Assistant Director, Student Affairs

Department
 

UCPE Student Affairs

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago Professional Education (UCPE) strives to offer cutting-edge and accessible programs, drawing on the University of Chicago’s longstanding tradition of excellence. We aim to influence our students' lives and communities profoundly. Inclusivity, accessibility, and excellence are the cornerstones of our values, driving us to create educational experiences that empower our students and stimulate innovation. We are dedicated to making an enduring impact on our students and the wider community.

Job Summary
 

As a key contributor to UCPE's vision, the Assistant Director of Student Affairs plays a pivotal role in amplifying student engagement. This full-time, year-round position focuses on elevating student experiences through strategic outreach, tailored advising, and a range of co-curricular activities. These are underpinned by our inclusion, scalability, and innovation principles, particularly emphasizing practices that significantly enhance career mobility.

The Assistant Director oversees and implements initiatives that provide Professional Education students with a holistic approach to accessing social, wellness, and career development resources. Collaborating closely with UCPE affiliates and as part of the Student Affairs and Career Advancement leadership team, the Assistant Director reports to the Director of Student Affairs and Career Advancement. They are responsible for pioneering student-centric initiatives integrating learners across UCPE’s diverse academic programs, fostering an enriching community of shared knowledge and experiences.

Responsibilities

• Acts as a subject-matter expert on UCPE's advising policies, academic curriculums (MScBMI and MScTRM), and course management systems including AIS, Stellic My Planner, Canvas, and Destiny.
• Designs and implements academic progression initiatives, such as group and individual advising sessions, and co-curricular workshops, while also developing supporting materials and resources.
• Leverages the use of current and emerging technologies to support student success and persistence initiatives.
• Collaborates with the Director of Student Affairs, Program Managers, and University offices (Registrar, Financial Aid, Bursar, etc.) to address the needs of at-risk students and enhance student retention, completion, and teach-out efforts.
• Prepares and analyzes reports to monitor student success and persistence.
• Under the Director's guidance, creates and delivers a comprehensive catalog of quarterly enrichment and engagement activities targeting the unique needs of professional education students.        
• Develops and implements innovative initiatives that enhance student inclusion, belonging, and engagement.
• Coordinates the use of communication and event management SaaS tools to support outreach and events; explores and utilizes innovative platforms for engaging both online and in-person learners.
• Serves as UCPE’s contact and liaison with Student Disability Services, coordinating and directing approved accommodations for professional education students.
• Assists with establishing, implementing, and reviewing policies related to the student experience; and helps build capacity to implement professional development for instructors and staff to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing the student experience.
• Leverages benchmarking and best practices; utilizes data and assessment to identify student needs and measure student satisfaction and impact.
• Researches, identifies, and implements sustainable strategies to engage UCPE alumni, program completers, and potential UCPE partners in Chicago and surrounding communities to support Student Affairs and unit initiatives.
• Provides key support with planning UCPE signature events such as student orientations, special programming, recognition, and commencement activities; ensures that event details, including communication, venues, presenters, travel arrangements, materials, refreshments, and technology, are arranged and completed in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Provides strategic leadership and mentorship to Student Affairs paraprofessionals.
• Assists in developing and scaling shared governance structures, as well as peer-to-peer mentoring to support and represent professional education students and their interests.
• Stays updated on professional development topics, trends, and best practices relevant to higher education and applies these insights to strategic goals and practices.
• In the Director's absence, acts as the primary contact for UCPE Student Affairs.
• Recommends process improvements for programs that relate to critical student-life improvement, including em