Senior Student Affairs Administrator and Program Coordinator

Department
 

SSD Psychology: Staff and Temporary Employees R Weathers

About the Department
 

Since its founding in 1893, the Department of Psychology has been renowned for scientific research and scholarship that cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Today, this broad and integrative vision of psychological science is reflected in the diversity of laboratories and collaborations within the Department, as well as research initiatives that connect psychology to other areas of the University and beyond. This vision also is reflected in the Department's teaching. The PhD program encourages students to take advantage of the many research opportunities at the University, emphasizing intellectual breadth as well as training in specific areas. Similarly, the undergraduate curriculum emphasizes faculty-taught courses and research opportunities, making Psychology one of the most popular majors at the University. 

Job Summary
 

The job develops and implements a variety of student affairs activities, including orientation and onboarding programs for incoming students. Acts as the primary point of contact for student inquiries. Uses breadth and depth of expertise in student affairs to develop future enrollment strategies using admissions and financial aid data.
The Senior Student Affairs Administrator and Program Coordinator brings astute judgment, strategic thinking, and a high-level knowledge of the University and field of Psychology to support the Department’s pedagogical, training, and intellectual missions. With independent and mature knowledge of the academic goals of the Department, facilitates student success in a lab-based environment and beyond in cultivating their careers. Will create and administer curricular and co-curricular programs that facilitate intellectual synergies across areas of the department. Will develop and implement programs to support student and alumni engagement, and facilitate effective communication, both internally and with a focus on outward engagement.

Responsibilities

Academic and Student Support

• Will bring a high level of knowledge of the University, graduate training, and the field of Psychology to enhance the Department’s graduate training goals and student success. This requires working independently and thinking strategically to evaluate current systems and consider ways that the Department may change with time to create more effective structures to train the next generation of scientists. This includes thinking big-picture about all levels of graduate training, from the point of recruitment to student’s success as alumni.
• Thinks strategically about admissions review processes and recruitment activities and bring independent insight to the process of ensuring that the Department is maximizing recruitment goals across intellectual areas
• Supports students in complex ways throughout their time in the program. Offers high-level and sensitive guidance on thriving in a lab-based environment. Interfaces closely with SSD Dean of Students Office and the DGS and other Department leadership. Be prepared for managing sensitive conversations with students and faculty.
• Relies on an in-depth knowledge of Departmental educational priorities to manage the faculty and instructor teaching plans and course schedule. Brings a keen eye to detail and attention to diverse areas of the field and student interest in creating the course schedule across quarters to ensure a robust and varied course offering. Be prepared to have sensitive conversations with faculty and instructors regarding their proposed teaching, to better align the teaching curriculum and schedule with Departmental goals.
• Manages the TA and IA assignment process for courses. Sensitively consider different graduate students’ strengths and educational goals, and faculty’s preferences regarding the pedagogical goals in their course.
• Drawing on a deep knowledge of university resources, develops strategic initiatives to support student career planning and networking.
• Critically assesses and writes annual reports on academic and pedagogical goals and successes, including evaluating our student placement post-graduation.

Intellectual Programming

• Directs a bigger-picture assessment and implementation of varied academic and intellectual events. Take initiative to develop workshop design. In doing so, think strategically about generating events that will build intellectual synergies across intellectual areas of the department, and generate longstanding and re-creatable intellectual traditions that will facilitate a positive culture of graduate student training.
• Exhibits careful planning in thinking about the time course of typical functions throughout the year, and faculty and student time, in designing and curating a calendar of intellectual events.
• Interfaces with ARD, Communications, and Dean of Students Office in intellectual programming and donor stewardship where relevant.
• Identifies new creative ways that graduate students may interact formally and informally with faculty, to augment a positive culture of intellectual inquiry.

Communication and Outreach

• Leads the creation of a brand-new Departmental alumni database, to pursue varied goals of alumni engagement, donor cultivation, and graduate student networking and contact building. In doing so, liaises with SSD and ARD, as necessary.
• Thinks big picture about the ways that the Department presents itself to the outside world, and work to design systems that encourage dynamic presentation of student and faculty achievements. Manages part-time and/or student workers with web programming expertise.
• Thinks strategically about designing and implementing new systems to allow for increased content generation for the website and for social media, managing student and/or part time writers and programmers. Interfaces with SSD and Central Communications on content-generation efforts.
• Manages part-time and/or student workers with social media expertise in augmenting the Department’s social media presence.
• Oversees the creation of an alumni newsletter, managing student and/or part time workers to develop written content.
• Solves problems in areas such as academic and administrative policy, student admissions, curriculum research and development, and budget development. Advises various campus-wide and program committees in various aspects of student life.
• Recommends process improvements for programs that relate to critical student-life improvement, including emergency management, accommodations for students with disabilities, and/or the administration of health care services and programs for students. 
• Performs other related work as needed

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Research and/or project management experience in Psychology or a related field.
• At least five years of administrative experience in an academic or student affairs setting.
• Experience in outreach and donor relations.
• Experience with standard productivity software, presentation software, and web-based database/workflow tools required, experience with U of C proprietary software.

Preferred Competencies

• In-depth knowledge of the University and the field of Psychology.
• Ability to think analytically to independently solve complex problems or bring a new perspective to an existing system and communicate solutions with stakeholders.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate effectively and cultivate positive working relationships with students, staff, faculty, and the public. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including outstanding judgment, discretion, a strong ethical approach to decision-making, and a demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Demonstrated relationship management skills including teamwork, collaboration, and conflict management. 
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and analytical skills. 
• Experience managing large amounts of data and producing data analysis quickly.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required)
• References (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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