Assistant Director

The Assistant Director of Upward Bound Programs is a full-time, 12 month, grant funded position that provides a leadership role focused on academic enrichment and achievement, student success, motivation, retention, high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and postsecondary completion.

This position is funded in whole or in part, by an external grant and is subject to immediate termination if the grant funding ceases. No employee who is in such a position may file a grievance over the termination of the position. While it is possible that grant funding may be renewed, the current funding for this position ends on May 31, 2027.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supports all aspects of the successful planning, implementation, and evaluation of the goals and objectives of the St. Mary's University Upward Bound programs
• Ensures compliance and the timely documentation of all employee and student activities sponsored by Upward Bound programs with regard to federal and University policies
• Implements programs designed to recruit participants and prepare them for high school graduation, college applications and admission, and successful completion of a college degree.
• Evaluates student programs and services to meet the goals of Upward Bound
• Implements activities designed to strengthen the support of participants' families related to the goals of Upward Bound
• Ensures eligibility requirements are met and appropriately documented for enrolled participants and the successful achievement of goals for individual student education plans
• Maintains effective and positive working relationship with the target high schools to ensure that the educational needs of participants are met
• Plans, implements, and supervises field trips and experiential learning opportunities for students
• Assists with the coordination of senior year pre-college programming, including the completion and timely submission of college applications for admission, financial aid, and housing
• Plans and manages the collection, compilation, and analysis of data for reporting and documentation
• Plans and manages annual follow-up of former participants including but not limited to the development and oversight of an alumni tracking system with respect to educational attainment
• Assists with supervision, training, and development of full-time, part-time, and student employees.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Educational Administration from an accredited college or university required; a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with a Texas Teaching Certificate highly desirable.
• Three (3) or more years of professional experience as an educational administrator, coordinator, or teacher in a public school or school district.
• Experience serving underrepresented student populations including youth from low socio-economic backgrounds and who are potential first-generation college students is highly desirable
• Experience in recruitment of high school youth for participation in an academic program
• Experience with virtual training, coaching, or instruction preferred.
• Must clear and maintain a favorable background investigation and clearance.
• Must have valid driver's license, motor vehicle liability insurance, and personal injury insurance, or have a self-reliant source of transportation to conduct business on a daily basis
• Must have the ability to demonstrate intermediate to high skills in MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, Outlook, Teams, and Zoom or similar platforms); familiarity with financial systems (Banner), a plus
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings, and weekends.
• Must be able to conduct home visits and to travel to assist with the supervision of participants on field trips.
• Bilingual Preferred (English/Spanish with the ability to understand and to make one's self understood to Spanish speaking individuals)
• Demonstrated successful experience working with youth from low-income and culturally diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire students to achieve their highest potential; experience serving potential first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds preferred; Strong knowledge of the Upward Bound program and the population it serves; alumni of the program are preferred
• Knowledge of best practices in high school curriculum including but not limited to STEM education;
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong public relations and customer service skills with an ability to implement diplomacy and discretion at all times; ability to work effectively with high school students, parents, school counselors, teachers, faculty and staff.
• Must have high ethical standards and a strong sense of confidentiality; ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines; thrive in a complex work environment; display solid problem solving and interpersonal skills; work well independently and as part of a team; professional demeanor, appearance and strong work ethic required
• Must have a high attention to detail and be able to organize workflow, coordinate activities, balance simultaneous projects without loss of efficiency in a multi-tasked environment, and manage multiple priorities to meet deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Working conditions are in an office environment and university campus setting. Must be able to move across the university campus to conduct day to day business.
• While performing this role, the employee will be regularly required to sit, walk, and stand; talk and hear, both in person and by telephone; and use hands repetitively to operate standard office equipment; and occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently communicates with others using approved technological resources; must be able to exchange accurate information through designated systems within a timely manner.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

St. Mary's University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Equal Opportunity Employer.