Director of First Year Experience & Leadership Development

Working collaboratively with Academic Affairs, Student Success & Engagement, Enrollment, and other campus partners, the Director designs, implements, and assesses programs that foster students' successful transition to Messiah University, sense of belonging, holistic flourishing, leadership development, academic success, and persistence. The Director provides vision and leadership for orientation and transition initiatives, coordinates leadership development opportunities, and advances institutional goals related to student success through assessment, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Primary Duties

Summary of Responsibilities

• Serve as the University's primary resource for first-year transition and student leadership development.
• Provide strategic leadership for the University's comprehensive transition experience, including Welcome Week, Winter Orientation, Becoming U, and related initiatives for new, transfer, and commuter students.
• Lead assessment and continuous improvement efforts related to first-year learning outcomes, student engagement, belonging, leadership development, and retention.
• Provide leadership for the University's shared student leadership curriculum and related leadership development experiences.
• Co-chair the First-Year Experience Committee and collaborate broadly to ensure an integrated first-year experience.
• Co-chair the First-Year Transition Team in partnership with Enrollment Technology and Communications staff, providing strategic leadership for coordinated communications and transition planning that supports prospective and incoming students from enrollment through matriculation. Collaborate with campus partners to develop and maintain a comprehensive communication plan, gather timely updates and key deadlines, and ensure digital resources and website content are current, accurate, and aligned to foster a seamless and welcoming transition to Messiah University.
• Provide leadership for commuter and transfer student initiatives that support student success, engagement, and belonging.

Strategic Leadership & Assessment

• Develop and implement a strategic vision for first-year transition and leadership development aligned with the University's mission and student success priorities.
• Establish measurable goals, assess learning outcomes, analyze data, and recommend improvements.
• Remain current on national best practices and share emerging trends with campus partners.

First-Year Transition & Orientation

• Provide leadership for Welcome Week, Winter Orientation, Becoming U, and transition programming.
• Coordinate planning, logistics, recruitment, training, and supervision of student leaders and volunteers.
• Strategically evaluate and revise transition programming based on assessment findings and student feedback.

Leadership Development

• Provide leadership for the University's shared leadership curriculum and related co-curricular leadership initiatives.
• Chair the Leadership Advisory Team and collaborate with leadership advisors across campus.
• Oversee leadership-related experiential learning opportunities and associated assessment processes.

Transfer & Commuter Student Success

• Provide strategic oversight for commuter and transfer student initiatives.
• Collaborate with Student Success, Residence Life, the Registrar, and other partners to support successful transition and persistence.
• Supervise student staff and graduate assistants supporting commuter initiatives as assigned.

Campus Collaboration & Communication

• Co-chair the First-Year Transition Team with Enrollment Technology and Communications staff.
• Coordinate comprehensive communications for incoming students and families.
• Maintain and oversee first-year websites and digital communication resources.

Administration & Supervision

• Manage departmental budgets and resources.
• Supervise assigned graduate assistants, student employees, and volunteers
• Serve on University committees and participate in professional development
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Secondary Duties

• Participate in professional development to grow in expertise related to responsibilities.|
• Serve on campus committees as appropriate.|
• Other duties as assigned.

Education Required

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, education, counseling, leadership, or a related field.

Experience Required

3-5 years of related experience within higher education, student affairs, student development, or a related field, including experience with programs supporting student transition, engagement, leadership development, or student success.

Experience Preferred

Experience with first-year experience and/or orientation programs, student leadership development, supervision or advising of student leaders, and assessment of student learning or program outcomes.

Skills, Characteristics Required

• Demonstrated knowledge of college student development, particularly the needs of first-year students and students in transition.
• Ability to provide vision and leadership for programs that foster student transition, belonging, engagement, leadership development, and persistence.
• Strong organizational and program-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, oral, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with students, families, faculty, staff, and campus partners.
• Ability to develop, mentor, and equip student leaders.
• Ability to use assessment, student feedback, and relevant data to evaluate and continuously improve programs.
• Ability to use contemporary technology and software applications effectively for communication, program administration, assessment, and reporting.
• Commitment to Messiah University’s Christian educational mission and the holistic development of students.

Special Working Conditions

Expected to work weekends and evenings as needed.

Driving Requirements

N/A