Director, Student & Community Engagement

Purpose:
York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) is one of North America’s premier educational and research institutions for the visual, performing and digital arts. The largest, most comprehensive program of our kind in Canada, we bring together more than 3,200 undergraduate and graduate students and 280 full-time and part-time faculty working at the leading edge of creative arts practice and scholarship. The School offers in-depth academic studies (history, theory, criticism) and intensive, hands-on professional training in all the creative arts: dance, design, digital media, film, music, theatre and visual arts/art history. The School emphasizes contemporary artistic production and process in all discipline areas. In addition, the School provides a dynamic space for students to push the boundaries of disciplinary rigour, create new cultural propositions, engage the integration of emerging technologies and forms of practice within the extensive scholarly resources of one of Canada’s largest universities. Working closely with the School’s executive team, the Director, Student and Community Engagement provides leadership, development and oversight of comprehensive and highly integrated student success plans that advance the School’s mission to offer an outstanding and distinctive student experience. In addition, the incumbent develops approaches to capacity building for the AMPD community and is a highly visible position within the School as well as externally with the artistic community. As such, this position is responsible for the development and retention of AMPDs relationships with community organizations and other post-secondary institutions in Ontario, in support of AMPD’s mandate.With responsibility for all aspects of the student life cycle (from admission to graduation), the Director, Student and Community Engagement ensures that all student services reflect and enhance the strategic academic direction of the School such that curricular frameworks are effectively supported in student success best-practice. Operationally, this is achieved through direct oversight of the School’s Office of Academic and Integrated Student Services (OAISS). The Director, Student and Community Engagement connects to the Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) priorities of the School as an innovative advisor on the wide range of services/practices that impact student retention and ensures implementation of tactics across the School. This includes promoting and supporting tight alignment with co-curricular programming in Winters College as partners in the comprehensive student experience.

Education:
Graduate degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and minimum 7 years of experience in either a post-secondary environment, non-for-profit community organization or government.

Experience:
Minimum 7 years progressively responsible management experience, including setting goals and objectives, coordination, and planning and supervision in a multifunctional environment is required to support the development of new academic and co-curricular programs and initiatives, in areas such as student transition and retention, student experience, student success programming, college and university collaborations. Administrative experience, excellent technological skills, financial management, and statistical analysis. Demonstrated success in customer service, student and community engagement and program development. Experience in strategic communications planning and proven ability to develop relationships with students, staff and external partners. Strategic marketing experience and an understanding of the challenges related to the provision of an arts-based postsecondary education in Ontario is an asset. Experience with budgets, data analysis and with preparing and presenting plans to senior level executives and committees.

Skills:
Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to engage varied stakeholders in a consensus decision-making environment. Outstanding capacity to work with diverse teams, manage complex interpersonal dynamics and facilitate productive interactions under high pressure and with high volumes. Excellent team building skills to motivate and retain staff members. Strong strategic, operational, community building and project planning/management skills. Well-developed management and creative problem-solving skills with the flexibility to respond to the complex demands of a university environment. excellent interpersonal skills. excellent communications skills (verbal and written). proficiency with various computer programs including: word processing, spreadsheet, presentation software. discretion, good judgment, integrity, and initiative. Knowledge of academic and administrative policies and procedures within a complex academic institution. Networking, community building and partnership development skills.

Additional Notes:
This position requires the candidate to produce a verification of degree(s), credential(s) or equivalencies from accredited institutions and/or international equivalents at the time of interview.

• Compensation:

York implemented a revised CPM Compensation Framework in 2019. The Framework is a salary grid consisting of 6 or 8 steps (depending on job grade) which is reviewed annually with possible adjustments, and a lump sum Performance Based Recognition Award. Employees will receive the grid adjustment and depending on performance, eligible permanent employees may move to the next step of the grid and may receive a lump sum Performance Based Recognition Award.Visit the CPM Compensation page on the HR Website to find out more about York’s CPM Compensation Program.