Director of TRIO Student Support Services Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University

Job Info

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Position Summary:

Reporting to the Executive Director of TRIO Programs, the Director of TRIO Student Support Services Programs is responsible for leading a team of advisors to provide support services, including academic, career, social/personal, and financial advising, to first generation, low-income, and disabled students who participate in the Classic and STEM programs while also ensuring project compliance with federal regulatory standards.

Core Responsibilities:

Program Management of Classic and STEM Student Support Services Programs (60%):

• Assist Executive Director with the design and implementation of the program budgets, recruitment, retention, and participation of students in available programs in accordance to federal regulations and departmental guidelines.
• Develop and implement the necessary strategies and operations to achieve program goals.
• Lead the assessment, recruitment, review, selection, and monitoring needs for program participants including the development of program materials, documenting outcomes, and conducting assessments.
• Serve as the main point of contact for program participants and lead the team to provide by utilizing intrusive advising methods and meetings with students to encourage student success, increase student retention, and graduation rates. This may include one on one and small group retention advisement and coaching.
• Establish and maintain necessary communication, written and verbal, with VCU and relevant institutions and parties regarding the programs.
• Assist the Executive Director with Annual Performance Report (APR) and federal/ancillary grant writing.
• Develop and update the project policy and procedure manual as needed.
• Provide support for Freshman Year Experience and Sophomore Transition programming, career development, guidance, financial aid/financial literacy, and the graduate school admission process.

Team Management (30%)

• Lead and manage a team of project and graduate advisors as well as peer mentors to provide academic, social, and cultural programs for program participants.
• Support and manage the team's assigned caseload of participants to overcome barriers by providing virtual and/or in-person services, group workshops, and other programming.

Other (10%):

• Sit on specific advising and student work committees.
• Coordinate partnerships with campus offices/programs to better serve TRIO student populations.
• Assist the Executive Director with all projects as identified, assigned or requested.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

• Master's Degree in Education, Teaching, Counseling, Public Administration, or related field.
• Experience supervising a team of advising and administrative staff and students to achieve project goals.
• Four (4) years of experience providing direct service to students in a grant-funded or similar program with at least two years of experience providing services related to project objectives.
• Two (2) years of experience serving in an advising capacity in higher education.
• Experience working with students from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to advocate on the student's behalf with both faculty staff and parents.
• Ability to foster leadership, study skills, team building exercises, and confidence building.
• Demonstrated organization, interpersonal, customer service, and time management skills.
• Experience documenting outcomes and conducting assessments.
• Demonstrated success in grant writing collaboration.
• Computer skills, including word desktop publishing and database manipulation.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Three years progressively responsible experience developing retention-focused services and strategies in a TRIO SSS or similar project including Freshman Year Experience and Sophomore Transition programming.
• Personal experience overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the SSS target population.

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