Assistant Director of Student Engagement

Department: Schar School of Policy and Government

Classification: Education Support Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Motor Vehicle Records Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Schar School of Policy and Government provides undergraduate and graduate students the skills, knowledge, and analytic abilities to be leaders and managers in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

About the Position:

The primary responsibility of the Assistant Director of Student Engagement is to build supportive and inclusive communities of undergraduate students and faculty within the Schar School. The Assistant Director of Student Engagement builds a sense of belonging and Schar School communal identity by creating opportunities for Mason and Schar School students to connect and get to know one another through Schar School learning communities programming. Additionally, the Assistant Director of Student Engagement provides students with opportunities to meet a variety of faculty and leaders at Mason, in the Washington DC region, and around the nation and world, and creates programming that allows students to connect and build relationships with experts in their fields. In collaboration with Schar School faculty, the position provides academic and professional development opportunities that expand the students' sense of what is possible and what they can do post-graduation, and works closely with the Schar Undergraduate Recruiter to develop a marketing plan to attract additional students to the Schar School.

Responsibilities:

Learning Community Programming:

• Oversees event and activity coordination for the Schar School small communities;
• Works with the Schar School and Mason offices to develop an integrated plan for workshops, presentations, freshman seminars, trips, discussion series, virtual offerings, etc. that support the undergraduate programs;
• In the Schar School, works with: Undergraduate Advising, Marketing and Communications, Career Development, Scheduling, Admissions, Development, Dean's Office; coordinates efforts with the Schar School administrative team and the undergraduate advising team to manage communications and activity/event planning for the undergraduate academic programs;
• Across Mason, works with: Registrar, Housing and Residential Life, Admissions, IEM, Contemporary Student Services, New Student & Family Programming, Career Services, and Global Education Office; builds connections with University Life and Career Services partners to integrate best practices for student success into undergraduate program planning;
• Coordinates programming elements for the communities: Subject matter activities, Academic skill-building (research, writing, time management, advising), Professional Development, Social interaction and connections, Well-being programming;
• Considers a wide variety of programming options best suited to the community's academic, professional, and social goals (e.g., guest speakers, discussion sessions/series, common projects, social activities, RA programming, field trips and tours, civic or service experiences);
• Documents programmatic spending, and creates annual budgets for each learning community based on current spending and goals for future programming;
• Works with faculty directors to identify innovative and responsive programming opportunities, including but not limited to international experiences, customized field trips, group projects, and specialized networking activities;
• Seeks out and builds collaborative opportunities with other Schar School and Mason entities that can maximize the experiences of students in the communities, including but not limited to Schar research centers, Registered Student Organizations, University Life, and other academic units at Mason;
• Generates enthusiasm and participation among the students; sets and communicates high expectations for student engagement in the communities;
• Works with the Assistant Director for Undergraduate Recruitment to develop yearlong orientation programming for students and additional outreach and programming for families/parents; and
• Supports the development of opportunities that reach across the communities to cultivate student networks and relationships.

Learning Community Faculty Support:

• Provides programming and pedagogical support to faculty directors/advisors of five faculty-led Schar School communities;
• Helps faculty directors/advisors develop structures for creating community expectations and pathways for participation;
• Convenes regular meetings with both individual faculty directors and with the full team of faculty directors; identifies opportunities for collaboration and support among the community directors;
• Participates in regular meetings of the undergraduate faculty committee to consolidate efforts related to undergraduate programming, recruitment, and retention; and
• Liaises between community and faculty and the Schar School scheduling, advising, recruitment, marketing, and administrative teams to ensure that the communities are receiving timely and effective support.

Integrated Marketing:

• Develops an integrated marketing plan to ensure that all undergraduate programming and opportunities are reaching the appropriate audiences both in and outside of Mason;
• Coordinates with the following Schar School staff and faculty: Assistant Director for Undergraduate Recruitment, Communications and Marketing Team, Undergraduate Advising Team, LC faculty directors; and with Student Leaders, including Peer Liaisons, Peer Advisors, and Schar School Office Assistants;
• Engages with alumni, student leaders, and faculty advisors of Schar School student organizations (Model UN, Schar USO, Pi Sigma Alpha, Patriot Pre-Law Group) to ensure programming and effective marketing of these communities to both current Mason students and to prospective students, including ADVANCE/NOVA students; and
• Partners with Schar School scheduling team, advising team, and LC faculty directors to communicate with and register students for learning communities in a timely manner.

Assessment and Development:

• Works closely with current students and alumni of the learning communities to ascertain what will be most compelling to them, and to get a sense of whether the programming is meeting our objectives;
• Uses systematic inquiry to improve program performance;
• Draws on student affairs best practices related to program evaluation, tracking participation and feedback and running student surveys and focus groups;
• Integrates ongoing assessment structures into program design; and
• Regularly collects and analyzes program outcomes; meets with program faculty/staff to review and make adjustments in response to the data.

Supervision of Learning Communities Assistant:

• Responsible for filling and keeping staffed the LC Assistant position, a part-time wage assignment;
• Trains LC Assistant in the completion of assigned duties, including LC programming and logistical support, student recruitment, and academic year planning; and
• Supports LC Assistant in identifying and working towards professional development goals.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated relevant experience within the field of education;
• Demonstrated skills in customer service skills, including interpersonal skills, public relations skills, and the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals (prospective students, faculty, alumni, staff, and current students);
• Evidence of follow-through skills;
• Effective organizational, planning and time management skills, with strong attention to detail;
• Ability to multi-task and problem solve innovatively, strategically prioritizing resources and tasks;
• Possess strong working knowledge of the changing higher education recruitment and admissions landscape;
• Possess excellent communications skills (both written and verbal) and a dynamic personality;
• Have a strong ability to speak publicly both in person and via web-based tools, i.e. Zoom, Teams, Go-to-Meeting;
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a team-based environment;
• Ability to take initiative and complete projects and/or assignments with little or no supervision;
• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment;
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite including Microsoft Excel;
• Willingness to work some evening and weekend hours;
• Incumbent must be able to travel throughout Virginia and nationally for recruitment events and/or be eligible to use a state vehicle; and
• Valid driver's license or ability to obtain; must currently possess or obtain an appropriate, active, valid motor vehicle operator’s license that meets all of GMU’s requirements for operating state vehicles and equipment under Mason’s Vehicle Use Policy 1411 https://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/vehicle-use/. The Office of Risk Management reserves the right to review the driver’s licenses and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) of all candidates selected with employment contingent upon a favorable review.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Demonstrated relevant experience in higher education/student affairs programming;
• Experience in the use of technology to support data management and report development, including Qualtrics;
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of student engagement, student affairs, and high impact practices; and
• Ability to identify and tailor messaging to target audiences.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Assistant Director of Student Engagement at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume.

Posting Open Date: April 3, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: April 22, 2024

Open Until Filled?:  Yes