Associate Vice President, Holistic Student Experience

Requisition ID: req3167

Job Title: Associate Vice President, Holistic Student Experience

Department: Student Affairs

Location: Columbus Campus

Employment Type: Administrator/Executive/Manager

Employment Status: Board Approved

Bargaining Unit: Non-Bargaining Unit

FLSA Status: Exempt

Compensation Type: Annual

The College

Community colleges are uniquely positioned to respond to workforce needs and make higher education an affordable reality. There has never been a better time to join a two-year college, and there’s no better place to do it than at Columbus State. A laser focus on student success and a partnership mindset have established Columbus State as a key talent provider in a thriving regional economy, and a premier community college that is changing the nation’s education and workforce landscapes. With more than 46,000 students across two campuses, at several regional learning centers, and online, Columbus State is the nation’s only institution recognized as an Achieving the Dream (ATD) college, an AACC Guided Pathways institution, and a participant in The Right Signals Initiative through the Lumina Foundation. Columbus State employees at all levels benefit from an engaging, collaborative, and supportive culture that rewards innovation and vision. We provide competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and professional development opportunities. We are dedicated to ensuring that the diversity of Columbus State faculty and staff reflects that of our students and region. We are proud to be a central part of a community that embraces differences and celebrates the many cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles that define Central Ohio.

The City

Columbus, Ohio is also home to The Ohio State University and more than 30 other colleges and universities as well as the headquarters of multiple Fortune 500 companies. Columbus is one of America’s fastest-growing cities, offering a wealth of cultural experiences, dining, entertainment, shopping opportunities, and more. That’s why Central Ohio residents find living here so fulfilling, both professionally and personally. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions described in this position description. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this position description.

Position Summary
As the chief strategist for the student experience (student persistence, success, credential completion, career placement, and student economic mobility strategies) related to college-wide career counseling, academic advising, student financial stability, and academic student support, the Associate Vice President (AVP), Holistic Student Experience is responsible for creating an environment which emphasizes evidence-based student success career and advising strategies with specific attention to equity in outcomes; is based on proven best practice, high-impact retention strategies for community colleges; maintains deep faculty-advisor relationships; ensures professional development; promotes student transfer/placement, and fosters a culture of collaboration and care for students and colleagues.

The AVP safeguards the academic integrity of the college and leads innovations in programs and methods of service delivery that respond in a timely manner to a rapidly changing environment. The AVP provides leadership, vision, direction, and advocacy for the student experience with a comprehensive array of career, advising, student financial stability, and academic supports, which foster credential completion and transfer/placement by focusing on the student experience and each student’s success in achieving their academic, career and financial goals.


ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB

Strategic Leadership
With input from executive administrators, academic deans, faculty, regional enterprise, and workforce partners, collaborates in the design, planning, development, and implementation of student-responsive, assessment-driven career, advising, and holistic support strategies that facilitate student success, persistence, graduation, and transfer/placement. Ensures strategic integration of priorities within the department and continuously reviews strategies for improvement opportunities. Ensures that career counseling, academic advising, and holistic support activities meet the requirements of the College’s accrediting and licensing agencies.
In collaboration with the deans, department chairs, faculty, and workforce partners where academic advising is embedded, leads the development, consistent implementation, and execution of high-impact community college advising practices to improve academic success, career alignment, persistence, and completion of students. Provides guidance to leadership with the goal of creating best practices in advising, career, academic, and holistic support.

In alignment with the Columbus State strategic plan and College Completion Plan, provides strategic leadership for student financial security and inclusive economic mobility. Oversees the department that plans, implements, and coordinates student financial stability supports, programs, projects, and overall operations in the areas of financial access, wellness, literacy, and economic mobility and assesses its impact on student success and completion.

Supports enrollment management initiatives and innovations in programs and methods of delivery that respond in a timely manner to a rapidly changing environment. Collaborates with Enrollment Management, especially recruiting and new student programs, to ensure a seamless entry and onboarding process for all new students to the College and the full implementation of an integrated system for career exploration and services, academic advising, and student academic supports from entry through completion and transfer/placement.


Operational Leadership
Provides daily oversight of the department. Ensures appropriate staffing at all service points, assigns projects and delegates tasks, creates work schedules, provides direction, resolves work problems, communicates job expectations, trains employees, and develops professional growth and development opportunities. Carries out, explains, interprets, and enforces policy, and recommends policy changes that may impede student success.

