Director of First Year Experience & Leadership Development

Messiah University; Grantham (PA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA seeks a Director of First Year Experience & Leadership Development to design, implement, and assess programs that support a successful transition for new and transfer students. The role provides vision for orientation, leadership opportunities, and strategic collaboration across campus with emphasis on belonging and student success.

The position requires a Master’s degree and 3–5 years of higher education experience, with a focus on first-year experiences,

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, education, counseling, leadership, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of related experience within higher education, student affairs, student development, or a related field, including experience with programs supporting student transition, engagement, leadership development, or student success.
• Experience with first-year experience and/or orientation programs, student leadership development, supervision or advising of student leaders, and assessment of student learning or program outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the University's primary resource for first-year transition and student leadership development.
• Provide strategic leadership for the University's comprehensive transition experience, including Welcome Week, Winter Orientation, Becoming U, and related initiatives for new, transfer, and commuter students.
• Lead assessment and continuous improvement efforts related to first-year learning outcomes, student engagement, belonging, leadership development, and retention.
• Provide leadership for the University's shared student leadership curriculum and related leadership development experiences.
• Co-chair the First-Year Experience Committee and collaborate broadly to ensure an integrated first-year experience.
• Co-chair the First-Year Transition Team in partnership with Enrollment Technology and Communications staff, providing strategic leadership for coordinated communications and transition planning that supports prospective and incoming students from enrollment through matriculation. Collaborate with campus partners to develop and maintain a comprehensive communication plan, gather timely updates and key deadlines, and ensure digital resources and website content are current, accurate, and aligned to foster a seamless and welcoming transition to Messiah University.
• Provide leadership for commuter and transfer student initiatives that support student success, engagement, and belonging.
• Participate in professional development to grow in expertise related to responsibilities.

Skills

Student development

Leadership development

Assessment/data analysis

Communication

Collaboration

Program management

Supervision

Christian mission

Education

Master’s degree in higher education

Job description

Director of First Year Experience & Leadership Development

Mechanicsburg, PA, United States

Job Description

Working collaboratively with Academic Affairs, Student Success & Engagement, Enrollment, and other campus partners, the Director designs, implements, and assesses programs that foster students' successful transition to Messiah University, sense of belonging, holistic flourishing, leadership development, academic success, and persistence. The Director provides vision and leadership for orientation and transition initiatives, coordinates leadership development opportunities, and advances institutional goals related to student success through assessment, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Primary Duties

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Serve as the University's primary resource for first-year transition and student leadership development.
• Provide strategic leadership for the University's comprehensive transition experience, including Welcome Week, Winter Orientation, Becoming U, and related initiatives for new, transfer, and commuter students.
• Lead assessment and continuous improvement efforts related to first-year learning outcomes, student engagement, belonging, leadership development, and retention.
• Provide leadership for the University's shared student leadership curriculum and related leadership development experiences.
• Co-chair the First-Year Experience Committee and collaborate broadly to ensure an integrated first-year experience.
• Co-chair the First-Year Transition Team in partnership with Enrollment Technology and Communications staff, providing strategic leadership for coordinated communications and transition planning that supports prospective and incoming students from enrollment through matriculation. Collaborate with campus partners to develop and maintain a comprehensive communication plan, gather timely updates and key deadlines, and ensure digital resources and website content are current, accurate, and aligned to foster a seamless and welcoming transition to Messiah University.
• Provide leadership for commuter and transfer student initiatives that support student success, engagement, and belonging.
  

Strategic Leadership & Assessment:

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for first-year transition and leadership development aligned with the University's mission and student success priorities.
• Establish measurable goals, assess learning outcomes, analyze data, and recommend improvements.
• Remain current on national best practices and share emerging trends with campus partners.
  

First-Year Transition & Orientation:

• Provide leadership for Welcome Week, Winter Orientation, Becoming U, and transition programming.
• Coordinate planning, logistics, recruitment, training, and supervision of student leaders and volunteers.
• Strategically evaluate and revise transition programming based on assessment findings and student feedback.
  

Leadership Development:

• Provide leadership for the University's shared leadership curriculum and related co-curricular leadership initiatives.
• Chair the Leadership Advisory Team and collaborate with leadership advisors across campus.
• Oversee leadership-related experiential learning opportunities and associated assessment processes.

Transfer & Commuter Student Success:

• Provide strategic oversight for commuter and transfer student initiatives.
• Collaborate with Student Success, Residence Life, the Registrar, and other partners to support successful transition and persistence.

Supervise student staff and graduate assistants supporting commuter initiatives as assigned.

• Co-chair the First-Year Transition Team with Enrollment Technology and Communications staff.
• Coordinate comprehensive communications for incoming students and families.
• Maintain and oversee first-year websites and digital communication resources.
  

Administration & Supervision:

• Manage departmental budgets and resources.
• Supervise assigned graduate assistants, student employees, and volunteers
• Serve on University committees and participate in professional development
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  

Secondary Duties:

• Participate in professional development to grow in expertise related to responsibilities.|
• Serve on campus committees as appropriate.|
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education Required

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, education, counseling, leadership, or a related field.

Experience Required

3-5 years of related experience within higher education, student affairs, student development, or a related field, including experience with programs supporting student transition, engagement, leadership development, or student success.

Experience Preferred

Experience with first-year experience and/or orientation programs, student leadership development, supervision or advising of student leaders, and assessment of student learning or program outcomes.

Skills, Characteristics Required

• Demonstrated knowledge of college student development, particularly the needs of first-year students and students in transition.
• Ability to provide vision and leadership for programs that foster student transition, belonging, engagement, leadership development, and persistence.
• Strong organizational and program-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, oral, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with students, families, faculty, staff, and campus partners.
• Ability to develop, mentor, and equip student leaders.
• Ability to use assessment, student feedback, and relevant data to evaluate and continuously improve programs.
• Ability to use contemporary technology and software applications effectively for communication, program administration, assessment, and reporting.
• Commitment to Messiah University’s Christian educational mission and the holistic development of students.

Special Working Conditions

Expected to work weekends and evenings as needed.

Driving Requirements

N/A

About Us

Messiah University’s commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence draws inspiration from its mission “to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society.” The university has pursued this vision through a strategic planning process that encourages diversity through employee and student composition, campus climate, and an educational program that seeks to equip and enable educators and students to embrace diversity. Candidates should clearly articulate why diversity and inclusive excellence matter to them as persons of faith as well as in their profession. Candidates will speak to how as a potential employee, they will contribute to the advancement of this vision through their teaching-learning, research, institutional service, and public engagement.

Job Info

• Job Identification 512
• Job Category Student / Academic Services
• Posting Date 08/14/2026, 06:59 PM
• Degree Level Master's Degree
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 1 University Ave, Mechanicsburg, PA, 17055, US