"Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs"

Job Summary

The assistant vice president (AVP) of student affairs is responsible for providing leadership, management, strategic direction, policy development, and administrative oversight for the department. The AVP, student affairs is also responsible for the management of related auxiliary services and the programming, planning, development, and coordination of all student life activities at Lindenwood University. This position provides oversight to all functional areas of Student Affairs with a focus on student life, student housing, and student wellness.

Essential Job Functions and Performance Indicators

• Fosters a safe, supportive campus environment with a strong emphasis on upholding student welfare and promoting a sense of belonging, connectedness, and community across all student interactions.
• Administers a comprehensive operational plan for student life programs, creating opportunities to engage diverse ideas inside and outside the classroom.
• Manages all student crises.
• Plans and executes the student housing occupancy plan in alignment with the University’s long-range financial plan.
• Serves as the appeal officer for student conduct adjudications.
• Provides co-curricular programs and services that emphasize student development and success.
• Manages contracts and maintains relationships with third-party service providers for the University’s Student Health Center and the University’s mental health services.
• Oversees the Student Health Center and ensures health compliance such as immunization requirements.
• Provides oversight for auxiliary units (e.g., bookstore) and vendor relationships (e.g., on-campus dining).
• Ensures that all University student life programs remain on schedule and achieve set goals.
• Reviews and modifies the student handbook and any student development policies that appear in the academic catalogs.
• Carries out relevant federal, state, and institutional compliance activities as needed.

Leadership and Strategic Thinking

• Establishes long- and short-term strategic goals based on assessment data and ensures standards for the department and its field are met or exceeded.
• Adapts and modifies leadership based on new information and/or data; works to set and unite people on the new direction.
• Utilizes effective strategies to build collaboration for maximum execution.
• Aligns department purpose and actions with relevant University initiatives and higher education trends.
• Oversees all internal strategic, personnel, and fiscal planning for the department.
• Develops and maintains student code of conduct policies.
• Provides strategic direction for care and concern for student populations.
• Provides frequent, comprehensive, and data-focused oral and written reports to campus and community constituents on the progress of the department.
• Partners with academic colleagues to engage faculty in matters of co-curricular development.

Employee Management and Development

• Supports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence.
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the University’s values.
• Recruits, interviews, recommends, welcomes, observes, and monitors performance of department staff.
• Sets clear performance expectations and holds employees accountable.
• Conducts annual employee evaluations based on evidence, observation, and feedback.
• Provides autonomy, authority, and resources to support and enable staff to meet job expectations.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Minimum of 8 years’ progressive leadership and supervision in higher education, educational leadership, and/or student services at an accredited institution.
• Direct administrative and financial management experience.
• Extensive knowledge of best practices related to providing effective, responsive, and fiscally sound campus-based auxiliary services to a university community.
• Extensive experience with auxiliary budget management; experience with third-party vendor management preferred.
• Well-versed in assessing market demand of varied constituencies and planning new services and/or modifying existing services to meet these needs.
• Terminal degree preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures.
• Knowledge of budgeting, assessment, diversity initiatives, and human resource practices.
• Knowledge of Title IX, Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Clery Act, Drug-Free Schools and Community Act (DFSCA), and Office of Civil Rights compliance.
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating broadly to promote student success.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, including the ability to manage resources, delegate responsibilities, and apportion authority.
• Strong understanding of retention and recruitment issues relative to their impact on instructional learning, student retention, and legal liability.
• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Highly organized and motivated, with the ability to take initiative.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong professional integrity.
• Ability to creatively solve problems, use good judgment, and think critically.
• Highly developed analytical skills.

Work Environment

General office setting. Evening and weekend work required. Serves as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). Non-Standard Flex.

Physical Abilities

Ability to sit/stand for extended periods of time. Ability to work effectively at a computer for extended time daily. Ability to lift/carry items commonly found in an office setting including, but not limited to, documents, laptops, etc. Ability to use repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to type regularly. Adequately mobile to attend events on- and off-campus. Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function.