Multicultural Initiatives Director

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Multicultural Initiatives Director

The Multicultural Initiatives Director is a dynamic student-oriented leader at UW-Stout. The director supervises the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) office. The director develops and facilitates the implementation of strategic initiatives for the MSS office, maintains unit budget, and supervises MSS staff in multicultural programs to promote social justice and equity for multicultural students and their allies. The director ensures implementation of student services that contribute to the retention and graduation of multicultural students, starting from their acceptance to UW-Stout. The director is an advocate for student success and development and works to ensure student knowledge and use of campus services. The director promotes student and MSS staff leadership opportunities and guides multicultural education programming. The director is easily accessible to multicultural students; meeting with students one on one and in groups through advising, programming and leadership opportunities. The director is a leader, advocate, and administrator within and for the MSS office and students. The director should utilize systems-level thinking and approach challenges proactively, rather than reactively. This is a 12-month full-time, position that reports to the Associate Dean of Students for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The desired start date for this position is December 1, 2020.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum / Required

• Master’s degree
• A minimum of three years’ experience working in student affairs, multicultural initiatives or comparable offices (inside or outside of higher education)
• A minimum of two years’ experience supervising professional staff and/or students
• Evidence of significant programmatic experience (planning, event management, evaluation)
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of systemic and current equity, diversity and inclusion issues (such as social justice, intersectionality, historic and current events, and marginalized identities)
• Demonstrated experience with advocacy efforts for the needs of students/clients

Highly Desired

• Four or more years’ experience working with multicultural populations
• Leadership and administrative experience, including the ability to lead a diverse team, and advocate for the needs of ethnic and racially diverse populations
• Two or more years’ experience supervising professional staff
• Focused work that demonstrates knowledge of effective retention initiatives for ethnic and racially diverse populations
• Experience working within coalitions/teams and within the community including internal and external partners
• Demonstrated assessment and evaluation experience, including development, analysis and use of data in strategic planning
• Advanced communication skills, including facilitation
• Budget management experience, including initiating and managing fundraising and/or grant opportunities

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides leadership and direction to the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) office
• Directs strategic planning initiatives and establishes unit objectives to ensure appropriate use of resources
• Develops short- and long-range goals for the MSS office, and work with staff to develop and reach goals
• Develops operating policies and procedures for the MSS office to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and unit objectives
• Recruits, hires, trains and supervises staff, interns, and/or student workers
• Develops and implements the unit personnel resource allocation plan including hiring, training, supervision, and resolution of non-routine personal issues
• Serves as the unit liaison by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to advocate for multicultural students and providing organizational information
• Develops positive relationships and collaborates with other campus agencies in the development and/or support of programs and services which retain, empower and promote the success of underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students
• Collaborates with offices within an intersectionality and social justice framework that promotes inclusive excellence and an equitable environment for underrepresented students
• Upon admittance, works with the MSS team in helping underrepresented students matriculate to the university
• Provide direct service to MSS students as an advisor, mentor and advocate
• Serves as an advocate for multicultural students and empowers student voices and ensures systems are in place to share accomplishments and implement positive change as well as address challenges faced by multicultural students
• Nurtures leadership opportunities for underrepresented students
• Serve as a conduit of information to the Associate Dean of Students for Equity, Diversity and Inclusive in order to ensure effective collaboration with key stakeholders  
• Develops and oversees multiple MSS budgets; ensures budgetary accountability and compliance
• Provide oversight to external funding initiatives including the multicultural student scholarship
• As appropriate, facilitates grant writing and administration to augment budget and services maintains database and analysis systems that support accountability reporting
• Oversees, monitors and evaluates programs delivered and sponsored by MSS
• Assure compliance with institutional, system, and local/state/federal laws, policies and practices related to UW System initiatives, scholarship funds and federal grant programs
• Advises MSS affinity groups (directly and indirectly)
• Serves as a member of the Bias Response Team
• Serve as multicultural/disadvantaged coordinator as established by the UW System
• Other duties as assigned
• This position will require occasional evening and weekend work

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

The Multicultural Student Services (MSS) office is committed to inclusive excellence and closing achievement gaps for underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students. MSS provides academic and personal support for students. MSS fosters opportunities for growth and development in connecting with others who value diversity and inclusion, as well as facilitating opportunity for network development. MSS prioritizes students’ academic success through advising, mentoring, tutoring and facilitation of workshop opportunities. MSS helps students learn how to successfully invest in themselves and their education, providing opportunities for financial literacy development. MSS also seeks to increase intercultural development of our students, to embrace cultural differences and be their best selves.

