Assistant Director of First-Year Orientation & Family Engagement - Division of Student Affairs

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

12d

About The Position

Carnegie Mellon University’s Division of Student Affairs is seeking an Assistant Director of First-Year Orientation & Family Engagement. The role develops and enhances the university’s relationship with incoming undergraduate students and their families. It coordinates transition programming, including the university’s nine-day First-Year Orientation program, which supports students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and cultural transition to campus, and contributes to family engagement programs that foster meaningful connections between families and the university community. Reporting to and working under the strategic direction of the Associate Dean for First-Year Orientation and Family Engagement, the Assistant Director plans programs, supervises student leaders, leads communications and distance education, and develops assessment initiatives. The role also manages an annual programmatic budget and stays current on relevant practices in higher education, student development, orientation and transition programs, and family engagement. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Earned a master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, or a related field.
Three to five years of experience working in higher education after completing a master’s degree.
A combination of education and relevant experience demonstrating comparable knowledge may be considered.
Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
Child Protection Clearances (Act 153).
Must be currently legally authorized to work in the United States; Carnegie Mellon University will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in Orientation, Transition, and Retention (OTR) programs in a college or university setting.
Experience in programmatic assessment, research methodologies, and data-driven decision-making.
Experience providing supervision or advisement to student leaders or employees.
Strong fiscal management skills and experience managing programmatic budgets.

Responsibilities

Work with university stakeholders and partners to design and implement the First-Year Orientation program, with a focus on curriculum design, student learning, and assessment.
Coordinate program logistics with university stakeholders and administrative support staff, including space reservations and allocation, dining, campus facilities, and media and AV.
Assist with planning and implementing family engagement programs and initiatives, including Family Weekend and the Tartan Family Webinar Series.
Develop and steward an annual programmatic budget under the direction of the Associate Dean.
Lead recruitment and supervise a team of more than 150 student leaders, including Head Orientation Counselors, Orientation Leaders, and Orientation Counselors.
Design and implement a comprehensive training and development program for First-Year Orientation student leaders focused on leadership, teamwork, college transition, small-group facilitation, and conflict resolution.
Assist with recruiting and training family student ambassadors for signature family engagement programs.
Work with University Marketing and Communications and third-party vendors to develop departmental marketing and branding materials, including program logos, signage, apparel, and a mobile app.
Partner with University Marketing and Communications and Student Affairs Marketing and Communications to create a regular social media coverage schedule for First-Year Orientation and Family Engagement programs.
Lead distance education for incoming undergraduate students, including websites, webinars, event livestreaming, social networking, and emerging technologies.
Develop and implement an assessment agenda for the First-Year Orientation program and student leader learning under the direction of the Associate Dean and the Director of Institutional Research and Analysis.
Stay current on best practices in higher education, student development, orientation and transition program management, and family engagement through professional associations, research, and publications.
Perform other duties as assigned.