Director, Promise Scholars Program

Campus: Skyline College

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Schedule: 35

Category: Academic Supervisor

Bargaining Unit: Non-Represented

Months Per Year: 12

Hours Per Week: 37.5

Mandated Reporter: Yes

Campus Security Authority: Yes

This position is contingent upon grant funding.

Under the general direction of the assigned administrator, the Director is responsible for the administration, implementation, and evaluation of Skyline College's cohort-based student success programs focused on increasing timely degree and certificate completion. The Director supports Skyline's STEPs model, which integrates PSP with EOPS and TRiO Student Support Services to provide a coordinated continuum of student support. Public contact is extensive and involves faculty, staff, students, vendors, contractors, outside educational institutions, businesses, and community representatives. A high degree of independent judgment and creativity is required to resolve problems that arise while maintaining the fidelity of program implementation. The position requires flexible work hours and some evening and weekend responsibilities.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives general direction from an appropriate supervisor; checks with supervisor regarding non-routine assignments. Incumbent supervises faculty, staff, and student assistants, as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Duties and Responsibilities are representative and not intended to cover all duties the incumbent performs. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the scope of work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to this class.

Leadership

• Serve as the primary administrator responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of the Promise Scholars Program; oversee all matters relating to planning, development, budgeting, compliance with applicable rules and regulations, monitoring, and assessment of programs and activities.
• Coordinate the development, evaluation, and implementation of program goals, objectives, and strategic initiatives; assess outcomes and consequences of program initiatives and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Collaborate and communicate regularly with PSP district staff and PSP leads across SMCCCD; support the integration of the STEPs model with EOPS and TRiO Student Support Services to ensure a coordinated, seamless student support experience.
• Explore and pursue grant opportunities to support the institutionalization, expansion, and sustainability of the Promise Scholars Program and related initiatives.
• Develop collaborative efforts, strategic alliances, and working relationships with external constituents and internal departments; serve as a liaison to campus administration, community agencies, and program partners to maximize services and promote program visibility.
• Participate in college shared governance processes and committees to support overall program objectives and the college's mission, philosophy, and equity goals.
• Contribute to Skyline College's Educational Master Plan, program review processes, and Equal Opportunity objectives.

Management of Personnel and Budgets

• Hire, supervise, direct, and regularly evaluate the performance of PSP and assigned program faculty and staff in accordance with District policy and applicable collective bargaining agreements; serve as a mentor to develop staff career goals and hold staff accountable to performance expectations.
• Develop, implement, and administer policies and procedures for program operations, consistent with District policy and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Coordinate orientation and in-service training for program faculty and staff; assign and review subordinate work for compliance with established guidelines, requirements, and procedures.
• Ensure staff understanding and compliance with mandated reporting requirements and applicable District policies and procedures.
• Oversee staff in planning and coordinating on- and off-site program events and activities.
• Control and authorize expenditures in accordance with established budget limitations; institute and maintain record-keeping systems in compliance with the District's Internal Controls Framework and standard District practices.
• Provide training and professional development related to PSP implementation to students, faculty, staff, and administration.

Student Services

• Develop and monitor a comprehensive program of academic advisement, career counseling, peer support, and financial aid services for designated Promise Scholar students.
• Oversee recruitment of new students, including coordination with other college offices, outreach programs, and orientation activities.
• Oversee the development of student leadership, peer mentoring, and student development programming for Promise Scholars student leaders.
• Work closely with counseling faculty and staff, academic support programs, and other campus resources to support and strengthen scholars' academic experiences, sense of belonging, and success.
• Participate in college outreach and orientation programs to promote PSP and ensure equitable access for prospective Scholars.
• Develop, update, and maintain program policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures for all assigned programs.

Reporting, Evaluation, and Marketing

• Collaborate with the Planning, Research, Innovation and Effectiveness (PRIE) office to ensure a comprehensive, iterative, and integrated process for program evaluation, data analysis, and student success reporting.
• Generate reports for campus, board, community, and public audiences on program implementation, outcomes, and evaluation; use data to support continuous program improvement and equity-focused decision-making.
• In collaboration with the Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations office, plan and maintain a calendar of PSP events and activities; lead and participate in communications and marketing efforts for the Promise Scholars Program.

Compliance and Safety

• Serve as a Responsible Employee under federal Title IX and state Equity in Education mandated reporting requirements.
• Serve as a Campus Security Authority under the Clery Act and VAWA.
• Serve as a Mandated Reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) and the District's Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Employment Standards (acquired through education, training, and/or experience)

Knowledge of:

1. Evidence-based student success models and program development frameworks related to first-year experience, student development, and degree completion, or comparable cohort-based approaches.
2. Student advising, counseling frameworks, and the academic, financial, and social support needs of students from diverse and historically underserved backgrounds.
3. Grant development and writing, and familiarity with funding sources that support student success and equity programming.
4. Program planning, budgeting, and evaluation principles and practices.
5. Comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of effective supervision, training, performance management, motivation, and providing constructive feedback to subordinates.

Skills and Abilities:

1. Provide leadership for a department and the institution at large; set a clear vision and build a collaborative, accountable, and equity-centered team culture.
2. Effectively train, direct, supervise, motivate, and evaluate the performance of assigned faculty and staff in compliance with District policy and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
3. Coordinate complex, multi-program operations with college services, community partners, and student constituencies in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
4. Create and maintain internal controls and standard operating procedures to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, financial integrity, and regulatory compliance across all assigned programs.
5. Design and implement strategies to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for faculty, staff, and students served by assigned programs.
6. Communicate promptly, clearly, and effectively with diverse constituencies within and outside the College, both in writing and orally.
7. Use data to assess program outcomes, identify equity gaps, and drive continuous program improvement.
8. Encourage professional excellence among employees and promote an organizational culture of accountability, customer service, teamwork, and innovation.

Job Requirements:

• Master's degree or above from an accredited institution in student services, counseling, student development, higher education administration, or a closely related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5) years of experience in designing, managing, or implementing federal student support services or similar programs.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience supervising staff, managing budgets, developing and evaluating programs, and submitting reports in compliance with federal regulations. Experience may be concurrent with the five-year requirement above.
• Experience developing and implementing student programming for a diverse constituency, including topics such as cultural belonging, academic skills, career preparation, financial aid literacy, and transfer readiness.
• Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, gender identity and expression, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff, including those with physical and learning disabilities.

Preferred

• Experience with cohort-based student success or first-year experience programs, or comparable comprehensive student support models.
• Experience managing, implementing, and evaluating student support programs.
• Experience with grant development, writing, and/or fundraising to support student success programming.
• Experience working with part-time or non-traditional student populations, including experience adapting program models to meet diverse student scheduling and life circumstances.
• Demonstrated experience in program evaluation, data analysis, and using student success data to inform equity-focused program improvements.
• Experience managing in a unionized work environment, including demonstrated ability to apply collective bargaining agreement provisions in a supervisory context.

Additional Requirements:

• Provide own transportation and travel countywide.