Positio Title: Director of New Student and Family Programs (AP25-032)
Location: Edwardsville, IL
Apply Before: 00660
Department: Student Affairs, VC
FLSA: Exempt
Description: Description
The Director of New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) is responsible for the comprehensive leadership of the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Southern Il l inois University Edwardsville's comprehensive New Student and Family Programs operations . NSFP supports student enrollment, retention, and success by facilitating a seamless transition to SIUE through academic, social, and personal development experiences that promote a strong sense of belonging and community.
Reporting to the Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Director serves as a university leader who provides strategic leadership and oversight for New Student and Family Programs . Th ey work in close collaboration with campus partners, including Schools and Colleges , Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and university le adership. The Director is responsible for ensuring that the full-cycle onboarding experience reflects best practices, is inclusive and equitable for diverse student populations, and aligns with SIUE 's strategic goals to enhance student success and retention.
The position provides overall direction and leadership and will work collaboratively across the University to support special populations (transfer, commuter, online, international, post-traditional, underserved and underrepresented populations, including first-generation and low-income students) and supports the transition of more than 2,500 new students to SIUE annually. It is best suited to a candidate who is detail-oriented, adaptable, and passionate about serving students and families in a constantly evolving higher education environment. The work is com prised of multiple, distinct programs which ope rate un der a shared vision and shared values .
Primary Duties
- Create a streamlined, efficient, barrier-free experience to onboard new students to the University .
- Develop orientation programs and collaborate on other transition experiences that meet the needs of new students and families and prepare them to successfully navigate their college journey from first-year to career.
- Work collaboratively with faculty and staff to coordinate and implement student-centered New Student Orientation and Transfer Orientation, and provide support for new student transition activities including Welcome Weekend, Family Weekend, and First Semester Transition courses for students in the fall and spring semesters.
- Leverage digital literacy to c reate and implement digital-forward learning and marketing strategies for new students and their families including printed publications, digital and social media, learning modules, etc.
- Supervise, advise, and train full-time, graduate students, and student employees and volunteers .
- Develop an assessment and continuous improvement plan for new student programming.
Essential Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategic Direction
- Collaborate across the University to develop and deliver programs specific to the orientation, transition, and retention of new students and their families including New Student and Transfer Orientations, New S tudent Convocation, Welcome Weekend, Family Weekend, First-Gen Celebration, Transfer Week, and other on-going student success initiatives.
- Provide philosophical and strategic direction for developing programs and services that support new students' transition, retention and success , and enhance student engagement and foster a sense of belonging for all new students.
- Build and strengthen relationships across the University to provide a comprehensive orientation and transition experience for first year students aligned with the University's mission
- Give particular attention to new student transition programming for special populations including but not limited to: transfer, commuter, Veteran, international, post-traditional, online, low income, underrepresented and underserved students.
- Develop a comprehensive and sustainable strategy that ensures cross functional collaboration .
Program Management
- Oversee the coordination of all onboarding events and initiatives, including pre-orientation communications, orientation sessions, advising and registration processes, welcome weekend, new student convocation, and first-year engagement activities.
- Lead the NSFP team and university through development of orientation and transition practices.
- Lead the integration of orientation with new student advising and registration, and academic success initiatives to ensure new students are prepared and informed about university resources.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
- Cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with academic colleges and schools, student affairs and enrollment management units, and student support services to ensure orientation and transition programs are aligned with institutional student success goals.
- Establish regular communication channels with key stakeholders to identify shared priorities and ensure cohesive orientation and transition efforts.
- Partner with stakeholders to streamline processes that support students from admission through their first year.
- Assist other campus departments with the planning and logistics for new student transition initiatives like international student orientation , graduate orientations, recruitment activities, etc.
- Lead campus-wide committee on New Student and Family Programs and serve as a representative or designate staff to campus committees such as Preview, Student Success, Transfer Initiatives Group, Family Weekend, etc.
Supervision
- Directly supervise professional staff within New Student and Family Programs.
- Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to staff to ensure high-quality program delivery.
- Oversee the recruitment, training, and management of student leaders who assist with onboarding events and peer support initiatives.
Assessment and Continuous Improvement
- Develop and implement assessment strategies to measure the effectiveness of the onboarding experience, focusing on key metrics such as student engagement, satisfaction, retention, and academic success.
- Use data-driven insights to improve the onboarding experience over time, addressing feedback from students, families, and campus partners.
- Ensure that all onboarding programs are informed by best practices in student transition and retention.
Minimum Acceptable Qualifications- Educational Background: Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Public Administration, or related field.
- Professional Experience: Five years of progressively responsible experience in student orientation, transition, retention programs, or related field in higher education. The strongest candidates will also have demonstrated success in carrying out the responsibilities of a higher education administrator including personnel supervision and fiscal management .
- Student Development Expertise : E xperience and a track record of developing and scaffolding a student development approach focused on career-competency development and student learning.
- Leadership aptitude: ability to build and implement a comprehensive new student onboarding experience based upon the pillars of the institutional strategic plan with student success at the core. Evidence of effective staff management, including hiring, mentoring, and retaining excellent talent. Commitment to the professional development of staff.
- Commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion: Demonstrated understanding of the importance of anti-racist, diverse, equitable , and inclusive environments within a higher education setting.
- Collaborative Approach: demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with key partners, including but not limited to faculty, staff, senior administrators, students, a nd alumni . Evidence of significant partnership with campus constituencies to develop innovative onboarding strategies that advance student retention and success.
Application Materials and Information:- To be eligible for the role, ensure that your application includes a complete and detailed employment history that highlights your relevant full time and part time work experience, including start and end dates of employment, and at least three professional references.
- You are strongly encouraged to submit a resume and/or cover letter to provide additional context and showcase your qualifications.
- Applicants who feel their credentials and prior experience align with the listed minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply. In the application or within the cover letter and resume clearly describe how your credentials and relevant work experience align with the specified minimum requirements of the position.
- Applications must be submitted by the specified closing date no later than 11:59 p.m. CST.
Supplemental Information Pre- Employment Screening: All external candidates who receive a job offer will be required to undergo pre-employment screening for this position. The screening process will encompass a criminal background check and, where applicable, other background checks such as a drug screen, verification of employment and education or licensure/certification, reference checks, and/or checks with relevant government registries. Please note that all job offers are contingent upon successful completion of the required screening process.
Additional Information: This position does not offer work authorization sponsorship. International students at SIUE on F-1 or J-1 visas are not eligible for full-time or part-time civil service positions with permanent status. F-1 and J-1 visa holders must be enrolled full-time and can only apply for temporary part-time roles working 20 hours or less per week during spring and fall semesters, such as student worker positions, assistantships, and civil service extra help roles. SIUE is a state university, and it's important to highlight that benefits from state-sponsored plans may not be accessible to individuals on F1 or J1 visas.
Accommodation: If you are unable to utilize our online application system and need to request an accommodation, please reach out to us at 618-650-2190 or via email at careerinfo@siue.edu .
Statement of Diversity: SIUE is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce. We firmly believe in providing equal access and opportunity to individuals across all job titles. We will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, color, religion, disability, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation or veteran's status.
SIUE cultivates an atmosphere of inclusivity, respect, and warmth that fosters learning and collaboration. Each member of our university community bears the responsibility of actively contributing to this enriching campus environment. We encourage individuals who are dedicated to upholding these values to apply.
To learn more about SIUE's Mission and statement on diversity, please visit: https://www.siue.edu/about/mission-goals-plans/index.shtml .
We value your interest and look forward to reviewing your application. For questions or more information, email: careerinfo@siue.edu . Benefits: N/A
Opening Date: 08/28/2025
Closing Date: 9/28/2025 11:59 PM Central
Address: 1040 Rendleman Hall
Edwardsville, Illinois, 62026
Website: https://www.siue.edu/
Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
PI277622160
