Senior Associate Director, Predegree Advising and Admissions Policy Management

Company Description By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways,inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcomingenvironment where everyone can thrive. Why join the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences? The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the historic heart ofHarvard University. It is the home of Harvard’s undergraduateprogram (Harvard College, founded in 1636) as well as all ofHarvard’s Ph.D. programs (the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin GraduateSchool of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872), Harvard Athleticsand the Division of Continuing Education. The 40 academicdepartments and 30+ centers of the FAS support a communityunparalleled in its academic excellence across the broadest rangeof liberal arts and sciences disciplines. Together, the FAS seeks to foster an environment of ambition, curiosity and sharedcommitment to knowledge and truth that elicits excellence from allmembers of our community and prepares the next generation ofleaders through a transformative educational experience. Job Description Job Summary Lead admissions operations and planning that may include applicantrecruitment and evaluation, event planning, data analysis andpolicy and workflow development. Job-Specific Responsibilities The Senior Associate Director oversees the consistentinterpretation and administration of predegree advising andadmissions policies and processes and supervises the advising team.The role provides leadership on complex student matters andinstitutional risk; manages key departmental operations; and usesdata to inform policy, planning, decision-making, and continuousimprovement. Other duties and responsibilities Ensure compliance with School and University admissions andacademic policies and applicable legal requirements. Research, analyze, interpret, and resolve policy questions, providing accurate and timely guidance to department, School, andUniversity staff and leadership. Identify, monitor, and mitigate potential risks to School andUniversity administration, operations, community, and reputationarising from admissions-related policies, practices, and studentmatters. Maintain departmental procedural resources, records, anddatabases to support consistent practices, informeddecision-making, and continuous improvement to policy understandingand administration. Ensure the consistent and appropriate application of policy bythe advising team through initial and ongoing training, guidance,and quality oversight. Manage and administer the policy petition process for allpredegree students, including evaluating complex requests, issuingcommunications, and preparing materials for escalation to theAdministrative Policy Committee and Administrative Board. Evaluate and resolve complicated predegree student concerns andcomplaints, engaging with students in a helpful, respectful, andaccessible manner. Directly manage predegree and admissions advisors and theAssistant Director of Predegree Advising and Admissions PolicyManagement, providing coaching, performance management,professional development, and operational guidance; modelandreinforce departmental values to support a collaborative,accountable, and student-centered work environment. Participate as a member of the OPA&A leadership team inannual and seasonal departmental processes for managing degreeprogram changes, application and admission eligibility reviews andreporting, and student communications. Integrate, extract, and analyze quantitative and qualitativedata from multiple HES systems and external sources, developingclear and concise reports, dashboards, presentations, and otherdata visualizations that communicate findings, trends,implications, and recommendations to stakeholders in an accessibleand actionable manner. Serve as a strategic thought partner to OPA&A leadershipand a policy and operational resource for peer and senior DCEcolleagues, informing stakeholders and participating in relevantmeetings and cross-functional initiatives as needed. Working Conditions This position will be based in Cambridge, MA. Hybridworkplace models in place at DCE with a minimum of 2 days per weekon campus. DCE or department may adjust these as necessary orappropriate. Qualifications Basic Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required Minimum of 7 years’ relevant work experience Additional Qualifications and Skills Master's degree in higher education administration, businessadministration, or a related field strongly preferred Significant experience in admissions, advising, studentservices, higher education administration, or a related field Demonstrated success supervising, coaching, and developingprofessional staff Experience interpreting, applying, and communicating complexpolicies and regulations Experience managing sensitive or high-risk situations usingsound judgment, discretion, and diplomacy Demonstrated analytical skills with experience interpretingquantitative and qualitative data to inform operational andstrategic decisions Experience improving business processes and implementingoperational efficiencies Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and buildeffective working relationships across diverse stakeholdergroups Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications,particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint Experience with enterprise student information systems, CRMplatforms, and reporting tools (Banner, Salesforce,JIRA/Confluence, or comparable systems) preferred Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentationskills Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing demands, managemultiple initiatives, and perform effectively in a fast-pacedenvironment Additional Information Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week Compensation Range/Rate (including Shift Differential ifapplicable): $90K-$110K/annual Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University isunable to provide visa sponsorship for this position Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education Other Information: A cover letter is highly encouraged for consideration. All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources. About Us The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) comprises four academicunits serving about 30,000 domestic and international studentsannually, which allow Harvard to meet the learning needs ofintellectually curious and highly motivated students from highschool through retirement. Established in 1910, the HarvardExtension School (HES) offers access to Harvard faculty for adiverse community of adult learners, enrolling about 15,000students. HES offers over 1,000 open enrollment courses — 85percent of which are accessible online — and provides flexibilitythrough noncredit, undergraduate, and graduate courses, includingdegrees, certificates, and a premedical program. The Harvard SummerSchool, founded in 1871, offers around 450 credit and noncreditcourses both on the Harvard Campus and online, catering to 9,000high school, college, and adult learners. Additionally, it offersup to 15 international study abroad programs, hosting up to 300students each summer. Harvard DCE Professional & ExecutiveDevelopment delivers over 140 noncredit programs annually, reachingmore than 3,600 participants through online platforms and itsexecutive development center in Cambridge. The Harvard Institutefor Learning in Retirement offers about 140 peer-taught courses toapproximately 550 active members. Work Format Details This position has been determined by school or unit leaders thatsome of the duties and responsibilities can be effectivelyperformed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and locationwill be set by the department at its discretion and based uponoperational needs. When not working at a Harvard orHarvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions mustwork in a Harvard registered state in compliance with theUniversity’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts .Additional details will be discussed during the interview process.Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location.Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements priorto employment. Salary Grade and Ranges This position is salary grade level 058. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view thecorresponding salary range and related information. Benefits Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed tosupport a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental andfinancial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Ourbenefits include, but are not limited to: Generous paid time off including parental leave Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage startingon day one Retirement plans with university contributions Wellbeing and mental health resources Support for families and caregivers Professional development opportunities including tuitionassistance and reimbursement Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes. Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination. #J-18808-Ljbffr The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.