Assistant Dean Of Student Affairs

We invite applications for an exciting opportunity in the University of Virginia's Division of Student Affairs. The Division of Student Affairs is guided by a three-pronged mission: to help students build community, pursue wellness, and grow as citizen-leaders. We help students develop in these three essential areas by upholding policies and providing resources that:

• Foster a University environment that promotes students' intellectual inquiry and responsible decision-making;
• Support students as they clarify personal values, develop personal identity, build sound interpersonal relationships, and explore career directions;
• Promote diversity, cultural richness, and full participation of all students in the University community;
• Respond to students' changing needs at varying stages of intellectual, social, personal, and career development;
• Attend to students impacted by a unique status, including minority, disability, health, financial resources, and nontraditional, among others; and
• Equip students to be informed and active citizens within our society.

The Division consists of over 300 employees within five units – the Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer and the Dean of Students, Student Health and Wellness, University Career Center, Office of African-American Affairs, and Housing & Residence Life – all working together, for and alongside students, to create the distinctive student experience for which UVA is known. Care and Support Services (CASS) at Student Health and Wellness provides free inclusive support for all students with unmet needs to increase students’ ability to identify, reduce, and navigate barriers to their growth and well-being; we do this by providing direct student services and programming, and by creating and expanding support infrastructures. The Division is recruiting a generalist Assistant Dean of Student Affairs who will report to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and director of Care and Support Services.

The Assistant Dean will have student support responsibilities including triaging student concerns, and helping them access appropriate resources, solve problems, and respond appropriately to challenges and/or crises. Through formal and informal interaction, Student Affairs professionals assist students to achieve their goals and address systemic challenges. These interactions may include responding to student calls and walk-ins; responding to questions from or consulting with parents, faculty, or staff; or meeting with students who have interpersonal, behavioral, health and wellness, or other concerns. They will also collaborate with and make referrals to University offices/organizations to provide ongoing broad-based student support while implementing appropriate administrative processes, as needed.

The Assistant Dean will also have incident response and crisis management responsibilities. The Assistant Dean will serve in the after-hours on-call rotation and will be expected to respond appropriately to student incidents and crises; coordinate and utilize emergency protocols; and provide crisis management support.

As time permits, Assistant Deans may haveprogrammatic leadership responsibilities, which may include leadership over or assistance with program design, implementation, and/or support services related to an assigned program or focused community need. At times, UVA Student Affairs professionals do not manage programs themselves, but support students in designing and implementing the programs.  Programmatic activities currently managed in Care and Support Services include food or basic need insecurity, emergency aid, case or care management, outreach or education initiatives, data management, and other programs supporting historically underserved or high-risk students.

Qualifications

Candidates must have the following required knowledge areas, skills and abilities:

• Excellent judgement, ability to “think on their feet” and be nimble and flexible in high-stress situations/environments;
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively and interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, team members, and community/government agencies;
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and initiative - ability to proactively and independently problem-solve and marshal resources across the institution;
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging;
• Master’s degree or equivalent in Counseling, Higher Education, Student Affairs Administration, or a degree in a relevant field such as Law; and
• A minimum of six years of progressive relevant experience, work experience as a graduate student may count toward this requirement.

A competitive applicant for the Assistant Dean position will have many of the following preferred knowledge areas, skills and abilities:

• A demonstrated mastery of managing student behavioral issues, providing outstanding student advising and support;

• Knowledge of specific trends and issues affecting Student Affairs practice, including legal issues;

• Understanding of psychological support and cognitive development models related to support and development of college students;

• Extensive experience working with diverse student populations;

• Prior experience in a leadership role within Student Affairs, counseling, or case management in a higher education setting;

• Experience with assessment and data-driven decision-making;

• Demonstrated experience excelling in a fast-paced work environment with multiple competing priorities;

• Strong oral and written communication skills, with ability to present information/facilitate dialogue to a wide variety of stakeholders; and

• Prior experience utilizing case management and documentation strategies and software according to departmental guidelines and standards.

The position is open until filled, but to assure full consideration, candidates are encouraged to have complete applications submitted by February 29, 2024. Please apply through through the UVA job board and complete an application online. Requested application materials include a letter of interest or cover letter; resume or curriculum vitae; and the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three professional references. All applications, nominations, and inquiries will remain confidential. The anticipated hiring range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 and is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration. The successful candidate will pass a criminal background check. For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Michele Jarman, Academic Recruiter.

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Located in central Virginia, the University of Virginia is a highly selective public research institution with a major commitment to undergraduate education. The student experience is grounded in the institutional core values of academic rigor, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, honor, public service, and student self-governance. For more information about the University of Virginia and the Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer click here.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library,are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.