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Job Summary

The Registrar's role in commencement involves managing the entire graduation lifecycle: certifying students meet degree requirements (degree audits), processing applications, managing ceremony logistics (seating, honors, tickets), ensuring accurate records for diplomas/transcripts, and coordinating with other departments for a smooth event, essentially being the guardian of academic records and ensuring fair, compliant degree conferral.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral is the primary internal coordinator ensuring that all commencement-related academic requirements, timelines, logistics, budgets, and approvals are executed in alignment with Mercy policy, regulatory requirements, and academic standards.

Responsible for the internal planning, coordination and execution of all academic, operational, and all Registrar-owned components of commencement activities and graduation processes, this position also supports the University Registrar and Deputy Registrar with Mercy’s degree conferral process.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral is responsible for coordinating communications strategy with Marketing and Communications for all commencement and related events celebrating the accomplishments of our students and their families while highlighting the strength and values of the Mercy University brand and ensuring guests leave with a positive and memorable impression of the institution. Leading a cross-functional committee, the Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral works collaboratively across all departments to foster strong partnerships, ensure clear internal communication, and deliver plans, logistics, and procurement for all on-campus, offsite, and online locations to ensure a high quality, professional, celebratory experience while staying within the budget provided by the University Registrar.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral provides event-planning guidance and consultation to campus partners to support the execution of high-quality, brand-aligned commencement ceremonies. Responsibilities include coordinating the scheduling of non-academic facilities; preparing and securing authorization for facility-use contracts; ensuring appropriate insurance requirements are met; and coordinating support services such as food services, media services, marketing services, and facilities setups. These responsibilities require coordination with Mercy’s Event, Communications, and Marketing departments as well as the offices of the Provost and the University President.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral also oversees the coordination of the University Events staff and volunteers by providing leadership, guidance, and clear direction to ensure effective planning, coordination, and execution of plans. This includes managing workflows, setting priorities, and fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture among volunteers and Mercy staff.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral is also responsible for hiring, training, scheduling, and supervising student employees who assist with logistics. This position plays a key role in drafting marketing language about Mercy’s commencement ceremonies and collaborating with Mercy’s Event, Communications, and Marketing departments to communicate to the campus and organizing the dozens of volunteers required to make Mercy’s commencement great.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities
Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. It in no way states or implies that the responsibilities listed are the only duties required to perform in this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position responsibilities if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral is Responsible for planning and executing all internal aspects of Mercy’s multiple annual commencement ceremonies.

• Collaborate with the University Registrar and University leaders on all matters related to desired outcomes, logistics and budget.
• Provide regular and timely data, metrics and analytics Commencement reports to the Registrar, President, Provost, and Executive team.
• Coordinate with facilities and operations who will oversee event planning for graduation
• Head commencement planning committee with event team from composed of School Deans and representatives, Provost Office, Office of the President, Advancement, Finance, Security, Operations, Facilities, Student Services, Alumni Relations and Career Services, Internal and Student Comms etc.
• Collaborate with School Deans and Advancement on selecting speakers (Honorary Degree recipients & Student Speakers), for their respective school ceremonies.
• Secure anthemist, flag bearer, and color guard for all ceremonies.
• Work with the Provost office to select faculty Marshals and Grand Marshals for ceremonies.
• Develop guest lists, seating arrangements, honors recognition, and explore distributing diplomas or certificates during the ceremonies.
• Coordinate all communications with graduates with the Communications team, for delivery via multiple platforms such as the Commencement website, third party platforms like Tassel, email and social media.
• Manage and maintain the Commencement website and email account.
• Mercy’s commencement website should
• Provides key details for graduation ceremonies, covering dates, times, locations, regalia (caps/gowns), tickets, and academic requirements,
• Mercy’s website should have dedicated pages to help students navigate their final steps to earning their degree.
• Coordinate with staff and relevant department leadership to tailor invitations, develop social media strategies, and utilize email and other channels to provide routine and eligible student communications, including impact reports.
• Assist with planning offsite commencement ceremonies for the Sing Sing Prison program, the Nursing pinning  others as necessary.
• Goals may include highlighting reporting on specific populations, soliciting student stories, involving alumni and family, and creating impactful volunteer opportunities.

The Associate Registrar for Commencement and Conferral is Responsible for supporting Mercy’s Degree Conferral process.

• Oversee the application for graduation process and ensure all necessary paperwork is submitted and processed.
• Maintain the accuracy and security of student records, ensuring transcripts and diplomas reflect earned degrees.
• Ensure all graduation processes comply with institutional academic policies and external regulations.
• Conducti degree audits to confirm students have fulfilled all academic requirements for their specific programs.
• Provide enrollment and graduation data to relevant internal and external bodies.

• Review student eligibility for conferral 
  • Communicate/follow up with PACT/Dept re outstanding requirements
    • Almost Finishers 
    • Work with IR re students at or near 100% for conferral 
    • Provide IR with analysis re why students at 100% were not conferred 
    • Work with PACT re outstanding requirements for conferral 

• Diplomas 

• • Order duplicate and never received diplomas 
  • Order recent graduate diplomas 

Transcript support – CNR/MERCY 

• Identify and resolve issues with transcripts not automatically processed in Parchment 
• Identify and resolve issues with transcripts not automatically processed in NSC 

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of increasingly responsible experience planning and running commencement activities for a college or university.
• Documented leadership in coordinating large-scale events or commencement ceremonies specifically.
• Experience in contract negotiation, vendor coordination, facility booking, logistics planning, and budget oversight.
• Experience with academic degree conferral processes and graduation logistics.
• Ability to prepare and present data metrics, reports, and analyses to senior leadership.
• Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal, written, and oral communication, problem solving, organizational, and presentation skills.

• Evidence of detail-orientation, customer service orientation, ability to work independently, and great levels of responsibility required.
• Minimum five years of experience managing a large service-oriented team within a large
• private or nonprofit service organization.
• Computer proficiency in office and finance software, agreements and contracts templates, financial databases, and the understanding of establishing and monitoring performance metrics and analytics.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel routinely is required.
• Ability to travel between locations and be available after hours for emergencies is required.
• Demonstrated ability to use a variety of software systems, including but not limited to: site design, working knowledge of Microsoft Office with advanced experience with Excel; WEB site design; working knowledge of a BI tool; and firsthand experience in performing multi-faceted and complex data queries.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing technology.
• Assist in the development of automation of current processes in the Registrar's Office.
• Committed to working with diverse student and campus populations and to "student-centered" services.
• Ability to effectively communicate with various constituencies: students, faculty, and administrators.
• Ability to work independently on multiple tasks with high accuracy prioritize tasks, handle confidential information, and meet deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving, training, and leadership/supervisory skills.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required with 5 years of relevant experience in Academic Administration, Event Planning, Event Management, Public Administration
• Master’s degree preferred.