Assistant Director of Field Experience

CSU Careers•San José, CA

19d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Field Experience provides overall program management and oversight for field education in San José State University's Teacher Education and Special Education Departments. Reporting to the Dean of the Lurie College of Education, the role receives work direction from the Director of Field Experience and has a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Department Chairs for Teacher Education and Special Education. The Assistant Director provides partial work lead to the Field Placement and Special Projects Coordinator and serves as the Departments’ primary resource for planning, supporting, and implementing a comprehensive field education program aligned with the College’s mission, vision, and strategic plan. The Assistant Director collaborates with the Office of Field Experience, Department Chairs, faculty, school districts, and other partners to improve credential candidates’ field experiences. The position oversees, assigns, and supports field supervisors; provides day-to-day operational direction and support to supervisors and students in the field; and mentors University Supervisors who work directly with candidates. The role leads the field pod working group and provides partial work direction to the Field Placement Coordinator on placement needs, including developing and strengthening school district partnerships. The Assistant Director also collaborates on course design or redesign and develops professional learning opportunities for those supporting field experiences. The position applies substantial judgment and collaboration to continuously improve field experience policies and practices, supports students through a humanizing and transformative approach, oversees adherence to CTC field experience requirements, and advises department leadership, faculty, and staff on matters affecting program structure, curricula, and advising.

Requirements

Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, plus upper-division or graduate coursework in counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution where job-related.
Four years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience, including advising students individually and in groups and analyzing and resolving complex student services problems.
A master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a job-related field may substitute for one year of professional experience.
A doctorate degree and appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling, guidance, or a job-related field may substitute for two years of required professional experience for positions with major responsibility for professional, personal, or career counseling.
In-depth knowledge and experience in field experience research, policies, and practice.
Ability to analyze complex problems from a future-oriented, broad, and interactive perspective and develop proactive solutions.
Strong problem-solving and creative-thinking skills and exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Robust organizational and project-management skills.
Familiarity with practices for guiding communities of practice through change.
Ability to work independently in a self-directed environment and collaboratively as part of a team.
Expertise in developing and maintaining assessment and accreditation documentation.
Leadership in professional development initiatives.
Comprehensive knowledge and experience applying expertise to complex field-experience problems, including pertinent laws and regulations.
Ability to present ideas in written or presentation formats and use consultative and facilitation skills to achieve consensus.
Competence engaging with public and private entities and managing potentially sensitive situations.
Commitment to staying current through professional reading, professional connections, professional development courses, and regional or national conferences.
Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully with constituents.
Ability to promote responsible, ethical, and equitable use of AI and related technologies, with awareness of data privacy, bias mitigation, accessibility, and compliance considerations.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Education or equivalent experience.
At least two years of teaching experience in a middle or high school with a single-subject credential.
At least two years of teaching experience in a special education classroom with an education specialist credential.
Public school teaching experience across levels, including TK-12 and/or special education.
Comprehensive understanding and experience in research, policies, and practices related to field experience.
Proficiency with technological tools for communication, such as Google Suite, Zoom, and Canvas or similar learning management systems.
Experience supporting teacher candidates and/or new educators.
Understanding or comparable knowledge of Lurie College teacher preparation standards, state certification requirements, and regional public school needs.
Familiarity with the CTC Teaching Performance Expectations and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Educator Preparation Program Standards, including Common and Program standards.
Knowledge of Teacher Residency and Intern Teaching Programs.
At least three years of experience promoting diversity among faculty, staff, and students.
Strong alignment with and dedication to Lurie College’s mission and vision, including ongoing professional growth to stay current with developments in the field.
Demonstrated dedication to integrating the College’s mission and vision into student support, policies, and practice.
Relevant professional experience applying and implementing field experience in educator training.
Understanding or comparable knowledge of Lurie College field experience practices, regional placement contexts, state certification standards, and the interdisciplinary nature of the field.
Experience and a track record in faculty development in field experience environments, with collaborative skills in shaping field experience policies, practices, and curricula.

Responsibilities

Manage and continually improve field experience policies and practices in alignment with Program Learning Outcomes and the Lurie College mission, vision, and strategic plan.
Maintain a strong student-support focus using a humanizing and transformative approach.
Collaborate with regional partners on pre-professional experience partnerships and maintain relationships with school districts to support field placements.
Manage a webpage presence and periodically communicate field experience updates through a newsletter.
Support efforts to attract and recruit mentor teachers and supervisors.
Lead monthly supervisor meetings and design and facilitate professional learning to deepen supervisors’ understanding of mentoring novice teachers and updated credential requirements.
Lead the field pod and communicate program requirements, university curriculum, deadlines, and candidate progress to Mentor Teachers and University Supervisors.
Serve as the primary operational support contact in the field for Mentor Teachers and University Supervisors.
Organize and assign supervisor caseloads and provide ongoing mentorship and support to University Supervisors working with candidates and school-site partners.
Update the Student Teaching Field Guide or Handbook for each program.
Receive field complaints and concerns from candidates and communicate or refer them to the Credential Program Advisor or Chair as needed.
Prepare MOUs for teacher candidates transitioning to substitute positions during field placement.
Advise and provide expertise, oversight, and leadership to department leadership teams, faculty, and staff on program structure, curricula, and advising.
Develop and evaluate short- and long-term goals and objectives.
Oversee adherence to CTC field experience requirements for student teaching, internships, and other field experiences.
Work with the Director of Field Experiences and CFETI to identify and develop resources for mentoring and supporting the development of supervisors.
Collaborate with relevant faculty and supervise field supervisors to support course design or redesign that strengthens practice.
Collaborate with Lurie faculty and partner school districts to develop professional learning opportunities for those supporting field experiences.