Job Description

Posting number: 998936

Department: Northwestern State University

Job classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Posting type: Open

Categories: Administration, Education

Northwestern State University seeks qualified applicants for the position of Coordinator of First Year Experience & Leadership Development.

The Coordinator for First Year Experience and Leadership Development is a full-time, 12- month position funded through the Title Ill Elevate-U initiative at Northwestern State University. The position supports student engagement, leadership development, Living­-Learning Communities, mentoring initiatives, and first- and second-year student success programming.
The Coordinator works collaboratively with Student Experience, Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Resident Mentors, faculty, staff, and campus partners to strengthen student engagement, leadership development, retention, and persistence. The position also supports program assessment, student outreach, and implementation of high-impact practices aligned with Title Ill grant objectives.

To apply Please submit a letter of application, current CV or resume, unofficial transcripts (official transcripts required upon hire), and complete contact information for three professional references to apply@nsula.edu

Northwestern State University is a State as a Model Employer (SAME) agency.

The successful candidate will be subject to a background check, as a condition of employment.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

(Full Disclosure)

Northwestern State University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

All complaints or inquiries related to Title IX should be directed to the Director of Title IX Compliance and Title IX Coordinator, Julie Powell (318-357-5570), Room 306 of the Friedman Student Union or email tix@nsula.edu.

In accordance with Section 35.106 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all participants, applicants, organizations, and interested individuals are advised and noticed that the ADA Coordinator for Northwestern State University for facilities is the Director of University Affairs, Jennifer Kelly (318-357-4300), located in Room 128 Caspari Hall or email andersonje@nsula.edu. For student academic services, contact the Director of Access and Disability Support, Crissey Smith (318-357-5460) located in Room 111 Watson Memorial Library or email smithcr@nsula.edu. For faculty/staff accommodations and services, contact Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Human Resources, Veronica M. Biscoe (318-357-6359), Room 111 Caspari Hall or email ramirezv@nsula.edu.

Examples of duties

• Bachelor's degree required in education, higher education, student affairs, counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field.
• Minimum one to three (1 to 3) years of experience working with college students from different cultural heritages and identities and facilitating the coexistence of people in a culturally diverse community.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with demonstrated ability in project management and problem-solving.
• Experience planning and implementing large-scale programs, events, or initiatives.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, fast-paced, student-centered office environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Windows-based applications, including experience with database management.
• Experience managing and creating content for social media platforms, including strategic planning, audience engagement, and analytics tracking.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Experience working with college students.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, including first-generation and low-income students.
  
• Experience with first-year experience, leadership development, student engagement, mentoring, retention, or orientation initiatives.
• Experience supervising student employees, peer mentors, or student leaders.
• Strong partnership-building skills across campus units.
• Ability to work independently while aligning with program goals and benchmarks.
• Commitment to data-informed decision making and continuous improvement.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Professionalism, reliability, and discretion.
• Willingness to attend occasional evening or weekend student programming.

Qualifications

About the Program
Elevate-U is Northwestern State University's comprehensive student success initiative funded through the U.S. Department of Education Title Ill Strengthening Institutions Program.
Guided by Louisiana's Momentum Framework and national student success best practices, Elevate-U focuses on helping students:

• Make purposeful academic choices
• Maintain credit momentum
• Reach key academic milestones
• Persist to graduation
  

The initiative integrates advising, mentoring, Living-Learning Communities, leadership development, and coordinated support services to promote student success and degree completion.

The Coordinator for First Year Experience and Leadership Development supports the implementation of Activity #2 of the Elevate-U initiative by coordinating first-year experience programming, leadership development opportunities, Living-Learning Communities, mentoring initiatives, and student engagement activities designed to improve retention, persistence, and degree completion.
The position works collaboratively with the Director of Elevate-U, Student Experience, Enrollment Management, Resident Mentors, faculty, staff, and campus partners to implement high-impact practices that strengthen student engagement and success.

Supplemental information

First-Year Experience and Leadership Development

• Coordinate and support First-Year Experience programming and initiatives.
• Assist with the development and implementation of sophomore leadership programming.
• Develop leadership workshops and student development opportunities aligned with Elevate-U goals.
• Support student engagement efforts that strengthen student belonging, persistence, and success.

Living-Learning Communities and Mentoring

• Coordinate programming for Elevate-U Living-Learning Communities.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and support Resident Mentors.
• Develop mentoring and coaching opportunities within Living-Learning Communities.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and student leaders to strengthen community engagement.

Student Engagement and Campus Partnerships

• Collaborate with Student Experience, Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and other university departments to support student success initiatives.
• Assist with orientation, transition, leadership, and engagement activities designed to improve student retention and persistence.
• Maintain an annual calendar of student engagement and leadership programming aligned with grant objectives.

Data Collection, Reporting, and Grant Alignment

• Track student participation in Elevate-U programs and activities.
• Support collection and organization of participation and outcome data.
• Participate in monthly reporting meetings and contribute to Quarterly Reports and Annual Performance Reports (APR).
• Review Title Ill benchmarks and align program activities with grant objectives.

Program Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate student participation, satisfaction, and outcomes related to leadership and engagement initiatives.
• Recommend program improvements based on assessment findings.
• Present program outcomes and best practices through reports, campus presentations, or professional forums.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of Elevate-U programming.