Associate Director of First Generation Initiatives Program - Denver, United States - Metropolitan State University of Denver

Description

Department
C2 HUB - SSR

Salary for Announcement

We anticipate the qualified candidate to be placed between $57,600 - $67,250 . The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The above salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of the First-Generation Initiatives Program plays a key role in supporting first-generation college students in their academic journey, sense of belonging, career preparation, and college completion. The Associate Director of First-Generation Initiatives is a leader within the Classroom to Career Hub Student Success team. The Associate Director reports to the Assistant Vice President of Student Success and supports them in setting the vision for the First-Generation Initiatives.

The Associate Director of First-Generation Initiatives Program will lead the continuing development and management of a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of students who are the first in their families to attend college. Fifty-nine percent of the MSU Denver student population is the first person in their family to attend college. The Associate Director is charged with embedding equity and inclusion in student engagement to positively impact the academic outcomes of first-generation students. As such, first-generation students have a unique college journey and the Associate Director is responsible for implementing policies, needs assessments, developing programs, educating the campus community, and collaborating within the Classroom to Career Hub and campus departments to support first-generation students. Furthermore, our first-generation students are members of many identity groups, and the Associate Director will be familiar with and incorporate culturally competent services that honor, affirm, and explore students' intersecting identities, such as but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income status, and documentation status, build community, and cultivate leadership among MSU Denver's first-generation students. This position is expected to deliver culturally competent, assessable, and inclusive support of the MSU Denver first-generation student population.

The University is particularly interested in applicants with experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for under-represented groups.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver. Fifty-five percent of our undergraduate student body are students of color, and fifty-nine percent identify as first-generation students.

Within the Division of Student Affairs, we strive to create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. Rather, it requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a foundation for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer.

IND208

Duties/Responsibilities

40% Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Responsible for creating and implementing the comprehensive strategic vision for First Generation programming
• Engage in strategic partnership across the university that will enhance the visibility and the success of first-generation students
• Lead the university in the First Scholars Network phase
• Plan and lead MSU Denver's First Scholars Network working committee meetings
• Identify, develop, and maintain key metrics that represent the success of the first-generation program.
• Evaluate and assess the needs and experiences of MSU Denver first-generation students and provide support services including assisting students in obtaining appropriate resources and academic support services and provide referrals to other campus offices
• Maintain a strong understanding of first-generation needs, current trends, first-generation issues, and policies to inform the campus community.

30% Program Implementation and Development

• The Associate Director will utilize best practices identified by the First Scholars Network and institutional data to develop a first-generation undergraduate student experience that advances the needs of First-Generation students. (2) build community and assist first-generation students in developing a sense of belonging; (3) support and advocate for first-generation students, students from historically underrepresented communities and students from a variety of marginalized positionalities
• Responsible for planning and implementing programming that addresses the intersecting identities and needs of First-Generation students such as but not limited to the planning of the First-Generation graduation ceremonies
• Oversee the development of first-generation program websites, promotional materials, forms, documents, and publications to accommodate the needs of the students and campus community.
• Develop and share publication materials for first-generation students via electronic newsletters, Met Media platforms, and/or social media outreach.

10% - Campus Education and Partnerships

• Work with the Student Success team and colleagues to develop trainings, educational programs, and workshops, and bring visibility to first-generation student needs and experiences.
• Develop and implement first-generation curriculum and program design with faculty and academic affairs that focuses on both academic success skills as well as leadership development within the program.
• Cultivate partnerships with campus and community to highlight first-generation needs on and off-campus.
• Incorporate an intersectional approach to first-generation student identity that recognizes students' multiple identities along with their first-generation identity.
• Provide and implement trainings for campus community on first-generation needs and issues.
• Collaborate with Classroom to Career Hub colleagues and other campus offices on programs to support the holistic development of all MSU Denver students.
• Utilize existing campus student engagement event o support and promote the intersections of first-generation students.
• Plan and implement recruitment activities to ensure incoming first-year students are aware of first-generation initiatives.
• Assist and collaborate with MSU Denver summer orientation sessions which serves as a recruit tool for incoming first-year students with the support of first-generation staff.
• Collaborate and work with high school counselors, teachers, and other youth organizations to inform students about MSU Denver's first-generation program and initiatives

10% - Program Assessment and Evaluation

• Regularly communicates (and reports) on first-generation student participation, retention, graduation, GPA, Satisfactory Academic Program (SAP), etc; does so with disaggregated information on relevant first-generation student demographic characteristics including race and ethnicity.
• Develop and disseminates evaluations on workshop effectiveness, program learning outcomes, and overall program outcomes.
• Conducts focus groups and capture student feedback.
• Research best practices of other first-generation offices, first-year, leadership, and mentoring programs.
• Assist with program improvement through utilizing student feedback to inform programmatic changes (potential areas of improvement: policy implementation, program expansion, etc.).

10% - Supervision and Operations

• Provide excellent supervision for the First-Generation undergraduate student staff who support first-generation program operations and create conditions that empower historically underrepresented student populations at MSU Denver (i.e., Black, African/African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, Native American, and Indigenous students).
• Recruit, hire, train, evaluate, and hold student employees accountable to performance expectations.
• Monitor allocated budget and expenses. Responsible for advocating for equity and justice in development and deployment of fiscal strategies impacting multicultural engagement and inclusion.
• Actively participates in committees and working groups related to equity and student engagement and supports the development and implementation of equity and diversity education and training on campus
• Participate in training and relevant professional development activities to support professional and/or departmental growth. Works to operationalize and/or integrate learning from these trainings into the work unit and work processes.
• Is an innovator, a disrupter, and a change agent for racial equity and student engagement. Strives to recognize inequities in the work and in oneself and commits to address them. Seeks out opportunities to take calculated risks in support of a more engaged and equitably supported student community at MSU Denver.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Two years of previous experience in higher education, student affairs, or a related field, with a demonstrated commitment to first-generation student success
• Experience with planning and implementing programs aimed at the retention and graduation of historically underrepresented students, low-income, first-generation, and racially/ethnically diverse.
• Event planning and management experience
• Experience collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.
• Experience with policy implementation and needs assessment around first-generation and racially/ethnically diverse student populations.

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meet ALL required qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two years' experience specifically leading first-generation initiatives within a higher education setting or related field
• Experience leading and planning strategic planning committees
• Earned Master's Degree in higher education administration, student affairs, education leadership, counseling, social work, or a related field.
• Knowledge of student development theory and practice.
• Experience conducting program evaluations to assess for improvement or goal completion on student learning outcomes.
• Budget Management experience
• Experience planning and facilitating trainings, workshops, and/or teaching.

Work Hours

• 40 hours per week
• Some nights and weekends will be required
• Hybrid schedule available (on-campus and remote)

Instructions to Apply

For full consideration, please submit the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

If you are an Internal applicant, please apply via the Career tab within the WorkDay Menu

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meet ALL required qualifications.

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Posting Representative
Carlos Alcala

Posting Representative Email

Benefits

MSU Denver is pleased to offer our current and potential employees a wide array of benefit options. To learn more, please visit the following link:

Employee Benefits Offerings

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at .

Diversity Statement

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. Our student population consists of nearly 58% first generation students and over 50% students of color. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver.

We create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We greatly value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. It requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a culture of belonging for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.