How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
Department Summary:
As a unit in Student Life, the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) uses the framework of inclusive excellence to lead the campus community by delivering educational opportunities, programs, and initiatives for all students. The unit takes a multi-dimensional approach that focuses on students' intellectual and social development as they explore culture, race, and ethnicity and their intersection with other identities.
Position Summary:
Work within Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) to promote student learning and development. In partnership with broad campus constituencies, this position provides support for the unit's efforts in celebratory programs, mentoring and education programs, student organizations advising, and leadership development with students through coaching, supervising, and experiential learning. With guidance from the Director and Associate Director, the Program Manager will lead out and manage tasks related to the execution of MESA programs and services, and supervise at least a graduate student.
Responsibilities*
Programming and Management (25%)
- Lead and manage efforts for the Latine Heritage Month during the fall semester, and Arab Heritage Month during the spring semester. This includes event planning and execution marketing, branding and outreach, budget management and reporting to unit leadership, recruitment of students at all levels of programmatic involvement, evaluation and assessment, and partnering with student organizations and other campus entities as appropriate.
- Provide coordination leadership for ALMA, a Welcome Program that strives to build a sense of belonging for all incoming first-year and new transfer students with an interest in learning about the Latine identity and culture.
- Serve as MESA Advisor to South Asian Awareness Network Conference planning.
- Work closely with the MESA administrative assistant to ensure that all University policies are being followed.
- Facilitate delivery of other programmatic components of unit initiatives grounded in transformative education, leadership development, and workshops.
- Innovate process improvement amongst existing programs within MESA.
Mentoring and Advising (25%)
- Lead curriculum development for MESA advising programs and continually assess their alignment with current best practices and leadership competencies.
- Maintain student advising goals and philosophy that align with the office goals and vision. This includes creating clear, attainable, and measurable learning outcomes grounded in the leadership competencies of such programs, and students get to learn alongside how to create/design a good cultural and education engagement grounded in transformative education and leadership development.
- Directly serve as MESA adviser to assigned student organization(s). Use theoretical sound practices (particularly Student Development Theories) for leadership development around issues of race and ethnicity among all students and their organizations to promote authentic and harmonious working relationships across differences grounded in mutual understanding and life-long learning spirit. Advising includes attending meetings for the organization, executive board and/or with student individual leaders. Also, provide inclusive leadership development of the executive board, assist in the development of the organization, consult and support during the event/program planning and execution. Direct advising includes ALMA, SAAN Conference, Latine and Arab Heritage Month planning committee.
Administration (20%)
- Work with sensitive and protected information with discretion and good judgment to maintain student confidentiality and attend to institutional risk-management concerns.
- Assist in the development of a unit culture that is student-centered, utilizing a self-authorship philosophy to guide and collaborate with students and organizations.
- Take personal responsibility for fostering a positive workplace climate in which staff and students feel engaged and empowered.
- Foster excellent communication and maintain partnerships among administrative offices, academic departments, faculty resources and community resources to promote assigned work projects.
- Assist in increasing the visibility of the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs.
- Provide resources and information to students and their organization, responding effectively to the needs/concerns of the student population.
Collaboration and Outreach (20%)
- Build relationships and partnerships across the division of Student Life and throughout the University.
- Play a lead role on divisional committees that advance programmatic work and transformative education grounded in critical reflection.
- Represent MESA at divisional and/or institutional collaborations as needed or assigned by the director.
Supervision (10%)
- Supervision of Undergraduate and Graduate Students.
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's degree.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in student affairs (graduate or professional) and/or related educational services work with emphasis on program and curriculum design and implementation skills.
- Supervision experience (students or professionals).
- Ability to understand and engage with issues impacting diverse populations, specifically in areas of race/ethnicity.
- Experience working with student organizations in an advisory capacity.
- Experience advising student organizations regarding budget responsibilities.
- Work Authorization: Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Desired Qualifications*
- Master's degree in higher education or relevant field.
- 3 years or more full-time experience working in Student Affairs.
- Knowledgeable of national policies that impact underrepresented student populations.
- Prior training and concentration in American Cultural and Critical Studies or relevant field.
- Working knowledge of University policies and procedures.
- 2 years or more of supervision experience with full-time staff
- Demonstrated high level of self-awareness, reflection, and learning and/or work in the area of intercultural competence, transformative education, and student social identity development, and open to listening, learning, and receiving feedback.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
Position Responsibilities Criteria:
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, be detail-oriented, and work cooperatively with others in a fast-paced changing environment.
- Ability to accomplish tasks autonomously and efficiently. Strong administrative and organizational skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including excellent written and verbal communication, and demonstrate good emotional intelligence.
- Comfortable with technologies and ability to learn quickly, navigate ambiguity, and adapt.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals and groups from a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, ideologies, and populations, including personal and social orientations (e.g. nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class, and other social identities).
- Ability to set expectations and achieve results while contributing to the larger unit goals & mission.
- Ability to facilitate and lead staff meetings.
- Demonstrated ability to take personal responsibility for their own decisions, actions, and mistakes.
- Demonstrated ability to reflect on own self-awareness, empathy, willingness to learn, and accept constructive feedback from others
- Demonstrate ability and commitment to student development.
- Effective and efficient performance of the daily tasks and duties needed to execute and achieve goals.
- Bilingual, and ability to speak, read, and write Spanish.
Financial/Budgetary Responsibility:
- Reconcile purchasing for programmatic work and monitor program-specific budgets.
- Manage a program budget of approximately $100,000.00 to $150,000.00 or assigned programmatic work.
Working Conditions:
- The Program Manager works mostly in professional office settings and environments and is expected to be flexible with irregular hours and sometimes weekends depending on programs.
Physical Requirements:
- The Program Manager may sometimes transport materials or items weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds.
Direct Reports:
- Supervises Graduate and Undergraduate students
This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.
Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.
Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.
Relocation will not be offered for this position.
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Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days, and this opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended. Although the review and selection process may begin on the eighth day after posting, it's likely applications will not be reviewed until January 2, 2025, at the earliest.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.