Director, First-Year Student Success

Yavapai-College; Prescott (AZ); Vor Ort; USD 90.000 - 130.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Yavapai College seeks a Director, First-Year Student Success - Title III Grant to lead the day-to-day execution of approved Title III activities that support first-year student engagement, retention, persistence, completion, and access to opportunities.

The role coordinates activities across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Institutional Research, Finance, and external partners, ensuring compliance and timely reporting.

Qualifikationen

• Master's degree or equivalent combination with substantial leadership in higher education.

Aufgaben

• Coordinate implementation of Title III objectives, activities, timelines and deliverables.
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Kenntnisse

Student success practices

Project coordination

Grant administration

Budget monitoring

Documentation and reporting

Cross-department collaboration

Communication skills

Ausbildung

Master's degree in Higher Education or related field

5+ years leadership in higher education

Tools

Microsoft Office

Jobbeschreibung

***Please note: this is a grant-funded position and continuation is subject to funding***

The Director, First-Year Student Success - Title III Grant coordinates the day-to-day implementation and administration of approved Title III activities designed to support first-year student engagement, retention, persistence, completion, and access to educational opportunities.

Working under established grant objectives, budgets, institutional procedures, and the direction of designated College leadership, the Director develops operational work plans, coordinates activities across participating departments, monitors progress and expenditures, maintains required documentation, and supports grant reporting and evaluation. The position serves as an operational liaison among Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Institutional Research, Finance, and other internal and external partners.

The Director may supervise assigned grant-funded staff and provides operational guidance, training, and accountability for approved program activities. Overall institutional strategy, final fiscal authority, grant amendments, and executive-level federal relations remain with designated College leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Administration and Implementation

• Coordinate implementation of approved Title III objectives, activities, timelines, and deliverables.
• Develop and maintain annual operational work plans, project schedules, task lists, and implementation documentation within the approved grant plan.
• Coordinate grant activities across participating departments and follow up on assigned responsibilities and deadlines.
• Identify operational barriers, recommend practical solutions, and elevate significant program, compliance, or resource concerns to designated leadership.
• Facilitate routine project meetings, prepare agendas and materials, document decisions, and track action items.
• Support consistent implementation of approved first-year student success programs and services.

Grant Compliance and Documentation

• Maintain current working knowledge of applicable Title III requirements, approved grant objectives, institutional procedures, and documentation standards.
• Monitor program activities for consistency with the approved grant plan and established procedures.
• Maintain accurate and complete records of activities, expenditures, participation, assessments, and outcomes.
• Assist with preparation of required performance reports, supporting documentation, budget information, and responses to routine information requests.
• Coordinate with the designated grant administrator or institutional official regarding federal reporting, grant modifications, compliance concerns, and communications with program officers or external reviewers.
• Provide technical assistance to project participants regarding established grant procedures and documentation expectations.

Budget Monitoring and Fiscal Coordination

• Monitor expenditures and budget activity against approved categories, timelines, and project objectives.
• Prepare expenditure summaries, projections, reconciliations, and supporting documentation for review by designated leadership and Finance.
• Initiate and track grant-related purchases, contracts, equipment requests, travel, and personnel transactions in accordance with College procedures and delegated authority.
• Coordinate with Finance and Business Services to resolve routine fiscal questions and documentation issues.
• Identify potential budget variances and recommend operational adjustments for leadership review and approval.
• Maintain organized fiscal records to support reporting, audit, and closeout activities.

Assessment, Data, and Reporting

• Coordinate collection of quantitative and qualitative data related to project participation, services, milestones, and outcomes.
• Maintain project tracking tools, performance records, and routine status reports.
• Collaborate with Institutional Research, external evaluators, and project staff to support approved assessment and evaluation activities.
• Analyze program information, identify trends or implementation concerns, and recommend operational improvements.
• Prepare summaries, presentations, and reports for College leadership, project teams, and grant stakeholders.
• Use assessment findings to improve workflows, service delivery, documentation, and participant support within the approved program framework.

First-Year Student Success Program Support

• Coordinate approved programs and activities intended to improve first-year student engagement, retention, persistence, and completion.
• Work with faculty, staff, and student support areas to promote access to grant-supported services and resources.
• Support outreach, training, workshops, events, and communications associated with first-year student success initiatives.
• Gather feedback from participants and campus partners and recommend practical program improvements.
• Maintain awareness of student success practices and share applicable resources with project participants.

Personnel and Operational Leadership

• Supervise, train, schedule, coach, and evaluate assigned grant-funded staff within established personnel policies and delegated authority.
• Assign and monitor day-to-day work, establish operational expectations, and promote accountability for service quality, documentation, and deadlines.
• Coordinate onboarding and role-specific training for project staff and participants.
• Address routine performance or workflow concerns and elevate significant personnel matters through established supervisory channels.
• Promote a collaborative, service-oriented, and student-centered work environment.

Collaboration and Relationship Building

• Serve as the operational point of contact for routine Title III questions from internal departments and project partners.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, community organizations, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Participate on committees, task forces, and project work groups as assigned.
• Represent the Title III program at meetings, training sessions, conferences, and outreach events as assigned.
• Prepare routine communications and informational materials that promote awareness of approved Title III activities.

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of Title III activities, first-year student success, and College operations.

Education:

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Education, Public Administration, Business Administration, Student Affairs, Counseling, Organizational Leadership, or a related field, or combination of bachelor’s degree and minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible leadership in higher education, student affairs, academic affairs, grant administration, or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, student services, academic affairs, grant-supported programs, program administration, or a related area.
• Experience coordinating programs or projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Experience monitoring budgets, maintaining records, preparing reports, or supporting compliance activities.
• Demonstrated supervisory, team leadership, or project leadership experience.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of student success, retention, persistence, completion, and engagement practices.
• Working knowledge of grant administration, program documentation, or regulatory compliance requirements.
• Strong project coordination, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain work plans, schedules, tracking tools, and accurate records.
• Ability to analyze operational problems, identify root causes, and implement or recommend practical solutions.
• Ability to interpret and apply established policies, procedures, grant requirements, and approved plans.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn institutional, reporting, and grant-management systems.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a changing environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.

• Experience supporting a federally funded grant or educational program.
• Experience working in a community college or higher education environment.
• Experience with program assessment, institutional effectiveness, or student success initiatives.
• Experience supervising staff or coordinating the work of project teams.
• Familiarity with federal grant reporting, financial documentation, and audit preparation.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and competencies listed represent the required knowledge, skill, and ability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee must frequently use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. In addition, the employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.