Assistant Director, Predegree Advising and Admissions Policy Management

12-Feb-2024

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

65039BR

Position Description

The Office of Predegree Advising & Admissions (OPA&A) supports degree-seeking Harvard Extension School (HES) students as they progress through admission courses and apply to the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director, the Assistant Director of Predegree Advising and Admissions Policy Management provides essential support to both the advising staff and OPA&A leadership by ensuring that each has the critical resources and information required to serve students and meet departmental goals most effectively.

The Assistant Director primarily manages: 

• Predegree advising processes, including management of both student-facing projects and internal, advisor-centered programming
• Policy interpretation and petitioning processes, which requires strong writing skills and attention to detail through research, reporting, and documentation management
• Personnel and hiring, incorporating direct and indirect advising staff supervision and the creation and implementation of initiatives focused on advisors’ training, professional development, and well-being

Specific duties and responsibilities:

Predegree Advising Processes

• Manages multiple advising-related reports, analyzing statistics and communicating results related to student appointments, phone calls, emails, and the (OPA&A student feedback survey to determine quality assurance and implement training as needed
• Leads the weekly advisor meeting and liaises with OPA&A leadership as needed to address action items
• Co-manages the OPA&A Virtual Office Hours, including scheduling, and online application information sessions for students
• Coordinates the student advising aspects of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship program; helps coordinate outreach and marketing to prospective students; assists in updating the Harvard Extension School (HES) website for PTK
• Manages the development and cataloging of degree plans for prospective students
• Manages readmission processes for military predegree students returning from medical leaves, working closely with the Registrar’s Office and Accessibility Services Office
• Manages the scripting of the OPA&A admission videos produced annually for the HES website.
• Assists with design ideas and content for the OPA&A MyDCE portal page
• Participates in developing, launching, and maintaining a department SMS outreach strategy for students who are ready to apply and/or current applicants
• Contributes to recruitment strategies for predegree students; helps to change, improve, and/or create OPA&A student support services to predegree students and applicants
• Acts as OPA&A representative/liaison to internal DCE staff committees and groups
• Manages the department Confluence site, such as program-specific advising guidelines and related policy explanations, updating the information as needed and monitoring advisors’ contributions to its annual review
• Researches and manages subpoena requests from the Registrar’s Office related to student records and OPA&A interactions

Policy Support

• Assists with preparing student petitions for both departmental and HES committee review, cataloguing petitions and their outcomes, creating an annual report
• Manages department-related academic policy and petition procedure documentation; performs annual policy reviews
• Performs international education evaluation research and advances recommendations to the Senior Associate Director about student degree program eligibility

Staff Management

• Hires, trains, and directly supervises several predegree advisors
• Assists with the hiring and training of additional staff and provides managerial support as needed
• Assists the Senior Associate Director with creating, executing, and participating in initiatives to ensure OPA&A frontline staff/advisor support, training/education, professional development, and wellbeing
• Co-manages the OPA&A annual retreat

Performs related duties as required.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Work experience in advising, admissions, higher education and/or continuing education 

• Advanced degree in education, administration, management, or related field  

• Experience managing people and/or processes  

• Superior verbal and written communication skills  

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to act with composure, diplomacy, and confidence while serving students with varied needs and expectations 

• Ability to take initiative, manage multiple projects, and meet challenges creatively, effectively, and independently during high-demand conditions 

• Familiarity with the following technologies: Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, TargetX, Banner, and the Microsoft suite of applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)  

• Ability to handle a variety of tasks independently while also being flexible enough to work productively and positively as part of a team 

• Familiarity with Harvard Extension School degree programs and admissions

Working Conditions

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Additional Information

• We will not provide visa sponsorship for this position. 

• In order to be considered for this role, a resume and cover letter must be submitted with application. 

• All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.

Work Format Details

This position will be based in Cambridge, MA. Hybrid workplace models in place at DCE with a minimum of 2 days per week on campus. DCE may adjust these as necessary or appropriate.  

Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment. 

About Us

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) comprises four academic units serving about 30,000 domestic and international students annually, which allow Harvard to meet the learning needs of intellectually curious and highly motivated students from high school through retirement. Established in 1910, the Harvard Extension School (HES) offers access to Harvard faculty for a diverse community of adult learners, enrolling about 15,000 students. HES offers over 1,000 open enrollment courses — 85 percent of which are accessible online — and provides flexibility through noncredit, undergraduate, and graduate courses, including degrees, certificates, and a premedical program. The Harvard Summer School, founded in 1871, offers around 450 credit and noncredit courses both on the Harvard Campus and online, catering to 10,000 high school, college, and adult learners. Additionally, it offers more than 15 international study abroad programs, hosting up to 300 students each summer. Harvard DCE Professional & Executive Development delivers over 140 noncredit programs annually, reaching more than 3,600 participants through online platforms and its executive development center in Cambridge. The Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement offers about 140 peer-taught courses to approximately 550 active members.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Faculty & Student Services

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

S0057M FSS Admissions Mgt III

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Sub-Unit

Division of Continuing Education

Department

Division of Continuing Education

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Identity

Schedule

Monday-Friday, 9-5pm

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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