Career and Education

Job Description Summary

In support of University mission and goals and Division priorities, the Director
is responsible and accountable for the intentional re-imagination, leadership, and overall administrative oversight of a student-centered, inclusive, just, and caring organizational unit. The Director ensures the development, implementation, assessment, and evaluation of University traditions, co-curricular programs, and other high-impact experiences that contribute to student success goals; teach holistic success based on student development theories and promising practices; teach ethical behaviors; teach diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice; nurture an authentic sense of belonging for all students at every level; and prepare Michigan Tech students to be problem-solvers and “culturally receptive leaders for a diverse world.” The Director is also responsible for complying with and ensuring staff compliance with policies, procedures, and applicable laws and regulations in the administration of duties.

Full consideration will be provided to applicants who apply on or before 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)

Examples of core functional and position-specific duties include:

● Staff excellence. Promote staff excellence, diversity, inclusion, and sense of belonging through the hiring, coaching, mentoring, development, supervision, and evaluation of permanent, temporary, and student employees.
● Student excellence.
○ Promote student excellence, diversity, inclusion, and sense of belonging by ensuring, supervising, and engaging in the design, implementation, and evaluation of signature and large-scale university traditions, projects, and initiatives under the office’s purview and as assigned by the VPSA-DOS.
○ Create, implement, and evaluate comprehensive and standardized annual and ongoing training modules for student leaders and advisors that include, for example, policies, promising practices, risk management, safety, legal implications, conflict resolution, diversity outreach and inclusion, etc.).
○ Promote engagement and a sense of student belonging by leading efforts to develop new student clubs and organizations that respond to students’ interests including those related to identity and psychosocial development.
○ Co-advise Undergraduate Student Government and ensure the advising of registered student organizations without an advisor.
● Operational excellence.
○ Develop, implement, evaluate, and improve business practices to ensure the efficient and ethical use of resources (e.g., human, budgetary, technological).
○ Ensure the recruitment and registration of student clubs and organizations including student media entities.
○ Collaborate with the Memorial Union Board (MUB Board) to assist with planning large-scale campus events and experiences.
○ Ensure the proper review, approval, and execution of business or programming contracts.
○ Supervise, represent, and advise the VPSA-DOS on matters related to the Student Activity Fee budget allocation process.
○ Collaborate with Conduct offices regarding conduct cases and sanctioning of student organizations.
○ Create and participate in a staff-rotation model for select evening student events as a designated supervisor, particularly high-risk events.
○ Ensure the ongoing operation of reporting units in the event of vacancies.
● Planning and assessment excellence. Lead staff in the ongoing development, implementation, assessment, and evaluation of service delivery, strategic, and other operational plans.

Examples of additional duties and responsibilities for all Student Affairs non-union staff:

● Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.
● Actively engage in creating an inclusive, welcoming, and professional work environment for staff, students, and visitors.
● Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to ensure that services delivered to students are audience-specific, timely, culturally-relevant, needs-based, aligned with leadership’s priorities and student learning outcomes, and can be evaluated.
● Leverage relevant social media platforms and other marketing and outreach strategies to promote and increase attendance at events and services.
● Identify and propose appropriate professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills.
● Collaborate with supervisor and division leadership to enhance the visibility of Student Affairs achievements by, for example, exploring and submitting proposals to conferences to showcase effective programs that may be replicated within the profession.
● Develop, propose, and manage approved programming and/or service delivery budgets based on data and event requirements.
● Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate approved and assigned student employees.
● Participate and actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives and strategies and apply knowledge to everyday work.
● Assist with collecting program data and other evidence to better understand student needs, student learning, and programmatic formative and summative outcomes.
● Ensure that record-keeping systems are updated, accurate, and audit-ready.
● Submit monthly, annual, and ad hoc productivity reports.
● Perform other mission-critical and position-specific duties as requested based on operational needs (e.g., all-hands-on-deck events such as orientation, welcome week, homecoming, commencement, and other university traditions).

Examples of measures of success:

1. Number of programs, services, and events offered to students.
2. Students’ participation rate in programs, services, and events.
3. Students’ satisfaction with programs, services, and events.
4. Retention rate for students receiving services.
5. Graduation rate for students receiving services.
6. Attainment of Student Learning Outcomes.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures (minimum requirements)

● Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.

