Associate Director for the Writing Center

Princeton University•Princeton, NJ

7d•$111,000 - $126,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director for the Writing Center provides intellectual and administrative leadership for the Program's one-on-one conferencing service, a core University resource for academic support staffed by ~80 peer Fellows who work with students at all levels on their writing and at any stage of the writing process. The staff is composed primarily of Princeton undergraduate (~65) and graduate students (~15) from a broad range of disciplines. It also includes 2-4 Writing Program faculty with blended portfolios assigned to the Writing Center each semester. The Associate Director fosters a welcoming, productive environment for students to participate in the University’s community of readers and writers—a space where they learn to think critically through writing and to rigorously engage the process of drafting, considering feedback, and revising. Designed to complement but not replace the guidance students receive from their instructors, the Writing Center holds more than 5,000 conferencing sessions per year. These include extended appointments for students working on Junior Projects, senior theses, dissertations, and other independent research projects. The Associate Director also coordinates with campus partners to provide specialized conferences and workshops as needed, e.g., with Health Professions Advising for medical school applicants, as well as the Freshman Scholars Institute and the Summer Research & Learning Village. The Associate Director ensures the effectiveness and efficiency of the Writing Center through a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibilities: Training and Leadership; Recruitment and Hiring; Operations and Outreach; and Assessment and Strategic Planning. The Associate Director plays an integral role in the leadership team that guides the Writing Program as a whole and also teaches one Writing Seminar every ~2 years.

Requirements

The successful candidate will be a dynamic leader, knowledgeable in Writing Center pedagogy, with an outstanding record in the teaching of writing.
They will have experience working effectively with students from a broad range of disciplines, will have a proven record of successfully carrying out complex administrative tasks, preferably in an academic setting, and will bring a spirit of collaboration to the position.
Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills are a must, as are flexibility, openness, and imagination in the context of an evolving institutional landscape.
The Ph.D. is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience as both a Writing Center tutor and administrator is preferred.
A record of publication in a liberal arts discipline and/or on writing pedagogy is welcome.

Responsibilities

Design and organize intensive initial training annually for new Fellows (2 full days or equivalent), emphasizing pedagogical tools for conferencing and their responsibility for confidentiality.
Organize the overall slate of 7-8 launch meetings and 30-40 workshops for the full Writing Center staff throughout the year, tailored to meet the range of skills and experience undergraduate and graduate Fellows bring to their work.
Oversee and guide team of 10 Head Fellows in leadership of mentoring groups, regular review of conference reports and student evaluations, and the coordination of conference observations.
Provide guidance to the student editorial staff of Tortoise: A Journal of Writing Pedagogy.
Train and oversee ~10 Shift Supervisors who provide on-the-ground support and mentorship to Writing Center Fellows during evening and weekend hours.
Train and supervise 2-4 Faculty Writing Center Fellows per semester (PWP faculty with blended portfolios).
Train and supervise ~30 Writing Center Fellows offering in-person and virtual conferences over the summer.
Manage recruitment and hiring for 25-30 new Fellows annually, as well as for student leadership positions among experienced Fellows.
Advertise for available positions and host information sessions.
Review ~50 application files.
Organize and conduct ~35 interviews for prospective Fellow hires in collaboration with the Associate Director for Writing in the Disciplines.
Organize and conduct interviews of ~10 returning Writing Center Fellows for Head Fellow positions.
Organize and conduct interviews of returning Writing Center Fellows for Editors of Tortoise, Shift Supervisors, and other leadership roles as needed.
Manage recruitment of current Fellows for summer positions with the Writing Center to offer in-person and virtual conferences for Health Professions Advising, the Freshman Scholars Institute, and the Summer Research & Learning Village
Manage the Writing Center's daily operations in collaboration with the Program Coordinator, including payroll and physical space.
Oversee the Writing Center's scheduling system, WCOnline, in collaboration with the IT Manager. Includes submitting requests to vendor for changes in data protocols, feature updates, and compliance issues. Maintain appropriate confidentiality of student records in WCOnline.
Spearhead Writing Program initiatives supporting ESL students in collaboration with the McGraw Center and other campus partners.
Collaborate with the Associate Director for Writing in the Disciplines on staffing for Dissertation Boot Camp.
Serve as an ambassador for the Writing Center's mission to the wider University community through committees and working groups, such as the Peer-to-Peer Administrators and the Professional Development Working Group, as well as orientations and other campus events, such as the Academic Expo and the Graduate Student Information Fair.
Communicate the Writing Center's mission through its publications, website, and promotional materials.
Provide consultation and backup for initiatives spearheaded by the Associate Director for Writing in the Disciplines as needed.
Collaborate on shared Program projects e.g., Mary W. George Research Conference, New Faculty workshops, and Faculty meetings.
Spearhead the Writing Center's strategic planning in close consultation with the Director and campus partners.
Track campus trends in student employment and demand for academic support.
Monitor and assess Writing Center data in collaboration with the Senior Associate Director for Curriculum and Assessment.
Manage Writing Center resources and records in accordance with University record retention policies.
Respond to requests for Writing Center data from campus partners.
Prepare presentations on Writing Center usage patterns.
Teaches a First-year Writing Seminar (or its equivalent) once every ~2 years. In recognition of the intensive feedback Writing Program instructors offer students as part of PWP faculty’s shared pedagogy, each WRI course counts as .25 FTE (instead of the university standard .1665). 50% duty time during that semester.