Director of Adult Undergraduate Programs

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is looking for a Director of Adult Undergraduate Programs who is eager to contribute to its Lasallian Catholic mission of awakening, nurturing, and empowering learners to ethical lives of service and leadership. We invite individuals to help transform lives through education, inspired by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition’s quest to understand the human experience through faith and reason and its embrace of all who are dedicated to learning from one another through authentic conversations in search of the truth.

We are particularly interested in, and give preference to candidates that will demonstrate a vision to create and nurture great initiatives that promote our mission in the context of their jobs, and who wish to foster a culture of dialogue that, with deep respect for all people, support the search for meaning and purpose in the pursuit of excellence.

The Director of Adult Undergraduate Programs oversees all adult undergraduate programs within the School of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) at Saint Mary’s University and shares responsibility for ongoing operations and strategic alignment. Working collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including enrollment, academic, marketing and communications, admissions and academic affairs, this position will propose guidelines for all administrative and enrollment practices related to adult undergraduate programs. Additionally, this position is charged with developing and executing a robust retention and progression model that will aim to increase retention in Adult Undergraduate programs. The individual chosen for this position will have a demonstrated history of making data-informed decisions and will assist in determining the launch of new programs and sunsetting declining programs. 

• Develop and execute a detailed strategic plan for recruitment and retention of undergraduate programs at SGPP that meet the needs of adult learners.
• Work collaboratively with the Vice President of Enrollment Management, the Director of Admissions at SGPP, admissions staff, the Director of Financial Aid, and the Director of Student Central to develop best practices for the tools and materials used in the recruitment of adult populations, update enrollment processes and policies to match this effort, as well as for retention support and services, including advising, tutoring and career services. 
• Work with Program Directors and faculty of undergraduate programs to build structures and systems that lead to higher levels of application volume, yield and matriculation, that ultimately leads to student success.
• Lead the effort to identify and launch new academic programs for adult graduate students. 
• Oversee and direct a Credit for Practical Learning (CPL) program, working with the Registrar to design and execute an evaluative transfer process. 
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communication to analyze market trends and create compelling content to effectively promote programs and attract potential students.
• Utilize collaborations with community and corporate organizations, community colleges, and professional organizations.
• As needed, work closely with any third-party consultant assisting with the enrollment of adult programming.
• Supervise professional academic advisors, providing effective management and leadership in meeting clearly articulated goals.
• Collaborate with SGPP Registrar and Curriculum and Development to ensure that academic policies and standards are met.
• Work with the Office for Accreditation and Compliance to ensure all bachelor completion programs are compliant with HLC standards.

Essential Skills and Functions:

• Collaborative leadership that seeks input from all stakeholders and leads a cooperative effort in concert with identified goals.
• A strategic mindset that analyzes a broad issue and is then able to develop and implement plans for success.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A demonstrated ability in making data-informed decisions and to interpret key data points.
• Understanding of how to effectively market programs and services.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Master’s Degree with at least seven years of post-secondary education professional experience.
• A minimum of five years working with adult and non-traditional aged post-secondary populations.
• A minimum of five years of progressive, responsible administration at a director level or higher. 
• Experience in the strategic planning process.
• Experience with managing a project from inception to completion. 
• Experience working within a robust CRM system (i.e. Slate, TargetX, Ellucian Recruit, etc.)
• A comprehensive understanding of contemporary adult education and the challenges adult students face in pursuing a baccalaureate degree.
• Experience developing student policies aimed at improving the student experience.
• Experience in developing low-cost marketing strategies, programming, and professional development opportunities. 

Preferred:

• Experience with Qualtrics and Canvas (or other LMS, i.e. Moodle).
• At least two years of post-secondary teaching experience.

Apply online at https://hive.smumn.edu/about/offices/human-resources/employment-opportunities and include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota believes inclusion and human dignity contributes to a robust academic and work environment and is critical to achieving the University's mission in an increasingly diverse society. Individuals with expertise and diverse skills from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The successful candidate must support, respect, and advance the mission of Saint Mary's University as a Lasallian Catholic institution.

Saint Mary’s offers a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending, retirement pension plan, and both undergraduate and graduate tuition remission plans.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check