Required Experience (minimum requirements)

● Five years of full-time professional experience performing duties directly related to the position.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

● Master’s degree in a related field.
● Related experiences in a college or university setting.
● Experience advising student organizations.
● Experience advising fraternity or sorority organizations.
● Experience with events management.
● Experience facilitating, teaching, and/or developing leadership programs.
● Experience in student learning assessment or program evaluation.
● Experience developing and managing budgets.
● Experience supervising professional, non-student staff.
● Experience supervising unionized employees at any level.
● Experience using software or database platforms related to the position.
● Experience in risk management practices.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities (minimum requirements)

To maximize our effectiveness and success as a Division and to serve as campus leaders in developing staff talent, Student Affairs at Michigan Tech adopts the following core required knowledge, skills, and/or abilities for all positions:

Skills

1. Communication skills: Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
2. Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn and contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals.
3. Project coordination skills: ability to lead or contribute to planning or organizing projects, programs, services, etc.
4. Conflict resolution skills: ability to use interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive professional relationships and resolve conflict in a team environment and with individuals from various diverse backgrounds and experiences.
5. Analytical skills: ability to analyze information and offer sound recommendations.
6. Computational skills: ability to perform basic mathematical computations to assist with financial operations and/or data collection, analysis, and reporting.
7. Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software, preferably Microsoft Office or Google Suite.

Abilities

1. Ability to adhere to work attendance requirements.
2. Ability to model self-care and well-being for colleagues and, most importantly, students.
3. Ability to manage emotions, function effectively, and make sound decisions in stressful and crisis situations.
4. Ability to handle multiple projects, services, activities, etc. in a timely and professional manner in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment.
5. Ability to promote and achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion of multi-racial/ethnic, low-income, LGBTQ+, veteran, non-traditional, online, disability, first-generation, and others.
6. Ability to be flexible, diplomatic, patient, service-driven, and a self-starter.
7. Ability to work independently under limited supervision and in teams.
8. Ability to make reasoned administrative and procedural decisions and judgments on sensitive and confidential issues.
9. Ability to work evening and weekend hours based on operational need.
10. Ability to comply with Michigan Tech vehicle-use requirements (some driving may be necessary, including transporting students and staff to approved events).

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

To maximize our effectiveness and success as a Division and to serve as campus leaders in developing staff talent, Student Affairs at Michigan Tech adopts the following core desired knowledge, skills, and/or abilities for all positions:

1. Preparatory knowledge: coursework, military,or work-based knowledge of student development theories, learning theories, and other theories related to profession.
2. Student knowledge: knowledge of generational college students and the ability to design generation- and audience-specific programs/events/services.
3. Accountability: experience with applying formative, summative, qualitative, and/or quantitative methodologies to assessing student learning outcomes and/or evaluating programs and services.
4. Multimedia experience: ability to collaborate on or design brochures, event flyers, and/or newsletters and develop and manage social media accounts.
5. Reporting experience: experience with program databases or software programs used to track, monitor, and report services to students.
6. Ability to plan and execute programs and services based on social justice, cultural responsiveness, anti-racism, and civility.

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

● Moving small- to medium-sized boxes of materials in and out office during special events
● Driving personal or university vehicles or golf-cart during special events to transport materials and supplies to events
● The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
● Fast-paced
● Results-oriented
● Accountability-driven
● Agile culture

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.

Required University Training:

• Employee Safety Overview

• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training

• Annual Data Security Training 

• Annual Title IX Training

Background Check:

Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:

The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. Visa sponsorship is unavailable at this time. This is not an E-Verified Position.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities

1.00

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Rate/Salary

Negotiable. No less than $70,000.

Title of Position Supervisor

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Note: The Division is going through intentional reimagination of work; the reporting line may change prior to or after hire.

Posting Type

Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)

Please upload the following materials exactly as stated:
(1) a cover letter that addresses required and desired qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities;
(2) a résumé with starting and ending month and year for each job; and
(3) contact information for three references (preferably, one should be supervisory).

Position will remain open until filled. Screening and interviews may begin immediately.
The screening process may also include a self-assessment of required and desired skills, abilities, and experiences.

Full consideration will be provided to applicants who apply on or before 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Additional Information

Michigan Tech is an internationally renowned doctoral research flagship university located in Houghton, MI. Houghton is located in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior. The area provides a unique setting where natural beauty, culture, education, and a diversity of residents from around the world come together to share a superb living and learning experience.

We embrace our winters and cherish our summers with an unapologetic spirit of resilience and adventure. We attract students and employees who love “the great outdoors” and are comfortable with not having amenities usually associated with large communities. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to research the geographical area carefully before applying.

The Character of the Division (and for the AD)

The Division of Student Affairs at Michigan Tech is devoted to student success from enrollment to commencement. We are dynamic, agile, and culturally-responsive. We guide, support, and, on occasion, challenge students as they develop, refine, and pursue their academic, career, and personal endeavors. All staff are responsible for creating a safe, welcoming, diverse, inclusive, respectful, and caring environment for students, colleagues, and visitors. We seek skilled and diverse colleagues who are student-focused, nimble, self-motivated, and will embrace and respect who we are and what we do. We also seek colleagues committed to moving the Division forward towards prominence and influence on campus, nationally, and within the Student Affairs profession. Titles and responsibilities are subject to change in accordance with university policies and procedures to meet the needs of our students, the university and division, the state of Michigan, employers, and the profession.

Before applying, we encourage interested individuals to spend time learning more about who we are, our values, and what we do: https://www.mtu.edu/student-affairs/.