Associate Director for New Student Programs
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Job Info

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Associate Director for New Student Programs

The George Mason University, Division of University Life (UL), invites applications for the position of Associate Director for New Student Programs within the New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) office. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.

George Mason University is an innovative, public, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in the heart of northern Virginia's technology corridor near Washington, D.C., the university attracts a diverse and talented student body of over 39,000. The university-its enrollment, academic programs, facilities, and services-is expanding, as is its reputation. Recently cited as a top-rated institution in The Chronicle of Higher Education "Great Colleges to Work For Survey", and as one of the nation's top universities to watch on the U.S. News & World Report list of "Up-and-Coming", George Mason is an institution providing tremendous opportunity for students, faculty, and staff.

About the Department:

New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) is a centralized and comprehensive department within the Division of University Life (UL), whose primary purpose is to foster engagement, build community, establish tradition, and affect retention through three coordinated initiatives: undergraduate orientation and new student programs, parent and family outreach, and leadership development. With special attention to transition and the first-year experience, the New Student and Family Programs office provides innovative programs and services that facilitate the social and academic acclimation process for George Mason University students and their families.

About the Position:

• Reporting to the Director of NSFP, the Associate Director of New Student Programs provides strategic and active management of various components of the department. The position is comprised of several components: Provide leadership and strategic vision for the Quill Camp extended orientation program; Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive first-year communication plan; Provide vision and leadership in the creation of new comprehensive programming specifically designed to engage new students throughout their first year at Mason; and Supervision and management of the professional staff and student New Student Programs team.

The position also supports and provides leadership for various programs and functions of the unit. As an integral member of the NSFP leadership team, the Associate Director provides direction and support for a wide range of division initiatives and serves as an active ambassador for the George Mason community.

Quill Camp:

• Provide leadership and strategic vision for the Quill Camp extended orientation program; Manage program budgets for new student and first-year programs ($300,000), in coordination with Budget Manager and Director; Oversee development and production of publications and all visual identity related to Quill Camp and new student programs, including collaboration on web and social media presence; Support additional departmental programming initiatives, including Family Programs, Quill Camps, and other programs as assigned; and Serve on university committees and other tasks identified by VP/AVP/D.

Programming:

• Provide vision and leadership for existing programming specifically designed to engage new students throughout their first year at Mason; Provide vision and leadership for evaluating and redesigning the first-year experience at Mason. Collaborate with Housing and Residence Life to align unit efforts with First-Year Residential Curriculum and other initiatives; and Serve as a chair for the leadership team for Welcome2Mason extended orientation programming.

Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive first-year communication plan. Assist in the development and implementation of a comprehensive first-year communication plan in coordination with University Life. Represent NSFP on the First-Year Communication group. Provide leadership and support for technology platforms related to new students, including Salesforce and TargetX, Marketplace, and Mason 360. Serve as main contact for key unit stakeholders, and develop partnerships for first-year experience programs and initiatives.

Provide vision and leadership in the creation of new comprehensive programming specifically designed to engage new students throughout their first year at Mason. Provide leadership to the First-Year Advisory Board and the management and execution of the First-Year Experience Curriculum. Identify additional opportunities to support new students' success. Develop relationships with local vendors, donors, and campus stakeholders to secure sponsorship for programs for new students.

Supervision:

Supervision and management of the professional staff and student New Student Programs team. Supervise one Assistant Director for New Student Programs and their leadership of key initiatives. Develop professional staff and para-pro development program/opportunities. Supervise additional undergraduate and graduate staff at the discretion of the Director. Attend professional meetings and maintain active memberships in salient professional organizations. Participate in the training and development of the NSFP student leader teams, as appropriate. Serve on university committees and other tasks identified by Director and/or UL leadership.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Personnel, Counseling or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience; Demonstrated working knowledge of new student and family programs; student and family transitional issues; student leadership and training development; mentoring and advising of student leaders; and have experience designing, developing, and executing large-scale programming initiatives; Must have exceptional interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, and be able to communicate with a variety of constituents and departmental stakeholders; Must have highly developed organizational management and problem-solving skills, and must work accurately and efficiently in order to meet a multitude of deadlines and responsibilities; Must be able to competently interact with a culturally and ethnically diverse population of students, faculty, and staff; Ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment; Ability to manage conflicting and competing situations; Flexibility to work evening hours and weekends, particularly during summer months, is a position requirement; Must possess progressively responsible professional experience (typically obtained in 3+ years) and leadership working closely with staff, undergraduate students, and/or graduate students; and Must have experience designing, developing, and executing large-scale programming initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Ability to make independent decisions on behalf of and in conjunction with departmental, divisional, and university missions and initiatives; Highly committed to customer service; Possess highly developed organizational management and problem-solving skills; Demonstrated experience designing assessment plans, developing, executing and analyzing data, and creating meaningful reports for distribution; Demonstrated leadership abilities and supervisory experience (various levels of supervision a plus, i.e., professional staff, graduate level staff, and students); and Experience creating and managing both print and electronic web publications.

Special Instructions to Applicants

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number FA95GZ at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

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