The Director of Scholars & Fellows provides leadership in the ongoing integration of a portfolio of cohort-based scholars programs and fellowships advising. The integration of these programs within the Center for Student Success has a three-fold goal: to create a strong sense of academic and social belonging via the cohort-based experience; to provide strong pathways for first-generation and/or limited-income (FLI) students to fellowships opportunities; to allow the fellowships program to develop a stronger presence for first-years and sophomores.

The director will have expertise in scholar development, familiarity with the landscape of nationally competitive fellowships, and demonstrated success in working with high-achieving underrepresented students, including success in navigating issues that typically confront FLI students. The director oversees the fellowships advising program, leads and builds out the new Kessler Scholars Program, and serves as a liaison for and visible presence within the Baltimore and DC Scholars Programs. The person in this role must move effortlessly in both faculty and administrative cultures and be effective in both student-facing work and collaboration with development officers.

As head of the Scholars & Fellows unit, the director also holds the title of director of the Kessler Scholars Program at JHU. The Kessler program is dedicated to an intensive enrichment experience via academic and professional resources for first-generation and limited-income (FLI) students who are pursuing study in the humanities and social sciences. The program launched in Fall 2020. Currently it has two cohorts that comprise 29 scholars, and the potential of growing to 70-80 scholars once fully established. The director of the Kessler Scholars Program at JHU plays a leading role in program design and implementation efforts and is responsible for the overall experience of the scholars. The director is responsible for measuring, evaluating, and reporting on the programming, advising, mentoring, and interventions employed in the program. The director also has a key role in collaborating with partner institutions to share knowledge on best practices, program design and evaluation.

All students in the cohort-based scholars programs are also part of the Success Coaching Program in Academic Advising (SCAA) at JHU, which provides them with a steady resource throughout the undergraduate experience. SCAA supports scholars in navigating their academic experience (proactive academic planning, creative problem solving, and connection to academic resources). Advisors/coaches also provide year-round proactive holistic guidance (addressing self-care, socio-emotional well-being, career-related issues including major choice, internships, full-time employment, graduate school opportunities, and other post baccalaureate positions). Within the Scholars & Fellows team, advising focuses on students' intellectual wayfinding and, in the context of fellowships advising, intense and iterative feedback meant to push applicants to high levels of self-reflection and expressive competence. All staff roles in this unit advise both scholars and fellowships applicants.

Organizationally, this role belongs to the leadership team in the CSS and works in strong partnership with all CSS program heads. The Director of Scholars and Fellows reports to the Executive Director for Student Success.

For full consideration, please submit your application by Monday, June 27th.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

Management of Human and Financial Resources

• Supervise two professional staff in the Scholars & Fellows and any part-time employees.
• Hire, train and supervise undergraduate and graduate student program assistants in SFP portfolio.
• Develop and monitor annual budgets and align financial and human resources with strategic priorities.

