Job Summary:
The Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE) is a premier college readiness and college success program sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The PEOPLE Program is seeking an individual to fulfill the role of Director. The Director will lead the strategic vision and will oversee all aspects of program implementation for college readiness and college success initiatives offered by the program across three distinct units: Madison Precollege, Milwaukee Precollege, and The College Success Center. Responsibilities of this role include providing direct program oversight, budget management, personnel supervision, policy development and compliance, and actively nurturing partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. The Director of PEOPLE works closely with 3 Associate Directors who are at the forefront of each of the 3 PEOPLE's program units. The Director sets the vision for a team of 25 full-time staff who support the educational aspirations of first generation and low-income students with the goal of college attainment and degree completion. The PEOPLE program is housed in the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA). The director position reports to the Assistant Vice Provost for Student Engagement and Scholarship Programs.
About the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA)
Under the direction of the Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA) supports the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Madison as it works to create a diverse, inclusive, and excellent learning and work environment for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners at the university. The DDEEA is comprised of administrative, education, scholarship, and service programs whose work overlaps with the core values of community, inclusion, organizational excellence, transparency, and accountability. The DDEEA collaborates, leads, and consults in efforts to seed new initiatives and coordinate numerous institutional efforts to support, guide, and promote these priorities.
About the Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE)
The Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE) serves over 1,200 students as they move from eighth grade to college graduation, offering innovative programming to support career exploration and self-management skills while building knowledge through experiential learning. Our programming is offered in three distinct units: Madison Precollege, Milwaukee Precollege, and The College Success Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During the academic year, our precollege team advises Wisconsin students in Madison and Milwaukee public high schools, creating new pathways to higher education for low-income, potential first-generation families. During the summer, our precollege team hosts our high school students in a robust residential program on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, offering students an opportunity to experience college life and build community in their cohorts, fully supported by our dedicated staff. Our precollege students who gain admission into UW-Madison become PEOPLE College Scholars. Our college team offers one-on-one high-touch advising services, unique programming created specifically for our student population, and other high impact practices to foster student success. We seek passionate individuals who want to collaborate with our energetic precollege and college teams to continue our success as UW-Madison's leading college access program.
Job Summary Detail:
Overall Program Oversight and Strategic Direction
1. Provide strategic oversight for precollege enrichment and college success units to ensure alignment of institutional and divisional priorities.
2. Supports the successful execution and delivery of services to include college readiness, academic enrichment, residential summer programs, college advising, and college student support services.
3. Develops the strategy and plan to assess and evaluate program framework for effectiveness and impact on meeting targeted key performance indicators.
4. Oversees the development of documentation describing program services, expectations, policies, procedures, and program philosophy.
5. Works with staff to maintain accurate and relevant program internal information (e.g., handbooks, manuals, policies, program literature) and public facing program communications (e.g. advertising, newsletters, social media)
6. Produces annual performance reports for the DDEEA and University as requested, chronicling organizational success.
7. Collaborate and coordinate efforts with OSDPR and PEOPLE's Data & Assessment Specialist to oversee ongoing program assessment and identify opportunities for improvement, allocating staff and financial resources based on defined strategic priorities.
Budget Oversight and Management
1. Responsible for unit-level budget planning, allocation, forecast, and reconciles expenses of multi-million-dollar mixed funding source budget (state dollars, grants, foundation funds, and donations).
2. Ensures compliance with federal and state regulations in addition to campus and UW-system policies and procedures, ensuring expenditures are consistent with the organization's and division's financial priorities and strategies.
Personnel Management and Supervision
1. Exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of 5.0 FTEs (i.e., 3 Associate Directors)
2. Determines assignments to maximize short- and long-term results and ensures that staff (25 FTE) have current position descriptions and are given frequent feedback and coaching in their performance as well as annual performance evaluations.
3. Works closely with program staff and leadership to coordinate the hiring and supervision of temporary and/or part time employees serving the program through the entire academic year and summer term (e.g., student, tutors, instructors, summer residential staff, etc.)
4. Creates and maintains an environment where high morale, cooperation, and employee satisfaction may be achieved in a dynamic and demanding academic environment, effectively supervising staff to achieve strategic priorities
5. Develop, promote, and facilitate staff training programs to ensure compliance with youth protection, FERPA, Clery Act, and Title IX policies.
Policy Development and Oversight
1. Work closely with DDEEA and University staff to develop and ensure program policies, procedures, and staffing are in alignment with appropriate federal, state, and institutional laws.
2. Responsible for effective communication, training, and facilitation of changes in policies and procedures related to youth and minor protection policies, youth and pre-college programming, FERPA, Clery Act and Title IX.
Partnership Development and Fundraising
1. Responsible for building, sustaining, and expanding partnerships among key constituencies who support academic programming for PEOPLE Scholars, including but not limited to: UW-Campus, local school systems, and institutional and private entities who support academic programming.
2. Work closely with the Assistant Vice Provost and Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association to execute strategic development opportunities to strengthen alumni and donor engagement to meet annual fundraising goals.
3. Serve on grant writing teams and provide program management and oversight of grant deliverables to include program implementation, reporting, and financial management.
