-up sequences to increase completion and yield.
• Helps implement and refine intent-based lead scoring, routing, and prioritization to improve speed-to-lead and ensure high-intent prospects receive timely engagement.
• Tracks and reports key conversion KPIs and performance trends, translating data into actionable recommendations that improve enrollment outcomes and advisor efficiency.
• Supports A/B testing and continuous improvement efforts to optimize messaging, timing, channel mix, and handoff effectiveness.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, Information Systems, Data/Analytics, or a related field required (or equivalent relevant experience).
• Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in a role supporting digital marketing, CRM/MarTech, analytics, automation, AI tools, or enrollment-focused operations.
• Experience working in higher education, online learning, edtech, or enrollment environments preferred.
• Familiarity with AI platforms and workflows (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) including prompt development for content, analysis, and segmentation.
• Working knowledge of CRM and engagement platforms such as Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud (SFMC), lead routing tools, or comparable systems.
• Experience supporting campaign execution or engagement workflows across at least one channel: email, SMS, web/chat, paid media, or automation journeys.
• Ability to interpret performance data and support reporting using tools such as GA4, Looker/Tableau, Excel/Sheets, or similar dashboards.
• Experience participating in UAT testing, QA validation, and workflow troubleshooting for digital tools, automation, or student-facing experiences.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to translate business needs into clear requirements and actionable next steps.
• High attention to detail, strong organization, and ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• AI implementation & enablement: Ability to operationalize AI tools and workflows that improve speed-to-lead, personalization, and enrollment conversion.
• Prompting & content systems: Ability to build and maintain prompt frameworks, response libraries, and content templates aligned to NU brand and student needs.
• Conversational AI experience design: Supports chatbot intent capture, routing, escalation, and friction reduction across the prospective student journey.
• CRM & marketing automation fluency: Working knowledge of Salesforce CRM and lifecycle engagement tools (SFMC preferred), including lead stages, routing, and engagement workflows.
• Analytics, testing & optimization: Ability to track KPIs, interpret funnel performance data, support UAT/QA, and execute continuous improvements through testing and iteration.
• Cross-functional execution & governance: Partners effectively across Marketing, Enrollment, IT, Analytics, UX, and Student Services while ensuring responsible, compliant AI use.

Location: Remote, USA

Travel: No travel required

#LI-Remote

Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies. Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family. For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 4,500 faculty and staff and serves over 45,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University.