Vice Provost for Campus Life, University of Montana

Provost and Executive Vice President, Pardis Mahdavi and the University of Montana (UM) invites applications for the next Vice Provost for Campus Life . We welcome and invite applications from interested individuals with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We encourage applications from and nominations of women, Native Americans, persons of color, persons with disabilities, veterans, and other individuals from underrepresented groups.

As the next Vice Provost for Campus Life (VPCL), you will be responsible for the oversight, direction, and development of all student success programs and associated efforts designed to enhance both the academic and social development of students at UM. The VPCL provides innovative and effective leadership, including budget and human resource management, for all student success programs. The VPCL is charged with engaging in wide-ranging strategic planning efforts, facility planning, and program enhancement to improve connections between student success and academic support units campus wide.

Areas reporting directly to the VPCL include academic support units, university auxiliary operations, campus life and engagement, career readiness, residential life, wellness, inclusivity and diversity programs, disability equity and accommodations, and co-curricular programs that serve diverse student needs and interests across campus. The VPCL will foster a safe and healthy campus learning environment by providing educational, prevention, and response systems that are easily accessed and convenient for students.

As the VPCL you will play a vital role in demonstrating the commitment of the University to comprehensively address student concerns and provide accessible means and opportunities for students to overcome enrollment and completion barriers. You will be responsible for playing a critical role in fostering and sustaining an inclusive campus environment that values diversity. As the VPCL you will create highly functional, collaborative partnerships between the University and its diverse population of students and forge relationships that reinforce our commitment to diversity throughout campus, the Missoula community, and the region.

The VPCL is a highly visible and trusted campus presence, with strong interpersonal and communication skills and encourages collaboration and innovation. You will engage with faculty, staff, and students frequently to ensure consistent and responsive problem solving. You will provide productive and consistent advocacy for students and are a key point of contact and advising for the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM). The VPCL engages closely with student affairs leaders in the University of Montana affiliates group and throughout the Montana University System.

The specific duties of this role include:

• Develop, implement, oversee, and administer academic support and educational assistance activities.
• Encourage students to access support resources available to maximize their opportunity for academic success.
• Ensure that all student success programs consistently generate measurable results, and that these results are regularly and effectively communicated to the campus community.
• Develop, coordinate, and administer programs designed to advance overall student success by measurably increasing student persistence and degree completion.
• Assure that all students, regardless of major declaration or undeclared status, receive robust and effective academic advising and support throughout their university experience.
• Ensure the timely provision of relevant and accurate data to provide sound operational leadership.
• Regularly and effectively communicate the accomplishments of student success programs to variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Actively engage in the continuous and thorough assessment of initiatives aimed at enhancing the probability of student success.
• Provide employee supervision and visionary leadership by supporting professional development and offering timely, informative feedback and assessments.
• Maintain ample availability and provide easily accessible channels to address the concerns of students and the various student groups throughout campus.
• Effectively manage and deploy university resources to assure success of student-facing initiatives
• Serve as an active member of the President’s Leadership Team, providing representation for all supervised areas through insightful contributions made toward the overall leadership of the University.
• Conduct continuous research activities to assure that the University provides relevant student support and retention activities in accordance with best practices in student success nationally.

UM is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action : Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

Position Details

• Position is full-time, 1.0 FTE, MUS Contract and includes a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including Insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program.
• Starting salary for this position is $150,000 - $160,000 per year commensurate with qualifications.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field, and at least five (5) years of experience in a higher education setting or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of current best practices in leading student success, retention, and academic enrichment programs and a demonstrated ability to implement and administer programs geared toward student success initiatives.
• Ability to comprehensively analyze quantitative and qualitative data in the support of applying relevant information to programmatic improvement and successful initiative implementation.
• Demonstrated skills necessary to provide dynamic leadership and effective supervision of employees responsible for varying assignments while supporting the continuous professional development and motivation of managed employees and the continued success of the program.
• Ability to clearly articulate plans, policies, and intricately detailed strategies with clarity and precision.
• Effective communication skills (including verbal, written, and interpersonal skills).
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly collaborative environment, fostering and developing working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders throughout the academic community.
• Ability to remain highly functional and productive while working in a time sensitive, deadline driven, high pressure environment.
• Working knowledge of current innovations in technology utilized in a higher education setting in support of student success and academic enrichment activities.
• Considerable senior leadership skills demonstrating exceptional interpersonal, communication, management, problem solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or proprietary information.
• Possession of a steadfast commitment to maintaining a diverse and inclusive institutional environment and a demonstrated ability to work closely and constructively with a wide variety of constituents.
• Thorough knowledge of the daily operations of a student success office in a higher education setting.
• Ability to develop a comprehensive understanding of University priorities surrounding student success and academic enrichment, as well as a thorough understanding of the priorities of the Provost’s Office; including common practices, policies, and processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Progressive leadership experience in higher education setting

About UM and Missoula

The University of Montana is flagship, research institution with approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 75,000, surrounded by mountains and three rivers converge. Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere.



To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the State of Montana, please visit the links below.

• University of Montana
• About Student Success and Organizational Chart
• Video: Mission First, People Always
• UM on YouTube
• City of Missoula
  • Video: There's This Place
  • Destination Missoula
  • Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce
• The State of Montana
  • Visit Montana

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to Offer of Employment.
In accordance with University policy, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations.
ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran's Preference.
Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.
References *References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant.
Testing Individual hiring departments at UM may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions.

E mployment Eligibility. All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).

How to Apply

Priority Application Date : Monday, July 11, 2022 by 11:59 PM (Mountain Time)

Applications received by this date will be guaranteed consideration. Application review will begin after date above and continue until the position is filled.

Please submit the following application materials via "New Resume/CV" button below.

*Please note: only five (5) attachments are allowed per application. Please combine documents accordingly.

• Letter of Interest – addressing the stated required skills for the position
• Detailed resume listing education and describing work experience
• Three (3) professional references - Names and contact information

Job Location Missoula, Montana, United States
Position Type Full-Time/Regular