The MSS office staff demonstrates the values of inclusivity, equity and diversity, and has a commitment to collaboration, trust, respect, excellence and accountability. MSS is a collaborative and professional work environment, in which we work respectfully and collaboratively with UW-Stout employees, students and community partners.

CAMPUS INFORMATION

The University of Wisconsin-Stout offers a rich, dynamic and collaborative environment in which to work and grow. A member of the University of Wisconsin system, UW-Stout is unique within the system--it is named after its founder, James Huff Stout, and holds the distinction of being Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, a designation which highlights our combination of applied learning, real-world experiences and a solid liberal arts foundation.

UW-Stout offers 49 undergraduate and over 20 distinctive, highly-regarded advanced degree programs. Average student enrollment is 9,000.

UW-Stout faculty enjoy opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, state-of-the-art facilities, and a modern digital environment. UW-Stout values innovative approaches to solving problems in society and industry, and faculty are encouraged to maintain strong ties and seek collaborative projects within their disciplines and industries.

All undergraduate students participating in traditional, on campus-based programs are issued laptops. Faculty use the university’s online course delivery system and must be available for online interactions and/or alternate time frames for teaching. Faculty members teach, advise students, conduct research, assess student learning and engage in service activities.

Menomonie, Wisconsin, is a town of 16,000 located in the beautiful Chippewa River Valley, 25 miles west of Eau Claire and 60 miles east of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

More information about the UW-Stout community and region: http://www.uwstout.edu/about/community.cfm. Facts and data about the university:  http://www.uwstout.edu/about/facts.cfm.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.  The UW System provides an excellent benefits package including participation in the Wisconsin State retirement plan.

• Benefit Details: http://www.uwsa.edu/ohrwd/benefits/summaries/fasl.pdf
• Total Compensation Estimator: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/totalcomp/

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, UW-Stout is committed to inclusive excellence and is actively seeking applications from individuals from diverse groups; veterans and individuals with disabilities.

An offer of employment is contingent upon the final candidate passing a criminal background check and a reference check process. The reference check process includes asking the final candidate and most recent supervisor questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment. Final candidates with previous employment within the UW System and State of WI agencies will be subject to additional reference checks.

Official transcripts required at time of hire.

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this position. A successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term.

In response to a public records request, the University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

For campus safety information and crime statistics visit: http://www.uwstout.edu/police/clery.cfm

TO APPLY

Go to: http://jobs.uwstout.edu/  

Applicants will need to complete all required fields and attach all required documents prior to submitting the online application.

Note: Once you have attached your materials and submitted your application you will not be able to go into the system and change them.

Required application materials:

1. Cover letter specifically addressing how you meet the minimum qualifications
2. Resume
3. Names and contact information for a minimum of three (3) professional references

To ensure full consideration complete applications must be submitted online by Tuesday, October 13th. Screening of applications may continue until the position is filled.

It is the policy of UW-Stout to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact us using the information below. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual's disability.

For questions regarding this position or recruitment, please contact:

Search Chair: Sarah Wynn               

Email: wynns@uwstout.edu

If you need assistance with the online application process or if you submitted your application prior to uploading all of the required application materials, please contact:

Search Coordinator: Karrin Ruch

Email: Ruchk@uwstout.edu

Before starting the online application process we recommend you preview the frequently asked questions (FAQs) available at: https://kb.wisc.edu/hrs/page.php?id=21900