Assistant Director, Life Directions Center

Colorado Christian University•Lakewood, CO

49d•Onsite

About The Position

The Life Directions Center (LDC) Assistant Director serves as an academic advisor to a smaller cohort of students, provides ongoing training for LDC and academic advisors, and interacts with multiple departments at CCU to ensure cohesive communication regarding academic requirements. The purpose of the LDC is to equip authentic disciples of Christ to discern their life calling, achieve academic success, and engage in meaningful service. Colorado Christian University is the premier interdenominational Christian university in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region, delivering world class education to thousands of students. The fully accredited, nonprofit University is located in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Colorado Christian University was founded in 1914. CCU’s motto is--grace and truth. This motto comes from John 1.14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (ESV) CCU's mission is Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth. Colorado Christian University cultivates knowledge and love of God in a Christ-centered community of learners and scholars, with an enduring commitment to the integration of exemplary academics, spiritual formation, and engagement with the world. We envision graduates who think critically and creatively, lead with high ethical and professional standards, embody the character and compassion of Jesus Christ, treasure the gospel, and who thereby are prepared to impact the world in their callings. CCU embraces an educational model that was present at the foundation of many of the great western and American universities. It is made up of three pillars—competence, character and Christ-centered faith. Secular universities have abandoned two of those pillars. We think this is a major oversight that eventually undermines education. Furthermore, we believe this classical educational model is both life-giving and greatly needed in our time. A leader in higher education, CCU has been consistently ranked in the top 2 percent of colleges and universities nationwide for its core curriculum by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. CCU has had ten consecutive years of enrollment growth and has been named one of the five fastest-growing master’s granting universities by The Chronicle of Higher Education. CCU offers more than 200 degree program options for traditional and adult students through its two colleges--the College of Undergraduate Studies and College of Adult and Graduate Studies. More than 9,000 students attend the University on the main campus, in regional centers throughout Colorado, and online. Faith-friendly: CCU’s culture is unique to higher education. Where else can you pursue academic excellence yet read the Holy Bible, pray with teammates and students at work, and work to impact our culture in support of Christian values? Convictionally Christian: As a university, we have an enduring commitment to Christ, his kingdom and the truth of God’s Word. Live out your calling: We are a traditional evangelical university where you can invest your God-given talents and abilities alongside coworkers and teammates, while having a profound influence on students as they deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ. Equip students for kingdom work: You can be a part of helping students discover their callings and preparing them for positions of significant leadership in the church, business, government, education, and other professions, as a key part of our University's Strategic Priorities.

Requirements

A Master’s degree in Student Development, Education, Counseling, or a related field is preferred.
A minimum of three to five years of advising experience in a Christian higher education setting is required.
Demonstrated passion for supporting students in deepening their relationship with God and developing into the individuals they are called to be.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, experience with maintaining and utilizing a shared database system, and a willingness to learn new software technologies.
A self-motivated, personable, and organized professional who works effectively both independently and collaboratively.
Strong written and interpersonal communication skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and a high volume of meetings in a fast-paced environment, particularly during peak periods in the academic calendar.
Flexibility and a positive attitude when adapting to changing priorities and institutional processes.
A commitment to continuous learning, professional growth, and creative problem-solving.

Nice To Haves

Certification and/or experience with personality, interest, and strengths-based assessments is preferred (e.g., MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, Clifton Strengths).
Experience in event planning or program development is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide holistic mentoring to a designated cohort of students, which constitutes approximately 25% of the Assistant Director’s role. This mentoring includes academic, personal, and spiritual support.
Deliver comprehensive academic advising to students, assisting with major exploration and selection, course planning, and adherence to a degree timeline to support timely graduation and achievement of academic goals.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of students’ academic progress using office software and university database systems. Ensure timely and appropriate follow-up communication with students regarding required next steps.
Collaborate with faculty, academic deans, and the Registrar’s Office to ensure clear and consistent communication related to academic policies and requirements.
Support students in discerning their vocational calling, faith development, service involvement, personal and spiritual growth, and life goals—often through the use of assessment tools and reflective conversations.
Plan and co-facilitate relevant training sessions and events in collaboration with the Life Directions Center (LDC) team.
Actively support the Academics by participating in campus-wide programs, committees, and events.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of the Life Directions Center.
Represent the Director in meetings or in interactions with staff in the Director’s absence.
Provide training, guidance, and professional resources to fellow advisors and faculty advisors; serve as a core member of the LDC Lead Team as appointed by the Director.
Develop and maintain advising resources, including the Faculty Advisor Resources page on Connect, to support faculty in their advising roles.
Design and manage automated communication workflows (“Journeys”) through Salesforce to improve student engagement and reduce administrative burden on advisors.
Serve as the LDC’s Salesforce lead, responsible for ensuring accurate reporting on key metrics such as graduation tracking, end-of-term grades, course rosters, cohort assignments, and field-of-study reports.
Oversee the process of updating academic timelines each fall.
Serve as the primary liaison between the LDC and the offices of Admissions, the Registrar, and Faculty Advisors.
Oversee the creation and accuracy of program degree timelines, ensuring alignment with the university catalog, Self-Service portal, and the Academic TRACKS module.
Develop working knowledge of all academic programs, while serving as the primary point of contact for the Schools of Theology, Music, Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Serve as the lead editor for current and future LDC electronic forms (eForms).
Provide assistance in updating the Academic Catalog, Connect Pages, and Website.
Provide content and updates for Board Reports.
Provide occasional training to student staff on special projects related to file checks, student registration and functions that improve retention.