Director, Orientation and New Student Transitions

The University of Arizona • Tucson, AZ

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Orientation and New Student Transitions provides strategic leadership for the University of Arizona’s undergraduate onboarding and transition ecosystem. The role sets the vision, assesses and continually improves programs, and oversees operations that support undergraduate students as they enter the university. The Director develops a coordinated transition framework that delivers relevant information, resources, and experiences at the right time, helping students navigate university systems and supporting student success, persistence, and degree completion.

Working with campus partners, the Director establishes learning outcomes and ensures that orientation and transition programs have meaningful, measurable impact. The position applies evidence-based practices and student development principles while fostering innovation, assessment, and service excellence. It also provides leadership and direction for the Orientation and New Student Transitions department, including staff supervision, budget and resource management, policy development, operational effectiveness, and the development of a large student employee workforce.

The department serves students, families, academic units, and campus partners through programs intended to foster belonging, academic readiness, and confidence in navigating the university’s academic and support systems. The position participates in university initiatives and represents the University of Arizona in relevant regional and national professional organizations. This is a full-time, exempt position based at the Tucson Campus. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional-level experience.
• At least 7 years of related work experience, including 3 years of managerial experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Active involvement in regional or national professional organizations related to orientation, transition, enrollment management, student affairs, or student success.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Educational Leadership, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience leading orientation, transition, onboarding, first-year experience, student engagement, or student success initiatives.
• Experience leading a complex functional area, department, or organizational unit.
• Experience supervising professional staff and student employee workforces.
• Experience developing learning outcomes, assessment frameworks, and continuous improvement processes.
• Experience using data, assessment, and evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes.
• Experience managing budgets, operational resources, and organizational planning processes.
• Experience building collaborative partnerships across academic and administrative units.

Responsibilities

• Establish and direct the strategic vision and priorities for undergraduate orientation and transition initiatives in alignment with university priorities and the Success for Every Student framework.
• Create and implement a coordinated transition strategy that delivers information, resources, and experiences throughout students’ entry to the university.
• Develop and maintain learning outcomes for orientation and transition experiences that support student success, belonging, academic readiness, and navigation of university systems.
• Ensure frameworks, learning outcomes, and program strategies reflect evidence-based practices, student development principles, and emerging higher education trends.
• Lead assessment of student learning, program effectiveness, engagement, and contribution to student success outcomes.
• Use assessment findings, student feedback, institutional data, and emerging best practices to guide decision-making, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Identify changing student needs and institutional priorities and keep programs relevant, effective, and impactful.
• Establish departmental goals, benchmarks, and performance indicators.
• Build collaborative relationships with academic colleges, Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, advising units, faculty, and campus partners.
• Advance strategies that support student engagement, persistence, and degree completion, and align orientation and transition work with broader student success efforts.
• Identify opportunities to integrate services, reduce barriers, and improve the student experience.
• Provide strategic oversight for undergraduate orientation, transition, onboarding, and related student success programs.
• Guide program development and experience design to foster belonging, academic readiness, engagement, and connection to the Arizona community.
• Evaluate emerging practices, technologies, and delivery models and champion innovative approaches to improve student outcomes.
• Lead organizational planning, resource management, policy development, and operational effectiveness for the department.
• Supervise professional staff and foster accountability, collaboration, professional growth, innovation, and service excellence.
• Set performance expectations and evaluate departmental effectiveness using measurable goals and outcomes.
• Oversee budget planning, resource allocation, and fiscal stewardship.
• Lead strategic workforce planning, organizational development, and succession planning.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.
• Establish staffing, training, and development frameworks for the student employee workforce.
• Promote student employment practices that support leadership development, professional growth, belonging, and meaningful engagement.
• Ensure professional staff have the tools, resources, training, and support to recruit, supervise, mentor, and develop student employees.
• Participate in committees, workgroups, project teams, and strategic initiatives supporting student success and institutional priorities.
• Build partnerships across the university and with external partners, and maintain awareness of higher education trends and best practices.
• Represent the University of Arizona through regional and national professional organizations related to orientation, transition, enrollment management, and student success.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of Orientation and New Student Transitions, Enrollment Management, and university initiatives.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Life insurance and disability programs
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Tuition reduction at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University for the employee and qualified family members
• Retirement plans
• Access to University of Arizona recreation and cultural activities
• Innovative work-life programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director