Executive Director, Belonging and Engagement Strategies

San José State University•San José, CA

About The Position

The Executive Director (ED) of Belonging and Engagement Strategies is an inspiring and dynamic leader that provides visionary, strategic, and action-oriented leadership for cluster-wide initiatives focused on student engagement, student success, and fostering a strong sense of belonging. Reporting to the AVP for Student Equity and Belonging, the ED will serve as a key thought partner to provide strategy and support for the Student Equity and Belonging team in shaping the student engagement and belonging strategies. This role will drive the development and implementation of high-impact programs and collaborations that foster student success, belonging, leadership exploration and transformational pathway initiatives. Manage a portfolio of belonging, student engagement and global programs that foster belonging and student success, and a team of leaders, including but not limited to the following units: Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Guardian Scholars, TRIO Programs (SSS/ASPIRE and McNair), and Global Programs and Services (International Student Scholar Services and Study Abroad and Away). The ED will support the AVP in developing strategic priorities, resource analysis, and education and outreach initiatives to make the portfolio successful and embraced by the campus community. The ED will encourage collaborative opportunities across the units, and enhance the areas where synergies already exist. The ED leads the Senior Director and Directors of these programs and services and develops, implements, and strengthens services grounded in student success and a holistic focus on belonging, student engagement, leadership development and transformative pathways. Serving as a chief collaborator, innovator, and storyteller for the programs and services in their portfolio, the ED champions cross-campus and community partnerships that amplify the impact and visibility of portfolio efforts. By supervising, guiding, and aligning the work of their direct reports, the ED ensures that initiatives are strategically coordinated, high-impact, and data-driven, advancing cluster, divisional and institutional goals. Core responsibilities include: Data-driven strategy and innovation to respond to higher education trends and provide student ready and transformative practices Leadership and management of operations supported by multiple funding streams Cluster, cross-divisional, institutional and external partnerships to generate engagement with SJSU’s student equity and belonging offices, division of student affairs collaborators and external community partnerships People and team development for leaders and staff across multiple programs and units Experience in belonging, leadership and engagement strategies—co-curricular and integrated—to support student success across the arc of the student experience, through graduation and beyond Oversee budget (nearly $5 million across the portfolio), resource allocation, and staff management (for units under the ED’s supervision) including securing external funding, (grants, sponsorships) and ensuring responsible, strategic fiscal stewardship across all programs and initiatives to maximize impact on student retention and success outcomes

Requirements

Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, staff, and members of the community.
Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner.
Skilled in using qualitative and quantitative research methods to generate insights on client needs, team performance, and belonging, student engagement and student success.
Ability to absorb, analyze, and develop action plans/strategies based on information about factors affecting belonging, student engagement, and student success.
Ability to apply belonging, student development and retention theories and best practices to student success services.
Ability to apply cultural humility and education theories to generate inclusion in services and programs.
Skilled in developing and implementing complex operational plans.
Skilled in managing multiple budget funding types, including general funds, student fees, revenue, and grants.
Ability to generate funding from a variety of sources.
Skilled in developing and negotiating grants and MOUs.
Ability to engage and generate mutual benefit with strategic partners inside and outside the university.
Excellent communication skills in written, multi-media, and public speaking modes for audiences of all levels.
Ability to establish rapport and credibility with senior leadership to articulate the value of student belonging, engagement and global services and understand emergent needs.
Ability to build strong working relationships and influence staff, peers, faculty, and external stakeholders.
Skilled in managing budgets within a complex fiscal environment.
Ability to select and manage impactful vendor relationships.
Knowledge of student data management best practices, particularly those related to FERPA.
Ability to engage and motivate staff to implement operational plans in support of the institution, division, and unit mission
Skilled in managing and developing staff performance within a union environment.
Skilled in large-scale project management and launching of new initiatives.
Demonstrate ability to effectively train, develop, and manage professional staff.
Skilled in assessment, evaluation, and data-informed decision making.
Demonstrate ability to run data queries using various database management systems.
Ability to work in a fast paced environment with the ability to execute high-level administrative work, multi-task and prioritize
Knowledge and ability to utilize various software applications such as Word, Excel, Google, Chrome, and other systems with high degree of accuracy and speed.
Ability to function independently and organize workload with close attention to detail; manage multiple tasks and timelines; make appropriate decisions following campus policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality at all times in a highly confidential office.
Ability to work evenings and weekends.
Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner.
Master’s Degree in Student Affairs, Higher Education, , College Student Personnel or related field or equivalent training, education, or experience.
Five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education administration or a related field.
Experience supervising professional staff and building teams.
Experience delivering presentations.
Experience working with historically underrepresented student populations and with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Experience with data collection and assessment reporting.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate degree in Higher Education, Educational Administration or related field.
Experience working in the California State University system, or another large public higher education system.
Direct experience with major systems implementation or multi-phase optimization projects.
6-8 years of progressive leadership or supervisory experience in a higher education setting.
Experience developing and implementing a student success and retention framework.
Experience developing/forecasting and managing a budget.
Experience working with at-promise student populations and maximizing their access to higher education and developing student success and retention strategies.
Experience working closely and maintaining strong positive relationships and partnerships with internal university constituents.
Experience with college student development theory and implementation of frameworks across student programming.
Experience implementing data driven approaches to capture program impact.

