JOB SUMMARY
The University of Connecticut seeks an innovative leader to serve as the Director of Student Success, Equity, & Inclusion (Student Services Program Manager 1) at the UConn Stamford campus.
Reporting to the Executive Director for Access and Postsecondary Success, the Director of Student Success, Equity, & Inclusion will serve as a leading voice for advancing educational equity and promoting student enrollment, transition, and success at the UConn Stamford campus for students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. The Director provides leadership to guide the implementation of a new framework for promoting student engagement, coordinating existing support systems and resources, and collaborating with the campus and University community. They will also be responsible for developing new initiatives that enhance underrepresented student access, academic performance, persistence, participation in life transformative and high-impact experiences, sense of belonging, post-graduation preparation, and timely graduation.
The Director is responsible for the administrative and operational effectiveness of Stamford Center for Access & Postsecondary Success (CAPS) college success program and the Resilience, Inclusion, Success, and Equity (RISE) Initiative, having overall oversight of staffing, fiscal management, grant management, resource development, and coordination of related support. The Director must be able to use recent educational research and institutional data to inform the implementation of current programs and the development of new programs to promote underrepresented student success on the Stamford campus as well as within the UConn system. As a vital member of the UConn community, the Director will maintain strong positive relations with UConn advisors, faculty, staff, administrators, cultural centers, and student organizations.
Undergraduate Student Success (UGSS) is home to multiple departments, programs, and initiatives designed to ensure students are connected to the resources and opportunities to succeed and thrive at UConn. For almost 60 years, our Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS) has served to advance postsecondary access, transition, engagement, retention, and graduation for students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Now, the Undergraduate Student Success division seeks to expand our support and engagement of this population through the incorporation of additional accessible and holistic advising, academic support, personal development, and professional preparation programming.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manages planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and administration of student access and success initiatives under the Center for Access & Postsecondary Success (CAPS) office on the Stamford Campus.
- Provides institutional advocacy through consultation and capacity building with key stakeholders to address barriers to access and to transform climate to support the success of students traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
- Supervises CAPS Summer Bridge, success coaching, academic support, financial literacy, student engagement, career preparation, and campus change programming components of the UConn Stamford CAPS office.
- Selects, trains, supervises, and evaluates professional, classified, and student staff associated with the program. Determines work assignments and work schedules to most effectively meet program needs; resolves personnel problems and reviews personnel actions to ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and with University, state, and funding agency regulations.
- Assists in the management of all fiscal and business operations, including overseeing program budget plans. Develops annual budget requests.
- Prepares statistical analyses, evaluations, and reports of department processes, programs, and initiatives. Oversees the evaluation of Program Goals and Outcome metrics and makes recommendations for increasing student success and engagement outcomes for the targeted populations.
- Oversees programs and collaborates with the Center for Academic Success and Engagement on the campus related to access, academic support, and enrichment programming to serve traditionally underrepresented students throughout the educational pipeline. Facilitates campus engagement and community-building programming in partnership with UConn Cultural Centers and Programs. Collaborates with the Stamford Center for Academic Success and Engagement to develop and facilitate peer leader programming to promote students’ successful transition, academic success, community-building, personal development, and post-graduation preparation.
- Partners with University offices, including the Offices of Admissions and Financial Aid Services, to support traditionally underrepresented student access and success on the Stamford campus.
- Assists with recruiting targeted student populations for participation in CAPS Summer Bridge Program, RISE, and other affiliated programs; advocates for current and prospective undergraduate students who demonstrate academic and/or financial need.
- Assists with course development for specialized First Year Experience (FYE) courses targeting CAPS, RISE, and other first-generation students. Instructs one or more sections of an FYE/UNIV course.
- Assists with fundraising, grant, and supplemental resource development to increase resources to support campus students.
- Publicizes and communicates program efforts through internal, external, conference, and other publication efforts.
- Serves on relevant University and external committees and task forces.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree in higher education, counseling, or related field.
- Minimum of 4 years of experience in support of educational goals and/or working with students who are first-generation to college, from low-income backgrounds, and/or other populations traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
- Experience managing student records, interpreting data, and evaluating program effectiveness.
- Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team.
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction, administrative leadership, and operational management of a unit, including budget oversight and management, personnel management, workforce planning, and working with/motivating a diverse staff.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctoral degree in higher education or related discipline.
- Experience developing and/or managing successful federal, state, and foundational grant proposals.
- Experience in fundraising.
APPOINTMENT TERMS
The target salary range for this position is $80,000 - $90,000, commensurate with experience.
This is a full-time, permanent position. The University offers a competitive salary and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment. For additional information regarding benefits visit: https://hr.uconn.edu/benefits-beyond-pay/https://hr.uconn.edu/benefits-beyond-pay/.
Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.
TO APPLY
Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs, Faculty and Staff Positions, Search #499235 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.
Review of applications will begin December 2, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled.
All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.
All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.
The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.
