Director- First Year Experience & Orientation

Utah Valley University•Main Campus - Orem, UT

21h

About The Position

The Director of First Year Experience and Orientation provides leadership for the vision, strategy, and growth of programs that help new students transition to university life, connect with the campus community, and build a foundation for academic success. The role leads campus-wide initiatives and high-profile programs, including orientation and convocation, and works with university leaders, faculty, staff, students, and community partners to support student achievement and engagement. The Director develops and evaluates a multi-year strategic plan aligned with the university’s mission and student-success priorities. The position oversees a coordinated portfolio of first-year programs, establishes program standards and assessment expectations, and uses quantitative and qualitative data to guide continuous improvement. It also leads cross-campus coordination, builds partnerships with academic and student-support units, and provides leadership for personnel, budgets, scholarships and waivers, technology, contracts, communications, and other departmental resources. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and five years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education or a related area. Experience must include program administration, personnel supervision, budget management, assessment, and cross-functional collaboration. An equivalent combination of education and directly related experience may be considered.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in higher education, student affairs, educational leadership, counseling, organizational leadership, public administration, or a related discipline.
Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education, student success, first-year programs, orientation, family programs, or a related area.
Experience in program administration, personnel supervision, budget management, assessment, and cross-functional collaboration.
An equivalent combination of education and directly related experience may be considered.
In-depth understanding of student development theories and best practices in first-year experience and family engagement.
Familiarity with higher education policies, accreditation standards, and compliance requirements.
Knowledge of data analysis techniques and student information systems.
Knowledge of trends and strategies in university family programming, student retention and completion, predictive analytics, higher education platforms including AI, and mentoring and coaching strategies.
Strong leadership, organizational, communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, decision-making, and critical-thinking skills.
Proficiency in data analysis and student information systems; ability to design and implement programs and interventions.
Skills in budget preparation, fiscal management, examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing strategies and procedures.
Ability to analyze data, develop actionable insights, and translate findings into strategies.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities, foster a cooperative work environment, and adapt priorities as needs arise.
Ability to create a positive and inclusive campus culture and work effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies.
Ability to secure funding through grants and partnerships and critically analyze processes to improve student retention and completion.
Ability to successfully supervise and evaluate others.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, educational leadership, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
Progressively responsible leadership experience with first-year experience, orientation, transition programs, family engagement, or student-success initiatives.
Experience developing and implementing strategic plans.
Experience leading institution-wide or cross-divisional initiatives.
Experience establishing program outcomes and assessment frameworks.
Experience using student-success data to guide strategy, resource allocation, and program improvement.
Experience supervising professional staff and managing complex budgets.
Experience presenting recommendations and results to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and regularly evaluate a multi-year strategic plan for First-Year Experience and Orientation aligned with university priorities and student-success goals.
Establish measurable objectives, priorities, and performance indicators related to first-year transition, belonging, engagement, persistence, academic success, and retention.
Provide institutional leadership and subject-matter expertise on the first-year student experience, including recommendations for policies, practices, and investments.
Oversee a coordinated portfolio of first-year programs, including new student orientation, new student convocation, first-year seminar initiatives, family programming, and other student-success initiatives.
Establish program standards, learning outcomes, implementation frameworks, and assessment expectations that create a cohesive first-year experience.
Develop and oversee an assessment strategy; use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate programs, identify patterns, and recommend improvements.
Prepare executive-level reports, presentations, and recommendations regarding first-year student engagement, belonging, persistence, retention, and academic success.
Partner with institutional research and campus units to support data-informed planning and decision-making.
Lead cross-campus planning and coordination, developing partnerships with academic affairs, advising, enrollment management, student support services, faculty, and other stakeholders.
Facilitate shared priorities, clarify responsibilities, and promote coordinated practices that provide students and families with an integrated experience.
Lead departmental personnel and oversee budgets, scholarships and waivers, technology, contracts, communications, and other resources.
Set annual priorities and operational plans, align resources with strategic objectives, and ensure responsible fiscal stewardship.
Identify opportunities for grants, partnerships, and other resources that advance first-year student-success initiatives.
Lead initiatives that support students’ transition, academic and social integration, belonging, and connection to academic and co-curricular opportunities.
Champion practices that address the varied needs and experiences of first-year students.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of the university’s mission and student-success priorities.