Director of Assessment and Planning for University Life

The Division of University Life at George Mason University is seeking interested and qualified candidates for the position of Director of Assessment and Planning for University Life. Reporting to the Executive Director of Divisional Operations and Planning in University Life, this position is the principal leader in the Division of University Life in managing an ongoing, systematic program of assessment and evaluation essential to supporting the long term strategic planning of the division. This position supervises a staff of three full time professionals and is responsible for developing a culture of accountability that demonstrates the impact of the division's work and drives meaningful performance improvements. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.

The director oversees the collection and use of data and evidence of student learning and program/operational outcomes by conducting systematic assessment of University Life programs and services at the Division level and overseeing and also providing hands-on assistance with unit level assessment as needed. The director will provide leadership, coordination, and technical expertise for program evaluation, outcomes assessment, accreditation and periodic research efforts within the division; and will assist departments to improve educational and co-curricular programming and service delivery to enhance the quality and outcomes of student experiences.

Responsibilities: * Leads the strategy and execution of the Assessment and Planning function for the division of University Life, developing short and long- term strategic plans for this unit's work. * Provides supervision and mentoring of Assessment and Planning staff. Establishes and evaluates performance expectations for direct reports and guides professional development activities. * Develops and maintains a divisional assessment strategy and plan which ensures unit assessment efforts are complementary and collaborative, and which minimizes redundant efforts and survey fatigue and maximizes commonalities in outcome reporting, where appropriate. * Manages and develops the division's ongoing strategic planning process, ensuring assessment activities support the execution of strategic plan divisional goals and outcomes. * Leads the division's compliance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation requirements for assessment, servings as the division's liaison to the Office of the Provost. * Oversees data management activities including data collection and analysis of students served metrics and student learning outcome metrics. * Oversees the development and execution of an ongoing program review process for units, ensuring efficient coordination of annual cycle processes and that iterative improvements are made to the program. * Oversees training and consultation support to divisional units in assessment plan development and planning, evaluation method selection and data analysis to support data informed decision making for the improvement of programs and services. * Consults and collaborates with appropriate areas e.g., Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, Enrollment Management, student affairs units in colleges and other academic units, in order to advance institutional and Division of University Life assessment and related research initiatives. * Evaluates and recommends an appropriate support structure for Assessment and Planning work related to the division's shared services model. * Oversees the management of and related trainings for assessment platform tools including Campus Labs Baseline, Qualtrics, TK20 and Blackboard. * Oversees responses to and prioritization of data requests made to the Division of University Life. * Analyzes, interprets and disseminates relevant assessment and research information collected in the division as well as findings from professional literature, national data banks, and other student-related studies in order to help University Life focus on the implications for policies and programming.

Required Qualifications: * A master's degree in higher education, college student personnel, or research-oriented field * Minimum of five years of experience in higher education that includes work in assessment and in student affairs * Knowledge of research design (qualitative and quantitative) * Proficiency of use of statistical analyses and packages * Excellent communication and interpersonal skills * Can organize, prioritize and manage multiple goals/projects/deadlines simultaneously * Demonstrated success leading teams and engaging with diverse stakeholders * Demonstrated vision and leadership in the area of assessment and strategic planning * A demonstrated awareness of the current trends and directions in assessment * Familiarity with accreditation standards and processes (e.g. SACS), and with professional standards for student services such as the CAS, IACS, ACHA and NACE. * Technical skills sufficient to direct assessment projects

Preferred Qualifications: * A doctorate degree in higher education or related area * Knowledge of theory and practice related to college student development * A clear focus on the use of assessment to enhance the co-curricular experience * Publications and presentations in the area of assessment * Experience teaching and facilitating workshops and trainings on assessment topics

"For full consideration, applicants must apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ ; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information."

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George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason holds a top U.S. News and World Report "Up and Coming" spot for national universities and is recognized for its global appeal and excellence in higher education.

Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in Virginia with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135 countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, as well as at learning locations across the commonwealth. Rooted in Mason's diversity is a campus culture that is both rewarding and exciting, work that is meaningful, and opportunities to both collaborate and create.

If you are interested in joining the Mason family take a look at our current opportunities and catch some Mason spirit at jobs.gmu.edu/!

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