Conducts annual employee evaluations, recommends pay increases, promotions, and other personnel actions. Approves leave requests and authorizes overtime as appropriate. Manages employee recruitment, selection and on-boarding process of department in partnership with Human Resources. Administers disciplinary actions upon approval, and in collaboration with Human Resources. Establishes and maintains a standard of excellent service to students, faculty, and internal customers.
Designs and implements effective and ongoing professional development programs for the Department of Holistic Student Experience staff to ensure the highest level of outstanding and consistent student support. Leads the development of the College’s Career Services, Academic Advising, Academic Student Support, and related career advising and retention strategies. Leads and manages staff to achieve institutional priorities.

Administers the department budget in collaboration with Business Services. Estimates expenses to implement department objectives; completes midyear budget review; reviews and approves requisitions; exercises budgetary controls and reallocates resources when necessary.


Building Relationships
Supports mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborates with higher education, workforce, and community partners to enhance services for students. Maintains regular communication and working relationships with other areas of the College, keeping them informed of current activities and working collaboratively to achieve institutional priorities. Maintains professional visibility on campus, in the community, and in state and national organizations.

Establishes effective modes of communication about ongoing initiatives. Creates and implements communications strategies and content management for training, web resources, social media, and print materials to support academic and student support initiatives. Forms and cultivates strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations outside the College to help further its student success agenda.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Develops and maintains strategic partnerships with diverse groups and communities. Partners strategically with Talent Acquisition to ensure the best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices are utilized in hiring that results in the hiring and retention of a diverse faculty and staff.

Helps to ensure the College meets its responsibilities in identifying problem areas and systemic concerns while reporting complaints alleging discrimination. Takes responsibility for creating a welcoming, inclusive, and productive work and learning environment where employees and students feel valued and able to contribute to their full potential, regardless of their differences. Assists with conducting workforce analytics to identify potential inhibitors of a workplace environment that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Manages multiple assignments of varying complexity and meets tight timelines and deadlines, with the ability to adapt to changing needs of the College and business partners. Ensures College name and image is perceived positively by external as well as internal audience/stakeholders. Attends all required meetings and trainings.

CORE COMPETENCIES
Professionalism, Leading Teams, Managing Work, Emotional Intelligence Essentials, Continuous Improvement, Establishing Strategic Direction, Customer/Student/Employee Focus, Cultivating Networks and Partnerships, Collaboration, Positive Approach, Leadership, Strategic Influence, Energizing the Organization, and Building Partnerships.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of: administration; executive leadership; management principles and advanced level practices; budget management; coordinating online programs; CAS standards; academic advising and career counseling; student success, completion, and workforce strategies; assessment practices; enrollment management and retention; academic policies, research and innovation in practices and trends affecting the field and the College.

Skill in: strong verbal and written communications; listening; organization; collaboration; strong interpersonal skills; managing change with an understanding of the contexts, cultures, and politics within institutions that impact implementation; cultural awareness; building trust and credibility; analytics and dissemination of data; creating reports; excellent presentation skills.

Ability to: apply management principles to practical situations; develop and maintain effective working relationships with donors, community partners, boards of directors, coworkers, supervisors, students, general public, and other contacts; multi-task; work effectively with diverse array of civic, elected, corporate and other partners; student, staff, and faculty populations; maintain confidential and sensitive information.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions described in this position description. While performing duties for this job, the employee regularly exhibits digital dexterity when entering data into computer, frequently sits for extended periods of time, and occasionally stands and walks. Employee occasionally reaches with hands or arms and stoops, kneels, crouches or crawls. Employee converses verbally or manually with others in person and by telephone. Vision demands include close, detailed vision when focusing on computer screen. Employee occasionally lifts or exerts force up to 10 pounds.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s degree in Counseling; Student Personnel; or a relevant content specialty within Higher Education. Demonstrated experience in progressive leadership in Higher Education Administration, Career Services, Academic Advising, or Academic Student Support and Retention. An appropriate combination of education, training, coursework and experience may qualify a candidate. State Motor Vehicle Operator's License or demonstrable ability to gain access to work site(s).