Associate Director for Graduate Academic Success

Associate Director for Graduate Academic Success

The George Mason University, Office of Graduate Education invites applications for an Associate Director for Graduate Academic Success. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Department:

The Office of Graduate Education supports Mason’s graduate programs and ensures the academic success of more than 10,800 graduate students while upholding the quality and rigor of graduate education at Mason. Our office, in conjunction with academic units and partners across all of our campuses, undertakes a myriad of functions to provide this support. These include facilitating curricular enhancements, administering graduate policies and procedures, and providing internal and external funding opportunities. As students join Mason’s graduate programs, the office collaborates with Graduate Student Life, Career Services, and the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning to provide a community of support and growth that enables them to develop the professional skills and relationships needed to thrive while at Mason, become prepared for their future careers, and respond to market demands and needs.

About the Position:

The Mason Office of Graduate Education seeks an Associate Director for Graduate Academic Success to lead the design, implementation, and sustainability of a support structure for ensuring and maximizing the academic success of the University’s graduate student population.

The Associate Director, reporting to the Director of Graduate Academic and Student Affairs, will manage academic success for graduate students by organizing efforts to develop and implement a sustainable structure of support towards students’ educational and professional goals. The design and execution of this initiative will involve a close collaboration with every Mason academic unit and their respective faculty and staff members.

Responsibilities:

• Manage administration of Graduate Council affairs;
• Create, implement and sustain opportunities to collaborate with all relevant campus partners on communication, implementation, marketing, and assessment of student success initiatives;
• Lead and support for graduate student success initiatives, and manage, track and assess results;
• Create, implement, and assess sustainable and scalable advising and mentoring programs;
• Collaborate with and support faculty mentors, and professional and peer advisors across disciplines;
• Develop and organize programs and training workshops to graduate students and campus partners as needed;
• Manage the collection of data for graduate students across the University, including those used for the assessment of enrollment, retention and degree completion;
• Maintain a dynamic web and social media presence that will provide graduate students, faculty mentors, advisors and administrators with resources and information on graduate student academic success;
• Enforce internal graduate policies, procedures and practices;
• Stay abreast of current initiatives and trends related to any academic success strategies;
• Serve on University committees as assigned;
• Other duties, as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher by time of hire;
• Extensive progressive experience of related work (typically over ten (10) years of experience) ;
• Strong desire to work with graduate students, faculty and administrators from a wide range of disciplines and schools;
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent presentation skills;
• Proven proficiency with computers including software systems and applications as required for specific position;
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple priorities;
• Ability to develop and utilize tools and processes to collect, analyze, and report data;
• Ability to work well in a diverse environment;
• Ability to think critically, make independent decisions, and take initiative as appropriate;
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a team environment;
• Demonstrate high level of organizational skills as required for specific position;
• Adhere to University policies and procedures to meet Institutional goals and support University’s mission for graduate student academic success.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive progressive relevant experience (fifteen (15) or more years);
• Experience developing online platforms to support the delivery of resources;
• Experience developing systems or processes for collecting, organizing, and analyzing data;
• Experience regularly working with graduate students, faculty and administrators.

Special Instructions to Applicants      

For full consideration, applicants must apply to position number FA88Az at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.