Chief Student Affairs Officer & Dean Of Students

Purpose:

The Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students reports to the Office of the Provost and ensures that a comprehensive support network of student affairs programs and services are in place to meet the needs of residential, commuter, undergraduate and graduate students at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Lincoln University is a historically Black 1890 Land-Grant University, located in Jefferson City, MO. This position has administrative oversight of the following departments: the Offices of Student Conduct, Student Engagement, Leadership Development, Student Governance, (Student Government Association, Student Organization, and the Campus Activity Board), Greek Life, and Student Health and Counseling Services.

Chief Student Affairs Officer & Dean of Students will provide leadership, vision, and management for all departments to ensure that a continual set of programs and services are designed, implemented, and assessed for effectiveness. The Chief Student Affairs Officer & Dean of Students is charged with creating a Division of Student Affairs that builds programs and services that are focused on the student experience, particularly at an HBCU, but with full respect to the diverse student population of Lincoln University.

Essential Job Functions:

• Provides direct supervision, training, and evaluation of units and their staff including the Offices of Student Conduct, Student Engagement, Leadership Development, Student Governance, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Health, and Counseling Services.

• Provides executive level leadership in the planning and administration of the Division of Student Affairs.

• Set the vision for the development and implementation of a comprehensive division.

• Ensures proper reporting within departments in the areas of human resources, policy development, operations, facilities, and budgeting.

• Maintains existing successful student programs and develops innovative programs that ensure for a comprehensive student life program, which is reflective of the HBCU experience.

• Creates a welcoming and vibrant campus community among a diverse student body including residential, commuter, undergrad, and graduate students.

• Fosters effective collaborative partnerships with faculty, academic departments, staff, senior administrators, parents, and students to provide a seamless holistic learning environment that blends the classroom and out-of-classroom experience.

• Develops relationships with alumni and community stakeholders.

• Leads special projects for the Office of the Provost related to student engagement.

• Serves as a liaison for Student Affairs to departmental units and community agencies, working collaboratively.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assumes additional responsibilities and performs special projects as needed or requested.

• Exhibits student-centeredness in the performance of all job duties.

• Treats all others with respect; understands the impact of culture/background on the behavior of others; respects differences among the Lincoln community and demonstrates inclusive behavior.

• Anticipates understands and responds to customer needs.

• Delivers work products and serves to students, faculty, and staff in a way that reflects positively upon the department and the University.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D., or Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel Administration, Student Affairs, Counseling or Counselor Education or a related field required.

• 5-7 years of relevant experience serving as an Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean or Associate Dean of Students, or Executive Director required.

• The ability to create a vision for the Division of Student Affairs, successfully articulates that vision to multiple internal constituent groups, while developing a plan for successful implementation and assessment of that vision

• Experience in leading multiple student affairs units and managing a team of student affairs professionals.

• Demonstrated understanding of best and emergent practices for contemporary practices in student affairs administration within a college or university setting, specifically the characteristics of creating and sustaining a vibrant and thriving student life program at an HBCU with respect to multiculturalism.

• Exemplified commitment to the understanding of and appreciation for the HBCU student life experience.

• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

• Proven competence in leadership and supervision of students and staff.

• Ability to manage complex budgets.

• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Superior demonstration of professionalism pertaining to decorum, etiquette, professional dress, leading a team with compassion, inspiring others to see the absolute best within themselves, while realizing their potential and commitment to achieve their work responsibilities.

• Strong ability to organize and coordinate events and activities.

• Proven competence in managing multiple tasks and competing priorities.

• Ability to adapt to a flexible schedule that includes evening and weekend activities.

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex organizational budgets.

• Proven ability to interact and lead among senior leadership with a university setting.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Personal Characteristics:

• A sense of human.

• Possessing charisma that will intrigue students and energize faculty and staff around the work of the student affairs division.

• Must be able to prioritize work related task in a fast-paced work environment.

• Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary student development theory, practices, and successful evidence of applying theory to practice in previous leadership roles in student affairs.

• Positioned as an authority in the student affairs profession among national colleagues, especially from within the HBCU framework.

• Willingness to lead a student affairs team, using concepts of change management.

• The ability to serve as the chief ambassador for students.

• Knowledge of successfully designing a student conduct system which is corrective in action, rather than punitive, with the key philosophy of meeting students where they are, such that they become their best selves. However, possessing the ability to ensure that the student code of conduct is not violated.

• Must prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.

• Develop communication strategies and work with internal and external stakeholders.

• Must understand the many facets of marketing within a university environment.

• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills.

• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work within a culturally diverse environment.

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to perform duties with high accuracy.

• The high degree of organization, ability to engage in various tasks simultaneously, and consistently meet deadlines.

• Ability to work with and maintain confidential University information.

• Thorough knowledge of Adobe Suite and Proficient in using Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Team orientation mindset.

Physical Demands:

• Light sedentary office work.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Ability to work extended hours and weekend work may be required.

• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of Lincoln University. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.