Graduate Studies & Career Development

San Francisco State University•San Francisco, CA

3d•$76,584 - $81,276•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Lead provides strategic leadership and day-to-day management of San Francisco State University’s federally funded Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), under the general direction of the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies & Career Development. The position leads implementation of the Student Success and Career Pathways Ecosystem, a university-wide initiative focused on student success, career readiness, experiential learning, workforce preparation, employer engagement, and institutional effectiveness. The Project Lead oversees strategic planning, project implementation, operations, assessment, compliance, fiscal coordination, and cross-divisional collaboration. The role works with faculty, academic and administrative units, Institutional Research, Information Technology Services, Academic Technology Services, employers, community organizations, alumni, and other stakeholders. It also serves as a key liaison between Career & Leadership Development and the Institute for Civic & Community Engagement. This is a temporary, grant-funded, full-time position assigned to on-campus operations in California. The appointment will end on or before November 30, 2027, is contingent on grant funding, and does not confer permanent status. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; occasional evening and weekend work and local travel may be required. The anticipated hiring range is $6,382–$6,773 per month ($76,584–$81,276 annually), commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Foundational knowledge of administrative or program work and public administration principles, practices, and methods, normally obtained through a bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, or evaluation of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
Ability to independently plan, organize, coordinate, and implement complex projects involving multiple priorities and stakeholders.
Expertise in research, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of information to develop sound conclusions and recommendations.
Ability to understand complex issues from a broad organizational perspective and develop strategic and operational solutions.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion in interpreting policies, analyzing problems, and recommending courses of action.
Ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with faculty, staff, administrators, students, and external partners.
Ability to communicate effectively through written reports, presentations, and facilitation of meetings and collaborative processes.
Ability to analyze data, evaluate program effectiveness, and develop recommendations for continuous improvement and informed decision-making.
Working knowledge of budget administration, fiscal analysis, and resource management.
Ability to move boxes of paper, office supplies, outreach materials, displays, and event equipment weighing up to 20 pounds, and to bend, lift, move, and set up tables, chairs, displays, and other materials.
Successful completion of a background check.
Ability to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or authorization to work in the United States within three business days of hire.
Compliance with mandated reporter requirements under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in higher education, public administration, business administration, education, organizational leadership, or a related field.
Experience leading complex, grant-funded, or institution-wide initiatives in higher education or a public-sector environment.
Experience developing and implementing strategic initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and cross-functional collaboration.
Experience collaborating with faculty, academic departments, and administrative units on student success, career readiness, experiential learning, workforce development, or related initiatives.
Experience developing and maintaining partnerships with employers, industry, community organizations, government agencies, or other external stakeholders.
Experience with project planning, budget development and fiscal management, program assessment, data analysis, and performance reporting.
Experience developing operational processes, policies, or procedures that improve organizational effectiveness and support continuous improvement.
Experience with student engagement, career services, experiential learning, or project management platforms such as GivePulse, Handshake, Salesforce, or similar enterprise systems.
Knowledge of federal grant administration and applicable university and CSU policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Lead implementation of the Strengthening Institutions Program and coordinate activities supporting the Student Success and Career Pathways Ecosystem.
Develop strategic implementation plans, annual work plans, priorities, timelines, performance benchmarks, and strategies for long-term institutionalization and sustainability.
Coordinate initiatives across academic and administrative units, assess organizational needs and implementation challenges, and recommend improvements to operations and institutional capacity.
Prepare executive reports, presentations, and implementation updates; coordinate project activities, priorities, meetings, follow-up actions, and deliverables.
Facilitate coordination between Career & Leadership Development and the Institute for Civic & Community Engagement.
Develop faculty engagement strategies and coordinate Faculty Career Champions, Faculty Learning Communities, workshops, and related professional development.
Collaborate with colleges, departments, and faculty to expand career readiness competencies, experiential education, and high-impact educational practices across curricula.
Develop employer, industry, alumni, community, government, and other external partnerships; coordinate career-connected opportunities such as internships, mentoring, community-engaged learning, and undergraduate research.
Represent the project at university committees, campus and community events, employer and workforce events, and external collaborative initiatives.
Coordinate project assessment, monitor progress against goals and performance measures, and collaborate with Institutional Research and the external evaluator on data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
Develop recommendations for continuous improvement and prepare assessment reports, dashboards, and materials communicating outcomes and impact.
Lead institutional implementation, governance, utilization, and long-term adoption of the GivePulse platform in partnership with the Institute for Civic & Community Engagement and relevant campus units.
Coordinate program fiscal administration, including budget planning, expenditure monitoring, forecasting, resource allocation, fiscal reporting, procurement, contracts, and purchasing.
Maintain administrative procedures and coordinate required fiscal, programmatic, and compliance documentation; monitor compliance with university, CSU, and sponsor requirements.
Coordinate implementation with the Student Success & Workforce Partnerships Coordinator and campus partners, maintaining communication, workflow, alignment, and progress toward project schedules.