Assistant Director of First Generation and/or Low-Income Initiatives

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Position Summary

The Assistant Director of First Generation and/or Low-Income Initiatives provides leadership to our First Generation Low Income (FGLI) Programs under the Office of Student Success Initiatives. The Assistant Director is responsible for cultivating an inclusive and welcoming campus community with particular attention to the needs and concerns of first-generation college and low-income students through year-round programming. They are responsible for planning, executing, and assessing Rice’s undergraduate pre-orientation programming for first-year students who identify as first-generation, low-income, and their families while also providing leadership in the form of advising and training to FGLI orientation leaders and Student Director(s). The Assistant Director serves as an advisor to Rice students by providing general support and advisement on topics related to their personal, academic, and social development.

The ideal candidate has at least three years of experience facilitating the planning, organization, and execution of undergraduate orientation programs and activities that support the successful transition and integration of FGLI undergraduate students and families in the broader campus community. Candidates should also have supervisory experience, including providing guidance and support to student leadership teams.

Typical work schedule includes 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, adding up to 40 hours per week on campus. Responsibilities occasionally may require an adjusted work schedule and evening/weekend hours over the summer to meet the needs of the program development.

The expected hiring range for this position is between $52,000 and $56,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 2 years of related professional experience in a four-year college of university setting with some previous experience working in orientation or event planning specific to FGLI undergraduate students in a post-secondary academic setting
  • Additional related education may be substituted on an equivalent year for year basis for up to one year of the required experience
• Advanced knowledge of theories, including student development, learning, and identity development, and experience applying those frameworks professionally
• Adept at problem-solving with experience supporting/advising students in personal and/or academic crisis
• Excellent communication and rapport-building skills and experience collaborating with faculty, staff, students, families, and administration
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines
• Demonstrates understanding of the experiences of students in transition, the strategies necessary to facilitate their success, and the development of strategies and key interventions to support this student population
• Proven track record of successful support of diverse student populations, including but not limited to first-generation college students, low-income students, and underrepresented student populations
• Strong coaching and instructional skills, organizational abilities, attention to detail, and the ability to quickly assess the effectiveness of an intervention

Essential Functions

• Under the supervision of the Executive Director, SSI, the Assistant Director manages the pre-orientation program and all other FGLI Programs (i.e., FGLI Fridays, FGLI Ambassadors, and FGLI Network Supporter Training, etc.) and develops programming for the first year and beyond
• Communicate and collaborate with residential college Magisters and college coordinators, creating a strong sense of communication between SSI and the residential colleges
• Supervises FGLI student staff and spearheads the recruitment and selection process of FGLI student directors, orientation advisors, and FGLI Ambassadors, assisting as they plan the pre-orientation programming and other year-round, campus-wide FGLI events.
• Develops and leads campus-wide training aimed at educating the Rice community and student leaders on how they can support FGLI student transition
• Manages various administrative and operational tasks, including but not limited to budget management, the creation, and management of spreadsheets, academic grade checks, etc.
• Manages and reconciles the FGLI programming budget
• Provides oversight to FGLI web, social media, and marketing efforts, and creates / updates communication materials, forms, etc. as needed
• Participates in department and division assessment efforts
• Completes other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Identifies and advises students needing additional support and provides sustained individualized, holistic, developmentally appropriate coaching to assist in their academic, social, leadership, and interpersonal development
• Assists students in developing roadmaps for their success at the university, using varied strategies to facilitate the identification and implementation of their goals
• Assists in the monitoring of student academic performance and their persistence towards graduation, preparing reports and maintaining student files as necessary
• Examines student data for trends in performance, academic courses, or other factors which may impact student success
• Maintains an awareness of best practices in proactive/holistic advising, student success coaching, and the higher education/student affairs landscape, integrating these ideas into his / her advising practices
• Develops and leads student success interventions, workshops, and other programs aimed at facilitating the transition to college
• Develops and lead training aimed at educating student leaders, faculty, and staff about the populations supported by the office and how they can support student transition
• Mentors student staff in the office

Preferences

• Master's degree (preferably in college student personnel, counseling, student affairs, or a related field)
• Experience supporting FGLI student success/undergraduate retention initiatives
• Experience working in orientation or event planning specific to undergraduate students
• Experience employing holistic proactive/intrusive advising strategies
• Experience providing academic support, leadership development, and program development
• Experience developing student success/undergraduate retention initiatives
• Experience working with faculty
• Experience working at a highly selective college or university
• Familiarity with working in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment
• Ability to work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Ability to create interventions to support diverse learners

Rice University HR | Benefits

https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values

Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Faculty and staff are expected (but not required) to have completed a full vaccination series for COVID-19 (currently defined as full course COVID-19 Vaccine (typically two shots of a WHO-approved COVID-19 Vaccine or one J&J) and a COVID-19 booster. Rice does not require documentation for COVID 19 vaccination at this time for faculty and staff. More information can be found here: https://coronavirus.rice.edu/policies