Director, Student Life
Basic Position Information
Job Code: 2161
Title: Director, Student Life
Department: Student Affairs
Essential Personnel: N
Job Family: Student Operations
Job Sub-Family: Student Success
FLSA Classification: E
Job Grade: 16
Grade Min: $65,866
Grade Mid: $79,040
UHD Succession Plan: N
Criticality of Position: N/A
Career Ladder: Individualized
Campus Security Authority: Y
Screening Committee: Y
Motor Vehicle Record Check: Y
Job Summary
The Director of Student Life is responsible for creating and supporting a high-quality student life experience for all students at UHD. The Director of Student Life creates, implements, and facilitates opportunities for co-curricular learning and student leadership development. The Director of Student Life will also promote proactive retention activities and student engagement. The Director of Student Life functions as a student advocate by responding directly to student needs and issues affecting student well-being. The Director of Student Life reports to the Dean of Students.
Duties
- Develops and market student initiatives and programming that will promote high-quality student life experiences and holistic well-being
- Implements and facilitates educational and developmental workshops that foster student leadership and professionalism
- Provides oversight to campus-wide signature student events and programs such as Homecoming, Ring Ceremony, Blue Coats, and others as requested by the Dean of Students
- Stays abreast of campus services, programs, resources, and other opportunities to aid in the retention of all students
- Directs students to resources, policies, and procedures to address personal or academic concerns
- Assists with addressing and responding to student complaints
- Serves as back-up student conduct officer for Assistant Dean of Students
- Works with faculty, staff, and administration to address and respond to student concerns and needs
- Builds relationships and partnerships with student service offices across campus
- Assists Assistant Dean of Students with leading orientation programming for Student Affairs
- Oversees social media accounts for Student Affairs
- Assists the Dean of Students with special projects
- Assists and supports programming hosted by departments within Student Affairs
- Performs all other duties assigned by the Dean of Students
Marginal Duties
- Performs all other duties assigned
Supervisory Responsibilities
Direct Reports:
- Assists with supervising student workers
Delegation of Work:
- N/A
Supervision Given:
- N/A
Qualifications
Required Education:
- Master's degree in Student Affairs Administration, Higher Education, Education, Counseling, Social Work, or related field
Required Experience:
- Minimum of five (5) years' experience in Student Affairs, college student personnel, higher education administration, or related field with demonstration of progressive leadership and responsibilities
- Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years' experience in programming and event management on a collegiate level
- Minimum of three (3) years' experience with leadership development/training programs
License/Certification:
- None Required
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with college student leadership development
- Experience working and providing intervention to college students lacking basic needs and other barriers to well-being
- Experience with student conduct
- Experience working with an urban/diverse student population
- Experience with managing business social media accounts
- Demonstrated experience with commonly used higher education software and applications (PeopleSoft, CampusGroups, Zoom)
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge:
- Knowledge of trends, issues, and accepted practices relevant to higher education, student affairs, student leadership development, and student well-being
Skills:
- Proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook
- Excellent diplomacy and interpersonal skills
- Excellent customer service skills
- Strong planning and organizational skills, accompanied by strong attention to detail
- Skilled in analyzing and organizing data sets into reports and presentations
Abilities:
- Ability to deliver excellent written and oral communication in a manner appropriate to the audience
- Ability to work through processes quickly and prioritize responsibilities
- Ability to synthesize detailed, complex information into clear and compelling recommendations
for problem
- solving and decision
- making
Work Location and Physical Demands
Primary Work Location:
- Primary Work Location: Works in an office environment
Physical Demands:
- Physical Demands: Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment which does not subject the employee to any unpleasant elements. Position is physically comfortable; individual has discretion about sitting (80%) walking (10%), standing (10%), etc. Occasional lifting, pushing, climbing, and pulling may be required. Work environment involves minimal exposure to physical risks. Occasional evening and/or weekend work may be required.
Position Specific Competencies
Commitment to Excellence - UHD
- Demonstrates a commitment to competently perform his/her job duties and responsibilities within established time frames.
- Continuously strives to improve work performance.
- Accepts responsibility for his/her commitments to the university.
- Contributes to the success of the university by consistently providing quality results in the performance of his/her job duties and responsibilities.
Respect and Cooperation
- Treats others with courtesy, respect, and dignity in the workplace.
- Promotes cooperation through open and honest communications and consideration of others ideas, thoughts, and opinions.
Integrity
- Demonstrates high ethical standards of conduct in the performance of his/her job duties and responsibilities.
- Accepts responsibility for his/her actions.
- Respects and complies with department and university policies, procedures, and work rules.
Proficiency
- Possesses required job skills and knowledge.
- Demonstrates the ability to apply those skills and knowledge to competently perform his/her job duties and assignments.
Dependability
- Takes responsibility to accomplish job assignments within reasonable deadlines.
- Willing to accept new projects and/or commitments.
- Does due diligence to complete projects within specified timeframes and/or fulfill commitments.
- Arrives to work on time prepared and ready to contribute.
Flexibility
- Willingly adjusts to changing work assignments or conditions.
- Open to changes in operational procedures, technology, and/or organizational structure.
- Views changes as opportunities for learning and professional development.
- Displays a positive attitude to encourage others.
- Promptly responds to changes in work priorities and/or unexpected circumstances or situations.
Customer Relations Management
- Ensures customer's needs and expectations are addressed within his/her department or section. (Customers can be students, external constituents, employees, or university guests.)
- Mentors and guides department/section staff by sharing knowledge and best practices to appropriately respond to customer's requests.
- Monitors staff interactions with customers for professional conduct, consistent application of university policies and procedures, and follow up of outstanding requests.
- Assumes responsibility for addressing complex or unusual requests.
Computer/Automated System Proficiency
- Proficient in the use of university applications or automated systems to perform job duties.
- Complies with related policies, procedures, and work rules to maintain system security and data integrity.
Building External Relationships
- Demonstrates the ability to build rapport and develop relationships with external constituents.
- Displays a genuine interest in constituents' ideas and concerns, and pursues mutual interests and aspirations between the university and external constituents.
- Builds trust and forms alliances through shared respect and cooperation.
Leadership
- Leads the organizational unit's endeavors to achieve its goals and objectives in support of the university's vision and mission.
- Oversees the organizational unit's operations in accordance with the university's shared values of excellence, student success, inclusiveness, respect, and integrity.
- Fosters a dynamic work environment that encourages teamwork and cooperation.
Focus on Customer Service
- Focuses on customer's needs and expectations. (Customers can be students, external constituents, employees, or university guests.)
- Respectfully ascertains customer's needs and determines appropriate response.
- Promptly responds by providing requested information, takes appropriate action, or refers customer to appropriate individual or department.
- If further actions need to be taken, advises customers of realistic timeframes for a response to their request.
- Follows up with customers on outstanding requests in a timely manner.
- Tactfully explains to customers why their needs and/or expectations cannot be met if the university does not provide the requested information or services.
Student Success Indirect Support
- Contributes to student success by assisting students with anything that supports their student experience, whether directly or indirectly.
- Helps students navigate their way through the different offices, programs, and services at the university and/or connects students with the appropriate party(ies).
- Connects students with services or resources that can help them with career exploration, goal selection, and ongoing academic assistance.
- Helps students build peer support networks.
- Encourages student participation in out-of-class activities.
- Provides encouragement and guidance to foster student success.
- Treats students with respect
- Maintains the learning environment to ensure quality and/or sound pedagogy.
This job description may not encompass all duties and responsibilities associated with the position.