Responsibilities

Leads strategy and sets vision for the program management, human resources and resource allocation, assessment and analysis, policy development and processes for belonging and global programs including but not limited to Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Guardian Scholars Program (GSP), TRIO (Student Success/ASPIRE and McNair Programs), and Global Programs and Services (International Student Scholar Services and Study Abroad and Away).
Supervise and coach the managers and financial analyst and recommend personnel decisions regarding performance management, professional development, and terminations. Responsible for time management, absence reporting, and payroll.
Create annual operational plans, refine area goals, KPIs, and activities that align with cluster and divisional strategy.
Provide executive oversight for the operations, including comprehensive leadership and budget management of a multi-faceted unit.
Utilize data insights to inform policy development, resource allocation, and strategic planning processes that advance equity, inclusion, and student success.
Lead strategy for integrative and co-curricular opportunities in collaboration with campus partners and divisional leadership.
Lead continuous improvement efforts to expand the reach and impact of student equity and belonging initiatives.
Build and maintain strong partnerships with faculty, staff, and external community organizations to create a seamless and supportive student experience.
Develop partnerships that foster inclusive, high impact, innovative educational experiences that promote global engagement, enhance intercultural competencies and support the development of global citizens.
Ensure transparent communication and equitable resource distribution across programs, prioritizing high-impact, sustainable initiatives that advance student engagement, belonging, persistence, and success.
Collaborate with resource and operations lead to produce and adhere to a yearly budget plan. Manage multiple budget funding types, including general funds, student fees, revenue, and grants
Oversee the development of financial reports, grant documentation, and assessment summaries that demonstrate effective stewardship of funds, measurable impact, and alignment with divisional and institutional student success outcomes.
Build the financial and operational capacity of Directors and Senior Directors by providing guidance and training on university fiscal systems, budget planning, and procurement procedures to strengthen accountability and data-informed decision-making across programs.
Provides strategic direction for developing and implementing a comprehensive data and assessment strategy that measures the effectiveness, outcomes, and collective impact of the programs, services, and initiatives. This includes partnering with Institutional Research and Data Analytics, student affairs assessment, and other campus stakeholders to develop dashboards to track program performance, equity impact, and overall contribution to institutional student success and belonging goals
Oversee the continuous development and re-imagination of programs using assessment data, ensuring strategies remain current, effective, and responsive to emerging student needs and institutional trends.
Leads efforts to enhance data literacy among staff by providing training, tools and consultation to integrate evidence-based practices across the unit. Lead department assessment and reporting to evaluate and communicate the impact of department services and programs
Lead by example, fostering an inclusive, high-performing, and innovative culture.
Oversee all aspects of people and team development, including the recruitment, training, supervision, mentoring, and performance evaluation of professional staff and student leaders.
Lead, coach, and supervise a team of professional staff, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.

Benefits

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary.
For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary

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