Director, Center for Multicultural Access & Success

Joliet Junior College•Joliet, IL

11d

About The Position

The Director, Center for Multicultural Access & Success serves as the principal operational and strategic leader for the Center and as the primary partner to the Dean of Multicultural Access and Success. This person is responsible for translating institutional vision and priorities into actionable strategies, ensuring effective planning, implementation, assessment and continuous improvement across all CMAS programs, services and resources. The Director provides center-wide leadership for a complex, multi-unit organization that includes grant funded programs, institutional initiatives supporting undocumented and international students, and other programs designed to advance access, equity, retention, and completion for historically marginalized student populations. With broad authority over personnel, budgets, grants and compliance, the Director ensures alignment with college-wide goals, regulatory requirements and best practices in student success and equity work. Serving as a strategic partner to the Dean, the Director contributes to strategic and operational planning and decision-making, organizational development, and resource stewardship, and may represent the Center and the College in internal and external partnerships. The Director is accountable for measurable outcomes related to student success, campus climate, and program effectiveness, and uses data-informed practices to drive impact, sustainability, and institutional change.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Higher Educational Administration, College Student Personnel, Counseling, Psychology, Sociology, or closely related field.
Five (5) years of experience in higher educational program management, or fiscal management.
Experience supervising diverse teams in a community college or post-secondary institutional setting.
Demonstrated success working with programs focused on low-income, first-generation, or academically disadvantaged students.
Prior experience working with students from diverse backgrounds. A record of inclusive conduct and evidence of multicultural skills in the workplace.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Computer skills including database management, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.
A valid driver’s license. Evenings and weekend work is required.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with other members of the college and community, displaying cultural competence as well as emotional intelligence.
Demonstrated commitment to the college’s core values of respect and inclusion, sustainability, integrity, collaboration, humor and well-being, innovation and quality.

Nice To Haves

English and Spanish verbal and written communication proficiency.
Knowledge and experience in grant writing of procedure guidelines (state and federal).
Knowledge of academic advising on post-secondary level.
Training, experience in and enthusiasm working with first generation, low income and/or disabled and undocumented students. This includes the ability and willingness to accommodate various learning styles.
Demonstrated multicultural competence.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and supervision for Center for Multicultural Access and Success, and in collaboration with the Dean to facilitate short and long-range planning, program development, and assessment that supports student success outcomes which align with the mission, vision, and strategic goals of Joliet Junior College to the Centers, Managers, Coordinators, Success Coaches, and staff.
Leads the Center for Multicultural Access & Success by effectively managing grants, providing leadership and supervision for grant and non-grant staff, federal compliance mandates and reporting required to achieve and report the goals and objectives outlined in each grant; and, budget oversight for federal and state grants awarded to all departments within the center and center.
Effectively manage the Center by ensuring that all departments under CMAS meets all grant and institutional obligations by developing comprehensive assessment and student tracking tools for reporting outcomes.
Manage all assigned budgets; and support the direct reports oversight of institutional funds; and, respond to immediate fiscal needs, and identify long-term goals.
Serves as the primary point of contact for undocumented students and an institutional advocate representing the College’s commitment to supporting access and success for diverse student programs, services and effectively communicate legislative changes that affect community college students and stakeholders to ensure student-centered processes are in place.
Foster a collegial collaborative relationship with internal and external stakeholders including college representatives, entities of the federal government (Department of Education), district high schools and community agencies.
Assist with the strategic transition of non-credit learners; work collaboratively with JJC Department of Adult Education & Literacy to achieve purposeful goals that support learners in transition to credit courses.
Responsible for leading and developing a knowledgeable and skilled staff by recruiting, selecting, training, supervising, and evaluating staff members in compliance with the College’s established policies.
Effectively supervise the intake process to facilitate quality support services for diverse students. Analyze and distribute usage and learning outcomes data generated by CMAS; prepare regular reports (monthly and annually) related to programs, services, accomplishments and concerns.
Provide supervision and guidance for the development of activities and programs designed to encourage underrepresented populations to overcome barriers to postsecondary education by assisting the Dean of Student Success and Vice President of Student Development with program preparation and implementation of funding opportunities.
Facilitate a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
Perform related duties as assigned.