Director, Orientation and Transition Programs

Washington State University • Pullman, WA

13d

About The Position

As the Director of Orientation and Transition Programs for Enrollment at Washington State University, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for WSU Pullman’s comprehensive orientation and transition initiatives. You will guide the vision and direction for spring orientation, population-specific orientation programs, summer and fall programs, Week of Welcome, and other key transition experiences that support new students and their families. Through extensive collaboration with academic and student service units, you will help design and deliver welcoming, cohesive, and effective orientation experiences that promote student success from the very beginning. You will work closely with the Assistant Directors of Orientation, providing strategic direction while they oversee day‑of implementation and operations. Together, you will ensure seamless delivery of programs that reflect institutional priorities and best practices in student onboarding and transition. In partnership with the AVP, you will lead the development of new initiatives and the enhancement of existing programs that directly support the university’s enrollment, retention, and student success goals. You will also play a key role in shaping components of the recruitment cycle by overseeing aspects of new‑student onboarding and engagement. You will manage fiscal planning and resource allocation, including developing and overseeing orientation-related budgets, approving travel and expenditures, and ensuring responsible stewardship of resources. In addition, you will strengthen and expand partnerships both on and off campus, lead the development and execution of targeted communication strategies, establish measurable goals, and use data and assessment to inform continuous improvement. As a leader, you will directly supervise Assistant Directors and other support staff, providing coaching, guidance, and professional development. You will also support the Assistant Directors in their supervision of up to 50 student staff members, helping to shape robust training programs and contributing to the development of students, staff, and any associated university leadership or training courses. Finally, you will collaborate closely with Enrollment Management leadership to build and expand cross‑unit partnerships and identify new opportunities that enhance the university’s overall onboarding process. Through this collaboration, you will help ensure alignment with institutional enrollment objectives and create a coordinated, student‑centered experience from recruitment through transition and beyond. Director will work with system orientation staff as needed.

Requirements

• Positions require a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and six (6) years of progressively responsible relevant experience, which has included at least three (3) years of managerial experience.
• Any combination of relevant education and professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year‐for‐year basis.
• A Master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required experience.
• Experience supervising professional staff.
• Budgetary experience.
• Experience with data, CRM technology and systematic reporting.
• Experience with program planning and execution.
• Experience presenting to large groups.
• Proficient in Microsoft office.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree, preferably in student development, higher education administration, or related field.
• Increasing levels of responsibility in higher education student facing roles.
• Experience leading orientation and transition programs.
• Experience with program assessment .
• Experience with PeopleSoft and Slate CRM.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for WSU Pullman’s comprehensive orientation and transition initiatives.
• Guide the vision and direction for spring orientation, population-specific orientation programs, summer and fall programs, Week of Welcome, and other key transition experiences that support new students and their families.
• Collaborate with academic and student service units to design and deliver welcoming, cohesive, and effective orientation experiences.
• Work closely with the Assistant Directors of Orientation, providing strategic direction while they oversee day‑of implementation and operations.
• Lead the development of new initiatives and the enhancement of existing programs that directly support the university’s enrollment, retention, and student success goals.
• Play a key role in shaping components of the recruitment cycle by overseeing aspects of new‑student onboarding and engagement.
• Manage fiscal planning and resource allocation, including developing and overseeing orientation-related budgets, approving travel and expenditures, and ensuring responsible stewardship of resources.
• Strengthen and expand partnerships both on and off campus.
• Lead the development and execution of targeted communication strategies.
• Establish measurable goals, and use data and assessment to inform continuous improvement.
• Directly supervise Assistant Directors and other support staff, providing coaching, guidance, and professional development.
• Support the Assistant Directors in their supervision of up to 50 student staff members.
• Collaborate closely with Enrollment Management leadership to build and expand cross‑unit partnerships and identify new opportunities that enhance the university’s overall onboarding process.

Benefits

• WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts; training and development; and employee tuition waiver.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees