Graduate Education Program Manager

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How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Graduate Education, the Graduate Education Program Manager will advance College of LSA initiatives that enhance the experiences of LSA graduate students and support the effective leadership of faculty and staff in LSA graduate programs.

The Program Manager will support Graduate Education initiatives within the Dean's Office and help implement strategies and programs that foster a supportive and connected graduate student environment.

The Program Manager will collaborate with faculty and staff across LSA departments; associate deans and staff in LSA and the Rackham Graduate School; and other campus partners, including the Dean of Students Office, Office of the General Counsel, Academic Human Resources, Office of the Provost, English Language Institute, the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office, and CEW+.

We seek a highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated team player with excellent interpersonal, organizational, customer service, and event-planning skills. Because this position works with deans and other senior administrators on sensitive matters, tact, diplomacy, sound judgment, and confidentiality are essential. Familiarity with graduate funding, the distinct challenges graduate students face, and university policies related to graduate education is preferred.

Since 1841, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) has been the heart of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor colleges, providing a rich liberal arts experience for workers, learners, researchers, and visitors alike. With over 10,000 permanent and temporary employees, LSA is the largest of the UofM colleges and offers innumerable personal and professional benefits (some listed below), opportunities for engagement at the college and around the city for you and your networks, and truly rewarding work that consistently challenges the status quo and redefines higher education and employment worldwide.

We would love for you to learn more about LSA at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/.

Responsibilities*

Graduate Student Recruitment

• Manage on-campus prospective student visit weekends, working with several departments at the same time for as many as 100 or more students. This includes leading initial meetings with department leadership, securing venues, caterers, and related travel arrangements, assisting department staff with best practices, creating a budget, tracking and reconciling expenses, creating and administering an event survey and writing final reports for LSA and Rackham dean's offices.
• Represent the College of LSA at designated recruitment events. Work collaboratively to identify new opportunities for recruitment and develop new recruitment strategies.
• Administer the annual application fee waiver program by designing and implementing the request process, tracking and assessing requests for waiver eligibility. Communicate waiver usage to Rackham for reconciliation. Prepare a report for LSA college leadership on admissions outcomes.
• Respond to inquiries from prospective applicants via email in a timely manner.

Campus Collaboration

• Foster and maintain relationships with various campus partners. Assist department leadership in solving time sensitive, complex problems related to student academics, funding, and general student affairs issues, including mental health, social justice, and academic integrity concerns.
• Serve as chair of LGRAD, LSA's graduate student services staff organization, working with LGRAD steering committee to create programming and events for the professional development of staff as well as methods for sharing best practices and creating new and improved processes for graduate program offices. Create consistent communication, such as newsletter content, to engage the LGRAD community and keep staff informed of emerging issues.
• Develop and deliver new student services staff orientation. Create and maintain staff training materials.
• Update LSA graduate education email groups, contact lists, and other related internal dean's office staff records.
• Create written communications to convey college policy, new initiatives, and administrative updates to faculty and staff in LSA units.

Program Management

• Along with the Manager of Graduate Education, act as a strategic advisor for the associate dean for Research and Graduate Education. Make recommendations on emerging trends related to graduate education. Assist with the execution of LSA DEI outreach and initiatives for graduate students. Collaborate on related DEI initiatives with Rackham, LSA departments, and other units.
• Facilitate the process for proposal submissions for new or modifications to LSA graduate certificate, master's, and doctoral degrees. Serve as a point of contact for departments. Assist department faculty and LSA deans throughout the submission and review process. Communicate with stakeholders (e.g., faculty, deans, Rackham) to ensure complete and timely proposal submissions and revisions. Draft final college approval memo to be sent by LSA Dean to Rackham Dean.
• Manage upper-level teaching program application and review process. This includes managing the online application, tracking requests, consulting with Dean's Office staff and deans as appropriate, and communicating outcomes to the department and applicants.
• Attend Rackham Program Reviews as a representative of the college. Synthesize graduate student data and survey results to provide written summaries for LSA associate deans in advance of Rackham Program Review meetings.
• Manage LSA's Graduate Student Funding for Conferences and Major Events. This includes, tracking requests in eGif, evaluating requests for funding, communicating with students and staff on status of request, and following up on payments for awarded requests.
• Design, organize and execute annual Graduate Student Welcome Event and Appreciation Week activities.
• Attend annual and monthly trainings and workshops to stay current on university and college policies and best practices.
• Develop and maintain content for the LSA graduate education website.

Required Qualifications*

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience with 3-5 years of experience in an academic student service setting (preferably at the University of Michigan). Must have an ability to exercise initiative, analytic skills, independent judgment, diplomacy, and a positive service-oriented attitude. Requires excellent written and verbal communication ability, as well as interpersonal and organizational skills. Must have demonstrated ability to work independently as well as within a team. Strong attention to detail and proofreading skills are required. Excellent computer skills and experience with web-based systems, word processing, databases, data management, and basic spreadsheets are a must. Ability to relate well with diverse students, faculty, and staff. Excellent work ethic and attendance pattern. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Desired Qualifications*

Master's Degree Preferred. More than five years in an academic setting is preferred. Familiarity with University of Michigan graduate programs is strongly desired. Demonstrated commitment to a sense of belonging and an environment of mutual respect. Advanced knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Google Calendar and Google Drive (documents, spreadsheets, and forms), and InfoReady. Experience with M-Pathways preferred. An ability to create infographic presentations desired, as well as project management skills. Familiarity with the University of Michigan, LSA, and Rackham policies, procedures, and programs, particularly as they relate to graduate students.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

In addition, LSA offers:

• Strong commitment to work/life balance
• Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs
• Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses

Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Work Schedule

40 hours per week, full-time

Monday through Friday (1 day of remote work allowable during the academic year; 3 days remote may be allowed in the summer)

Some travel, as well as work on evenings and weekends, is required.

Additional Information

The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $74,000. A higher salary may be possible for well-qualified candidates.

As one of the world's great liberal arts and sciences colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.

Union Affiliation

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.