Supporting Organizational Excellence
1. Support and mentor staff to directly elevate the profile of the PEOPLE program and the DDEEA through strategic communication efforts (e.g., internal/external presentations, publications, social media) aligned with a vision of becoming national leaders supporting student success.
2. Serves on institutional and divisional committees (e.g., DDEEA Educational Achievement Directors Council, Youth Compliance Representative, etc.)
3. Establish strategic organizational priorities that align with the strategic directives of the DDEEA.
4. Promote respect and the practice of civility in the workplace, by promoting the inclusion of all identities (e.g., gender, ethnicity, race, ability, religion, sexual orientation, age, culture, position, job function, and years of service, etc.) as crucial components in the pursuit of excellence.
Responsibilities:
Provides leadership and managerial responsibility for one or more academic program(s), ensuring alignment with the university mission. Directs administrative oversight and academic curriculum development, ensuring optimal integration of student and faculty activities. Ensures resource allocation supports the program's primary objectives. Manages a team of professionals who support the program(s).
- 15% Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- 5% Collaborates with faculty members to develop student academic programs and agendas, directs implementation, and creates curricular structure including operational and logistical arrangements
- 10% Formulates program strategies and goals, directs long-term planning, develops policies and procedures, and establishes and maintains new and emerging program materials
- 10% Evaluates operations and outcomes to ensure alignment with organizational goals
- 5% Serves as the principal liaison between the program, University leadership, and outside entities
- 5% May provide guidance to faculty regarding funding, staffing, and space implications
- 15% Develops the unit budget and approves unit expenditures
- 15% Manages student academic program(s)
- 5% Directs and oversees staff working in the program and collaboratively across the institution to provide student-centered services, ensure delivery of high impact advising, and refine curricular and co-curricular offerings
- 5% Serves on program, school, divisional, and institutional committees
- 10% Ensure program compliance and staff training on the policies and procedures set forth for minor protection and safety in alignment with UW-Madison Precollege Program Licensure, and State & Federal laws
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion
Education:
Required
Master's Degree degree in higher education, student services, youth development or related field
Preferred
PhD degree in higher education administration, student affairs, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, or relevant areas of study.
Qualifications:
Required:
- Minimum of 5 years' experience in leading and/or facilitating engagement, retention, and/or academic support strategies for student populations in K-12 education, higher education, and/or the government or non-profit sectors.
- Demonstrated experiences leading and/or facilitating academic support programs and services, preferably working directly with talented students from backgrounds where hardship and /or disadvantage have impacted their educational opportunities (first-generation, economically disadvantaged).
- Proficiency in planning and implementing overall leadership, vision, and cohesiveness for an organization.
- Demonstrated competency in budget management.
- Strong supervisory experience (at least 3 years and preferably with large staffing).
- Familiarity with mentoring practices to create a healthy work environment to achieve strategic priorities.
- Experience working within a diverse community and demonstrated ability to promote an understanding and respect of cultural and human diversity and abilities.
- Demonstrated experience creating and nurturing relationships with program, institutional, and community stakeholder groups.
Preferred:
- A record of developing and/or executing curricular and co-curricular programming and services supporting students, (in particular first generation and low-income students) transitioning from K12 to post-secondary education.
- Experience and knowledge of quantitative and qualitative measures for program assessment and evaluation.
- Experience coordinating and operating residential programs (e.g. university residential summer programs) with a focus on college preparation, access, and success.
- A highly motivated, self-starter, and enthusiastic personality with strong prioritization skills
- Knowledge and understanding of trends in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
- Familiarity and/or experience with academic programs and resources at UW-Madison.
- Familiarity and/or experience with academic programs and resources at Madison Metropolitan School District and/or Milwaukee Public Schools.
Work Type:
Full Time: 100%
It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location (University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI)
- Occasional travel will be required.
- Some evening/weekend work will be required.
- Summer responsibilities coordinating and operating residential program (direct involvement from mid-June to end of July) will be required
Appointment Type, Duration:
Ongoing/Renewable
Salary:
Minimum $95,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
Actual pay is determined at hire and is based on experience and qualifications. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/univstaff.pdf
Additional Information:
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
How to Apply:
To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. In your application materials, please include a resume, a cover letter (max. 3 pages) that specifically responds to the prompts/questions listed below.
Please respond to the following two required prompts to describe your interest and qualifications to be considered for the role of Director for the PEOPLE Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
a. Considering your professional journey, please share an example that illustrates your involvement leading, developing, and/or facilitating college access efforts, in particular, preparing students to transition from K12 to post-secondary education.
b. Please describe a professional experience that has prepared you for the role of Director to execute student-centered success strategies, in particular for talented students with an array of life experiences and backgrounds seeking to complete a college degree.
Contact:
Kayla Eckerty
kayla.eckerty@wisc.edu
608-890-4609
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Official Title:
Academic Program Director (B)(AE127)
Department(s):
A02-GENERAL SERVICES/A0205/G SERV/PEOPLE-ADMIN
Employment Class:
Limited
Job Number:
309289-LI
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings,
click hereIf you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website:
https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
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