Director of Emerging Scholars Program

Berea College•Berea, KY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of the Office of Emerging Scholars, housed within The NEST: Student Success Central, is a key leadership position and reports directly to the Executive Director of Student Success. This role provides strategic leadership, vision, and oversight for the financial, personnel, and operational management of the TRIO Student Support Services grant, ensuring compliance, effectiveness, and alignment with institutional student success goals. In addition, the Director maintains a caseload of students, leading them in at least one section of the First-Year Summit and providing direct support, advising, and engagement to promote persistence, academic achievement, and degree completion. Following long-standing tradition and practice at Berea College, this position includes responsibility for supervising, mentoring, and developing students in the College's integrated Work College Program. This supports student learning, career readiness, and the program's learning goals and outcomes. The Work College Program provides a developmental framework that guides student learning while creating a structured mentorship opportunity, with role-specific training that equips faculty and staff mentors to support student development. Faculty and staff mentors play an essential part in helping students connect their work-learning-service experiences with broader academic, professional, and personal development. For faculty, this aligns with Berea's tenure and promotion criteria.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in higher education, college student personnel, educational leadership or a related field required
At least three years of experience in student success management and programming, particularly related to removing barriers faced by low-income and first-generation students
At least three years of experience with federal grants, budgeting, reporting, grant writing, project implementation, and project evaluation.
At least two years of supervisory experience
Significant experience in student success program planning, coordination, and evaluation
Knowledge of academic and career advising principles, techniques, and procedures
Excellent attention to detail, including experience in federal grant compliance and budget management
Demonstrated aptitude for analyzing data and applying findings to direct the program, set goals, and make program projections
Excellent oral/written communication
Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting
Strong organizational skills and capacity to set priorities
Computer skills including data processing and financial spreadsheets
Ability to maintain confidentiality
Valid driver’s license
Required background checks
Ability to navigate campus/public buildings and grounds
Ability to travel by car and/or plane
Ability to occasionally lift up to 20 lbs.
Professional office environment with interruptions and noise due to frequent visitors, students, staff and faculty
Occasional travel required for meetings, conferences, etc.
Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment: Standard office equipment: computer, fax, phone, etc.
Vehicle – college vans/cars

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education, college student personnel, educational leadership or a related field preferred

Responsibilities

Coordinate and supervise the design and delivery of academic activities and programs to Emerging Scholars participants
Lead at least one section of the First-Year Summit
Maintain a caseload of students and provide them with advising, direct support, and engagement to promote persistence, academic achievement, and degree completion
Develop partnerships with faculty, staff, and departments
Effectively manage relationships with all levels of College staff
Handle multiple responsibilities and meet multiple deadlines in an organized and detailed fashion
Maintain confidential information
Communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals and constituencies
Synthesize and analyze information and data to ensure continuous improvement of grant management and program delivery
Develop, document, and implement standard procedures for completing advanced administrative tasks
Design, document, and implement particular recruitment, identification, and selection plans
Manage project timelines, priorities, and meet deadlines
Supervise and train assigned staff including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments
Perform program assessments using both qualitative and quantitative data to draw conclusions based on outcomes
Prepare comprehensive project reports for diverse audiences and purposes
Work as a team member and foster a cooperative work environment
Assume Labor supervision responsibility for the Emerging Scholars Program to build a dynamic "peer supplemental advising" structure in support of the goals and responsibilities of these areas.
Ensure that student workers are trained consistently in College academic policies to support their work with their peers on satisfactory academic progression, curriculum planning, registration support, and other related needs.
Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist the College in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful learning environment for all staff, faculty and students.