Job Description

Senior Director of Student Experience

Division of Student Development

Basic Function and Responsibility:
To provide leadership to the integrated and comprehensive student experience at Biola University from Welcome Day to commencement through excellence in strategic leadership of the operational and communication components of the co-curricular programs.

The Senior Director of Student Experience, reporting to the Dean of Community Life as a member of the Community Life department, will lead the comprehensive and integrated student experience for Biola students that includes the oversight of the university Welcome Day, lead the comprehensive communication plan for the curricular, co-curricular and operational student-facing programs and offices, and provide support for key Student Development programs designed to enhance the student experience.

Alignment with Theological Positions
The person who fills this position must be someone who personally agrees with Biola’s Articles of Faith and Statement of Biblical Principles and who is supportive of the positions taken by Biola as contained in its Eschatology Teaching Position. As such, this person may not speak against or act in a manner inconsistent with these positions during the course of their employment at Biola.

Responsibilities:
Student Communications

• Leads the student communications plan by supporting Student Development leadership and other campus offices in the planning, developing, and deploying timely and relevant strategic communication targeting student audiences including current undergraduate, graduate students, and online students to help students navigate through their time at Biola and succeed in their college and career goals in support of Student Development’s co-curricular communication plan and objectives.
  
• Establishes and maintains efficient and effective methods for coordinating and tracking communications to the student body from Biola, ensures that messages are delivered to students in a timely and strategic manner and in keeping with the goals established by the Student Development Leadership Team.
  
• In collaboration with leaders from Operations, Advancement, and Enrollment, writes, edits and formats institutional messages for students and ensures that the content of internal messages aligns with the goals of the university’s efforts and keeps up on best practices, including innovative approaches to diverse communication strategies to students from varying generational backgrounds and experiences.
  
• Meets regularly with Student Development leadership and program planners to provide strategic insight, direction, support and to implement divisional communication plans.
  
• Maintains a pulse on the communication needs of students, undergraduate and graduate through bi-annual surveys, focus groups, etc.
  
• Creates and manages a content calendar for university student communication, annually.
  
• Responsible for tracking analytics on all recurring or seasonal messages, evaluating the effectiveness of student communication channels and campaigns on an annual basis in order to adjust ongoing efforts and strategies
  
• Utilize a variety of forms of communications to effectively communicate with current undergraduate and graduate students that ensures consistent, strategic, and timely delivery of messages, including:
  a) Digital communications, including the strategy, management, reviewing, and approving content on digital signs across campus, the student email CRM (Slate), the Biola mobile app, social media tools and other relevant technology.
  b) Written communications, including execute mass email communication targeting current undergraduate and graduate students in collaboration with all departments across campus, managing the content on the Student Life blog, the weekly Student Life Newsletter, coordinating film requests within the residence halls, poster review and approval to be displayed at designated areas on campus, and targeted communications to students on behalf of the institution when needed.
  
• Collaborates closely with a variety of campus departments and stakeholders on behalf of the students, including:
  a) Partners with IT for integrations, training and providing consultation to departments on CRM usage, as well as managing the vendor relationship.
  b) Serves on the leadership team for Biola’s Slate CRM as a content administrator.
  c) In collaboration with the Director of Campus Engagement, supervises all SD social media account managers and partners with the university social media manager to curate social media content targeting different student populations.
  d) Facilitating regular status meetings with key stakeholders across campus (i.e. Registrar, Student Accounts, Library, Financial Aid, Student Success, Auxiliary Services, etc.).
  e) Works closely with the Office of the Registrar, Student Accounts, and Academic Advising during the peak enrollment, registration, and commencement seasons to support their communication goals.
  f) Partners with co-curricular departments across campus to implement the communications plan designed to ensure student awareness, promote student engagement, and increase student sense of belonging.
  
• Serves on the crisis communication team and manages student communication.
  
• Serves as the advisor to the Biolan, the university yearbook, supervising the student staff responsible for the implementation of an annual artifact representing the student experience.
  

Divisional Projects and Programs

• Lead the university Welcome Day, ensuring that the various offices and stakeholders within Biola University (Campus Engagement, Housing and Residence Life, Athletics, Spiritual Development, Admissions, Facilities, Event Services, and University Events) coordinate efforts to accomplish a welcoming, hospitable campus environment for the incoming students and their families.
  
• Lead the university Baccalaureate service, ensuring that the various offices and stakeholders within Biola University (Spiritual Development, the office of the President, the office of the Provost, Student Development, Facilities, and Event Services) coordinate their efforts to celebrate and recognize the spiritual growth and development of the graduating seniors.
  
• Provide oversight of the divisional scholarships (Emma C. Johnson, Jon Campbell, and SGA scholarships) each spring, overseeing the process from soliciting nominations to final funds disbursement.
  
• In collaboration with the Student Development Leadership Team, develop the list of divisional assessment projects on an annual basis that correspond with the specific focus for the co-curricular goals, ensure each office identifies, plans, implements, and finalizes their assessment projects, and compiles them for annual reporting and program learning outcomes.
  
• In collaboration with the VPSD and the Admissions leadership, develop a list of incoming students who are ideally suited for the University Leadership Mentoring Groups, develop groups based on affinity and fit with various mentors, and coordinate the group formation process up to the handoff to each mentor.
  
• In collaboration with the Director of Student Development Operations and the Housing and Residence Life team, provide support to the Intentional Living Communities project through the development of curriculum, vetting candidates for residence, and occasional involvement in the program activities within the various houses as determined necessary.
  
• Serve as a member of the Title IX team and provide support as requested by the Title IX Coordinator when cases arise.
  
• Support the SDLT in various divisional programs and events including but not limited to monthly divisional meetings, annual year-end day of professional development, Board of Trustees meetings, and student leader leadership development.
  
• Other duties as assigned by the Dean of Community Life and the VPSD.
  

Qualifications:
Master’s degree required, preferably in a related field such as higher education, student affairs, management, ministry, or related field.
5+ years experience in a related role required.
Demonstrates leadership and understanding of the needs of the student body and strategic methods of communicating with a wide range of student body constituents.
Knowledge of AP style, Slate (or other relevant CRM), Google Suite, Asana, Canva and HTML preferred.
Demonstrates deep understanding of the needs of students within Christian Higher Education.
Able to respect and uphold issues of confidentiality with professionalism and poise, especially related to Cabinet-level information, personnel, budget and student issues.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively and professionally.
Demonstrates ability to communicate professionally with others in all contexts, specifically displaying excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong editing/proofing skills.
Demonstrates cultural competence and humility with staff, faculty and students alike.
Should demonstrate high energy, inclusive and warm positive personality, and be an effective communicator of the strengths of Biola.
Ability to work well with others and function as a team member.
Able to work independently, managing his/her own workflow, prioritizing projects, and multi-tasking and planning for frequent deadlines with an organized and detail-oriented focus.
Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in job performance with a cheerful, courteous, and helpful attitude.
Has the ability to be an extension of divisional leadership; understands and embraces the vision and mission of the division.
Holds personal theological beliefs that are in agreement with the Biola Doctrinal Statement.
Maintain a lifestyle in consonance with sound Christian principles.

Supervision:
The position reports to the Dean of Community Life and works closely with the SD Leadership Team, particularly the Vice President for Student Development.

Hiring Range $90,000.00 - 119,000.00 annual