Department: Student Development

Type: Full-time, Administrative Staff

Reports to: President

Stephens College, located in the vibrant college town of Columbia, Missouri, invites nominations and applications for its next Vice President for Student Development, to assume office July 1, 2019.

Position Summary:

The Vice President for Student Development reports directly to the President and is a member of a highly collegial leadership team deeply dedicated to the College’s women-centered mission. S/he will lead an office of talented and energetic staff members in overseeing the multiple dimensions of student experience at a residential women’s college – from housing, wellness, athletics and security to student leadership, extracurricular activity and judicial process.  In all environments and initiatives, the Vice President demonstrates an evidence-based and intentional commitment to fostering an open and inclusive campus community.

Essential Duties:

• Plan, develop, manage and advocate for the student development functions of Stephens College;
• Create a collaborative, mission-driven, student-centered culture;
• Provide leadership to the Office of Student Life, including student activities, student leadership, residential living, diversity and inclusion;
• Provide leadership to the Office of Campus Safety and Security to ensure a safe experience for all Stephens students and employees;
• Provide leadership to the Stephens College Counseling Center;
• Develop and support a competitive athletics program consistent with the College’s mission and the NAIA’s Champions of Character commitment to the scholar-athlete;
• Develop and monitor the student development budget;
• Collaborate with faculty and other campus offices to promote student success, persistence and completion; 
• Supervise the development, distribution and campus awareness of operational procedural manuals, regulations and student policies, consistent with local, state and federal laws;
• In collaboration with other vice presidents and campus offices, develop and maintain working partnerships with community agencies, high schools, and other institutions of higher education to support a seamless transfer process; and
• Represent the College as requested on standing and ad hoc campus, community, state and national committees, councils and task forces.

Desired Qualifications:
The Vice President joins Stephens at a time of growth and development.  The ideal candidate will respond to new ideas with enthusiasm, new initiatives with optimism, and new questions with evidence.  S/he will be a team player who privileges student success over all else, and who understands that effective teams are grounded in trust, respect, and a shared sense of mission and purpose. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least five years of progressively complex experience in student services/development administration or a closely related field; advanced or terminal degree preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the mission and goals of a women’s undergraduate, residential institution;
• Excellent leadership and managerial skills, and the capacity to motivate and supervise a diverse staff;
• An open, interactive leadership style that encourages collaboration, innovation and flexible problem solving;
• Demonstrated ability to engage in evidence-based decision-making;
• Strong skills in written, oral and electronic communication, including the effective use of social media.​

About Stephens College:

Stephens College (www.stephens.edu) is the second-oldest women's college in the country. Recognized for excellence in the creative arts and health sciences, the College’s 50-plus full-time faculty deliver more than 25 majors at the undergraduate level and three graduate programs (including a new Master of Physician Assistant program, and a low-residency M.F.A. in Television and Screenwriting, located at the Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles). The College comprises three schools: the School of Creative and Performing Arts, the School of Design and the School of Health Sciences.

Stephens College is located at the center of downtown Columbia, Missouri, home to the University of Missouri, with a student enrollment of approximately 35,000.  Columbia, with a population of about 115,000, is consistently rated as a top city in which to live because of its educational facilities, health care, cultural opportunities and cost of living. 

Stephens College is a member of the American Midwest Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Student–athletes compete in basketball, competitive dance, cross county, soccer, softball and volleyball. An esports team is also available.

Stephens College offers excellent benefits, including vacation/holiday/sick pay, health/dental/life insurance, tuition waiver and College-paid retirement plan.

Application Process:

Qualified applicants must complete an online Stephens College application with a cover letter, curriculum vitae and three professional references in PDF format only.​  

Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Employment will require a criminal background check.

 

Stephens College is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity.​

Smoke-free campus