"Director of New Student Experiences and Belonging"

Director of New Student Experiences and Belonging

Bridgewater College invites applications for the Director of New Student Experiences and Belonging, a critical leadership position dedicated to shaping a transformative journey for all incoming students. This role offers a unique opportunity to cultivate a vibrant community, foster deep connections, and ensure a strong sense of belonging for new students as they transition into college life.

About the Opportunity

The Director of New Student Experiences and Belonging at Bridgewater College plays a foundational role in student success, overseeing all programs designed to facilitate a smooth and positive transition for new students. This position is responsible for creating a supportive environment that builds community, connects students with essential campus resources, and cultivates a strong sense of belonging throughout their first pivotal year. The Director’s work will be at the core of ensuring every new student feels supported, engaged, and prepared to thrive at Bridgewater College.

The Director is charged with:

• Leading the strategic vision and assessment for key programs like summer orientations, Welcome Week, and the Soar Mentor program.
• Supervising the Coordinator of Campus Enrichment and Belonging, guiding their work on vital programs like the Eagle Success transition program.
• Recruiting, training, and inspiring the student orientation leaders, who are the welcoming faces of Bridgewater.
• Fostering strong partnerships with academic departments, especially around the first-year and transfer student Connected Learning courses (CL 100/150), ensuring seamless academic integration.
• Championing engagement for commuter students and fostering the growth of class affinity groups.
• Managing the budgets for all new student experience programs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

While not an exhaustive list, the primary responsibilities of this position include:

• Leading the strategic development and assessment of all new student transition programs, ensuring they foster a positive and successful experience for all incoming students.
• Supervising the Coordinator of Campus Enrichment and Belonging.
• Providing guidance for campus belonging initiatives, including Eagle Success, Welcome Week coordination, commuter student organizations, class officers, and other identity-based student organizations.
• Managing student leaders and staff for orientation, overseeing recruitment, training, and retention.
• Integrating current best practices in peer mentoring, first-year experience, and transfer student transitions to continually enhance orientation and the student mentoring program.
• Maintaining strong collaborative partnerships with faculty and staff members, specifically those involved in student mentoring as it relates to Connected Learning and first-year/transfer curricula.
• Managing the budgets for all new student experience programs and initiatives.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished, organized, and inclusive leader. For a comprehensive list of qualifications, please contact Human Resources at humanresources@bridgewater.edu.

Bridgewater College seeks an individual who possesses the following:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• A Master's degree in Higher Education.
• At least 3 years of experience in a higher education setting, with a strong background in orientation or relevant student transition programming.
• Demonstrated program and event planning experience.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
• A proven ability to work successfully within diverse student and staff teams.
• The flexibility to work evenings and weekends to meet student and college needs, particularly during peak times.
• The ability to develop strong boundaries with students while cultivating a meaningful mentoring relationship.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to creatively and effectively problem-solve.
• Experience working effectively within interdisciplinary teams and building collaborative relationships with colleagues across departments and within the broader community.

ENVIRONMENT AND EXPECTATIONS:

This role typically operates Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, but flexibility is essential. The Director should expect to work some evenings and weekends to support key student and College events, particularly during peak times like orientation and Welcome Week. The position involves occasional medium physical work, including lifting up to 50 pounds, with frequent lifting or carrying of up to 20 pounds. Strong sensory abilities (far vision, near vision, hearing, and speech) are important for effective communication and engagement.

Pay is competitive, and salary is commensurate with experience. This full-time position offers a full benefits package, including paid tuition at the College for eligible dependents.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Bridgewater College was founded in 1880 as a coeducational liberal arts college to serve the local community. Located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, just minutes outside of Harrisonburg and within driving distance of Charlottesville, Washington D.C., and Richmond, Bridgewater is home to a total student body of approximately 1,450 from 27 states and 19 countries. Bridgewater students study more than 60 majors and minors, in addition to four graduate programs and 10 pre-professional programs. Bridgewater College is an NCAA DIII school with approximately 40 percent of its students participating in intercollegiate athletics on 25 teams. To learn more about Bridgewater College, visit: bridgewater.edu.

APPLY:

Complete the online application.

DEADLINE:

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Email humanresources@bridgewater.edu

COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

Bridgewater College, an equal opportunity provider and employer, is a welcoming and vibrant workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, marital status, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law.