Strategic Planning, Collaborative Partnerships, Assessment

• Cultivate and promote a long-range vision and mission of the programs within the portfolio that is aligned with the principles of the FLI Initiatives and JHU's academic mission.
• Collaborate with the Director of Success Coaching Program within Academic Advising to ensure coordination and shared purpose between advising within the offices of Academic Advising and personalized advising for scholars in the Kessler Scholars, Baltimore Scholars, and DC Scholars programs.
• Collaborate with the FLI Network to streamline programming so that Scholars & Fellows benefits from and contributes to overall programming & engagement efforts.
• Develop strong working connections with faculty across academic disciplines to the benefit of all programs within the portfolio.
• Partner with Development & Alumni Relations in maintaining relationships with each program's donors. 
• Evaluate program results and make changes as needed to reach desired program and student outcomes. 
• Participate in the FLI Coordinated Recruitment process and partner directly with Admissions to recruit (yield, welcome) incoming students into the scholars programs.
• Keep abreast of national trends in higher education and remain current in the fields of retention and student success and competitive national fellowships. 
• Kessler Scholars Program:
  • Recruit & collaborate with faculty director(s) of the Kessler program to develop partnerships across the university, including humanities and social sciences faculty.
  • Establish principles for & oversee summer experience grants for these scholars. 
  • Develop peer and alumni mentorship programs.
  • Provide leadership and guidance for the student advisory board.
  • Provide leadership and direction in JHU's participation in the Kessler Collaborative with respect to inter-institutional activities that include virtual and in-person convenings to share opportunities, challenges, lessons learned, and execute events for students across participating institutions.
  • For internal and external audiences, provide leadership and direction in the development and implementation of assessment strategies to collect, manage and report data related to the program.
• Baltimore Scholars & DC Scholars Programs:
  • Represent the program within the university (Admissions, faculty advisory group) and with external stakeholders.
  • Develop peer and alumni mentorship programs.
  • Provide leadership and guidance for the student advisory board.
  • Establish principles for & oversee supplemental funding grants.
  • Provide advocacy for, literacy about, and management of the award and wraparound costs such books, start-up grants, etc.
• National Fellowships Advising:  
  • Provide strategic direction for the fellowships advising to actively align it with a mission of access and inclusion in all aspects of its work. This includes developing targeted outreach initiatives to FLI and underrepresented student and developing strengths-based advising practices that utilizes narrative and empowerment theories to fully support FLI and underrepresented students to see the potential and possibilities within themselves through engaging in the fellowships application process.
  • Augment existing outreach work with new early outreach initiatives to first-year students and sophomores.
  • Steer, and when necessary review and adjust, all application processes and protocols.
  • Vigilantly adjust the portfolio of awards to match the strengths and needs of our student populations.
  • Provide leadership in creating accessible and equitable pathways for FLI and underrepresented students to fellowship opportunities both at Hopkins and with national foundations.

Advising & Programming

• Along with the SFP team and faculty directors and mentors, advise scholars across programs and develop with each advisee an ongoing discussion about their scholar experience, identity, and goals (as a complement to the advising/coaching they receive through SCAA).
• Advise fellowships applicants in all application processes.
• Provide opportunities in advising scholars and fellowships applicants for self-reflection, helping students develop a strong understanding of their strengths, the multiple pathways and opportunities to realize their ambitious goals, the value of a liberal arts education, and what it means to lead through service. Prepare advisees for post-graduation, utilizing faculty and alumni mentors, Life Design and National Fellowships Program resources.
• With support of SFP team, develop and execute signature events each year for the Kessler Scholars.
• With support of SFP team, develop and execute signature events each year for Baltimore Scholars and DC Scholars.

Metrics and Accountability:

• Academic progress (retention & graduation rates) in all scholars programs
• Engagement metrics for scholars in all programs
• Affinity metrics for scholars in all programs
• Evidence of increased social mobility for scholars in all programs
• Student satisfaction for all programs within the portfolio
• Growing the proportion of FLI students who engage in various fellowships application processes

Education: 

Master's degree in student affairs, higher education, counseling or related fields including a humanities or social science discipline is required. PhD preferred.

Experience: 

Five years of experience leading, implementing, managing programs of similar complexity required. Seven years of experience preferred.

Additional required skills are described below:

• Demonstrated success in providing transformational educational and co-curricular opportunities to underrepresented scholars. 
• Demonstrated capacity to work effectively with persons from diverse backgrounds and to foster sensitivity to diversity and an inclusive campus and community culture.
• Exceptional interpersonal, oral, public speaking, writing, and listening skills.
• Development experience including working with donors and development offices. 
• Demonstrated experience in providing iterative feedback on students' written work and interviewing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in both faculty and administrative cultures.
• Strong budgetary, planning, organizational, supervision and management skills and experience.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating, negotiating, and building consensus.
• Ability to use appropriate judgment when dealing with sensitive issues.
• Ability to influence societal and workplace attitudes that foster a more inclusive community.
• Demonstrated success in a complex, multi-layered, and data-driven organization.
• Ability to work collaboratively with students, faculty members and staff at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience developing, articulating, operationalizing, and assessing strategic priorities.
• Proven ability to cultivate trust and credibility with colleagues and to build positive and effective relationships.
• Proven track record of establishing strategic relationships to strengthen program and service delivery.

Classified Title: Academic Program Manager
Working Title: Director, Scholars & Fellows
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/ME 
Starting Salary Range: (commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: M-F 8:30-5:00pm 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: Homewood Campus 
Department name: Center for Student Success 
Personnel area: University Student Services

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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