"Director, Experiential Education Programs - Minerva Center for High-Impact Practices - University at Albany"

Job Description

The Director of Experiential Education oversees experiential education programs that enhance student learning through high-impact practices, including research, academic internships, applied learning co-operative educational programs, and community-based learning opportunities. This role involves collaboration with academic departments, employers, and community partners to create meaningful and impactful student learning experiences.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Program Development and Management: Design, implement, and oversee experiential education programs that align with the strategic plan, departmental academic goals, and student needs. Establish program guidelines, objectives, and assessment metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of experiential education initiatives. Advise the Assistant Dean on strategic planning, policy, and procedural decisions for Experiential Education. Design and implement solutions to reduce gaps in access to experiential education and the resources needed for student success in those programs. Lead external funding efforts supporting Minerva Center initiatives, including identifying funding sources, writing grant proposals, monitoring grant expenditures, and compliance with grant requirements. Manage the Minerva Center's experiential education budget in consultation with the Assistant and Vice Dean in AISS. Facilitate the funding application for experiential education programming across federal, state, and philanthropic sources.
• Collaboration and Outreach: Collaborate with faculty, academic advisors, schools, and colleges to integrate experiential education into the curriculum. Develop industry partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and community stakeholders to create opportunities. Foster and develop relationships with schools, colleges, and departments to promote experiential education for undergraduate students. Cultivate collaborative relationships across campus and industry partners to develop workshops, seminars, and information sessions on experiential education opportunities. Represent the department at events, meetings, and on university committees, including presentations and tabling for Open House, Accepted Students Day, and online recruitment events. Occasional evening and weekend hours will be required to promote experiential education initiatives.
• Student Support and Engagement: Provide guidance and support to students in securing experiential education opportunities. Serve as a secondary lead and course instructor for experiential education. Monitor and assess student progress and satisfaction in experiential education programs and high-impact practices.
• Assessment and Evaluation: Collect and analyze data on student participation, outcomes, internal and external partner engagement, and feedback to continuously improve programs. Prepare reports and presentations for stakeholders regarding program effectiveness and student success. Collect and prepare institutional data end-of-year assessments. Stay informed of best practices and trends in experiential education.
• Leadership and Team Development: Supervise and mentor a team of two professional staff, two graduate assistants, student interns, and ambassadors involved in experiential education initiatives. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team. Lead professional development opportunities for staff to enhance their skills in supporting students' experiential education. Support AISS and develop experiential education opportunities across all units. Lead and manage direct reports/team providing guidance, support, and performance feedback to assure goals, programs, activities, and personnel practices are consistent with and contribute to the University's mission. Lead employees for maximum performance and dedication, fostering a positive and productive work environment. Complete performance management feedback and goals timely and per requirements, offering constructive feedback and developing improvement plans.
• Other reasonable duties as assigned.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships:

• Reports to Assistant Dean, Minerva Center for High Impact Practices
• Supervises the following positions: Coordinator, Academic Internships and Co-Operative Learning; Coordinator, Research and Creative Endeavors; Graduate Assistants (2); Student Assistants and ExEd Ambassadors

Job Requirements:

Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders. Willingness and ability to take initiative as appropriate. Proven leadership and team management abilities. Excellent organizational and project management skills, ability to prioritize effectively, and complete tasks in a timely manner. Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills. Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment. Familiarity with assessment tools and program evaluation methods. Ability to articulate knowledge of best practices in experiential learning. Knowledge of industry, educational trends, and workforce needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in higher education administration or a related field from a college or University accredited by the US Department of Education or internationally recognized accrediting organization
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in higher education
• 1-2 years of experience in experiential education and applied learning modalities like co-operative education, e-portfolios, undergraduate research, or academic internship opportunities, focused on teaching, learning, and course development.
• Experience analyzing data, extracting patterns, and converting these into actionable steps and programmatic suggestions
• Experience supporting students
• Experience supervising professional staff
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to develop inclusive and equitable relationships within our diverse campus community
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to support diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging relative to their role

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree and certification in instruction and learning course development
• Experience working with EAB, IAS/PeopleSoft, degree auditing software, JotForm, Brightspace learning management system, and other similar applications

Working Environment:

Typical office environment. Some evening and weekend obligations.

Additional Information:

This is a promotional opportunity for current UAlbany employees. Eligibility for Consideration: You must be employed at the University at Albany campus. You must be in a State-funded UUP professional position (MC employees are not eligible). You must have a permanent, term, or probationary appointment. Only temporary employees employed by UAlbany for three or more consecutive years can be considered eligible. For details concerning the University's Promotion Policy for Professional Employees, please see HR Memorandum 88-4. Professional Rank and Salary Grade: Staff Associate, SL-4, $75,000-$80,000. Special Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. If you currently need sponsorship or will need it in the future to maintain employment authorization, you do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, please note that UAlbany is not an E-Verify employer. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, without exception, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three years; and disclosures regarding the University's current campus security policies. The University at Albany's Annual Security Report is available in portable document format [PDF] by clicking this link http://police.albany.edu/ASR.shtml. Pursuant to NYS Labor Law 194-A, no State entity, as defined by the Law, is permitted to rely on, orally or in writing seek, request, or require in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current wage, or salary history as a condition to be interviewed, or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation, and for the purpose of verifying information, may such requests be made. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov. THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY IS AN EO/AA/IRCA/ADA EMPLOYER. Please apply online via http://albany.interviewexchange.com/candapply.jsp?JOBID=191579.