Academic & Professional Development Manager

This position will manage projects and responsibilities that support the vision and mission of the Liberal Arts Advisement and Careers Center (LAAC). In the LAAC, we help students set goals and approach their opportunities with intention. We also teach them how to reflect on their goals, experiences, and coursework and articulate their value in meaningful ways. We are striving to make them career-ready and life-long learners. The goals of this position are a) to develop programs, processes, and networks that help students thrive while at BYU and prepare for life after graduation, b) to help students make informed decisions about their education and experiential learning opportunities, and c) to help them understand that their time at BYU is an opportunity to develop skills and competencies needed throughout their life and work.

Essential Functions

Academic Success and Career Readiness

Academic and Professional Development Managers focus primarily on helping students make informed and intentional decisions about the majors/minors, coursework, and experiential learning opportunities that best foster their academic success and personal and professional development. To accomplish this, the position will:

• Engage in proactive outreach and coaching with struggling students to help them thrive and find personal and academic success.
• Coach students through planning for optimal academic success, utilizing university tools and support services, proven techniques, and applications (online and software) to:
  • Help students with academic, career, and graduate school progress
  • Identify struggling students:
    
    • Provide program requirements and nuances to students in their planning, giving timely feedback on their curriculum choices and planning.
    • Collaborate, train, and provide accurate information to student peer advisors specific to helping students navigate department requirements for multiple majors/minors/departments.
• Brainstorm and create plans with students to help them address difficult issues such as time management, mental health, connecting to vital resources, etc.
• Educate students on learning outcomes and core competencies found in their programs and in experiential learning opportunities.
• Coordinate and collaborate with faculty, college leaders, and other campus entities to create better processes and opportunities for student well-being and career readiness.
• Implement a solid, current understanding of professional and academic competency development to advise students on identifying and meeting their academic and post-graduate goals.
• Coach students using the experiential learning cycle to help them better develop goals, plan, and engage in their coursework and experiential learning opportunities.
• Present in classrooms and other group settings on topics emphasizing career readiness for liberal arts majors, such as the value of a liberal arts education, competency development, experiential learning, developing a professional narrative, etc.
• Develop innovative strategies that foster students' professional development.

Program and Department Management

• Participate in department, college, and university-wide efforts to connect students to alumni and other professionals for internship, experiential learning, and career opportunities. Utilize those interactions to update and inform how we coach liberal arts students to build competencies and skills.
• Develop relationships within the assigned department(s) to foster the professionalization of students.
• Coordinate with faculty, campus entities such as Careers and Experiential Learning, and others focused on career readiness events.
• Consult on the development of department and college career readiness and academic success curricula.
• Analyze student and program data and present it to departments to inform and support cooperative initiatives and strategic decision-making.
• Inform and seek input from other advisors and the Assistant Dean on advising issues related to assigned department(s).

Special Projects

• Take part in university committees and workgroups with the goal of improving services to our students and building better collaboration between the LAAC and other entities on campus.
• Participate in planning and carrying out Humanities and Family, Home, and Social Sciences (FHSS) College Convocations (once a year).
• Assist in New Student Orientation {three times per year}.
• Plan and manage multiple other events to promote career and academic development.
• Hold membership and participate in relevant professional organizations.

Intra-university Collaboration

• Advocate campus-wide for the value of an education in the liberal arts and the competencies and skills gained therein.
• Partner with other campus entities, including Careers and Experiential Learning, Internship Office, Kennedy Center, the BYU advisement community, Registrar's Office, etc., to facilitate academic processes and provide students with professionalizing opportunities and experiential learning.

Decisions Made and Referred:

Made:

This position is responsible for identifying the needs of the department and the students they have been assigned. They are responsible for being “in the know” about the department(s)’ needs and struggles. As such, each person in this position decides how best to adjust:

• How much to meet with individual students vs through classroom, workshops, or other mass-advising opportunities
• Strategies for working with their assigned student population. They have a lot of autonomy as to how to outreach and work with students as long as their work stays within the mission and vision of the LAAC.

They are responsible for building and supporting relationships with their departments, and each department is different. They are permitted to do this in the ways they see best. For example, they might vary in which data they share with the department and how they help them improve their outcomes. This results in people in these positions negotiating special projects and initiatives directly with the department leadership and faculty without much consultation with the LAAC Director.

Referred:

• Budgetary issues
• Work schedules
• They consult with the LAAC Director about university projects and assignments to ensure balance in their workload

Education/Experience:

Minimum education/experience required:

Level 51:

Bachelor's degree and 2 years of advisement experience in professional development, advisement, coaching, or counseling.

Level 52:

Master's degree in the liberal arts and 4 years of professional advisement, coaching, or counseling experience, OR

Master's degree in relevant area and graduate coursework in counseling/advising, coaching, and career

Skills Required:

• Superior project management skills
• Superior personnel management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Skills Preferred:

• Superior training and/or data analysis skills
• Curriculum development and some experience with instructional design, including experience with experiential learning/education

Abilities Required:

• Deal with ambiguity in the workplace
• Take initiative and solve problems
• Manage multiple projects and programs simultaneously
• Communicate effectively with high-level professionals
• Provide excellent advising, especially concerning students' individual career and academic development
• Make effective judgments and appropriate decisions in complex situations

Knowledge Preferred:

• Background in career development, experiential learning theory/practices, and career readiness
• Clear understanding of the principles of student wellness, particularly in terms of academic success
• Experiential education/training and instructional design
• Awareness of marketing communication strategies such as social marketing, mass communication, media, and internet marketing
• Superior knowledge of BYU advising processes and policies
• Knowledge of current career trends and employment conditions
• Knowledge of current issues surrounding Liberal Arts and the workplace
• Preference will be given to candidates with a background in Economics or English

Employee Class: Administrative

Work Location: Provo Campus

Environment: General office or other equivalently good environment

Physical Exam Required: N

Desired Start Date: As soon as possible

Job Close Date: 05/15/2023

Pay Level: DOQ

Approximate Starting Salary: $61,000 - $76,700

Documents Required at time of Application:

Required: Cover Letter, Letter of Recommendation 1, Resume

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must hold and be worthy to hold a current temple recommend.

Brigham Young University is an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status.