University of California-Berkeley Hiring for Social Welfare Student Services Director (U) at Berkeley, CA  Full Time

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world’s leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.

We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. To find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley, visit grow.berkeley.edu.

Departmental Overview

Berkeley Social Welfare is one of the nation’s leading social work graduate programs. As part of the world’s top ranked public university, the School of Social Welfare is producing new knowledge for the common good and training the next generation of social work thought leaders dedicated to serving society’s most vulnerable members. Known for combining rigorous scholarship with outstanding education, the School of Social Welfare offers MSW and PhD programs as well as an undergraduate major. Since 1944, the School has prepared nearly 12,000 social work professionals for leadership positions in the public and nonprofit human service sectors. Berkeley Social Welfare graduates are dedicated to meeting the growing needs of marginalized, underserved and other vulnerable populations.

The School of Social Welfare Student Services Director provides and applies a wide range of professional expertise in higher education and administrative student services and assistance for the School of Social Welfare educational and training programs; implements departmental policy related to admissions and recruitment, academic advising, and financial aid; and collaborates with the Dean’s Office Analyst on the distribution of departmental student funding. The position holistically addresses the needs of the student body, which consists of approximately 200 undergraduate students, approximately 200 master’s students, 40 doctoral students, and numerous prospective students and alumni, through admissions programming, new student orientation, academic advising, professional development events, postgraduate services for credentialing and licensure, and related programs.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 08/07/2023.

Responsibilities

Academic Advising: 35%

• Advises students, primarily doctoral, on all aspects of their degree programs such as registration and enrollment, policies and procedures, degree requirements, petitioning for exceptions, administrative issues, external or non-academic issues affecting studies, departmental and campus programs and graduation.
• Identifies and refers for resolution of intricate student issues/grievances such as alleged discrimination, complex grade dispute issues, and personal crises; recommends petition exceptions that affect the requirements of multiple departments.
• Recommends resolutions of student issues and/or grievances to Head Graduate Advisor (HGA) Program Chairs. Approves, denies or makes recommendations regarding petitions and requests to the HGA as needed. On behalf of the HGA, composes correspondence including verification letters, completion of degree requirements, petitions for exceptions, exemptions or extensions. Exercises designated signature authority on appropriate Graduate Division forms.
• Monitors student progress, updates and manages student records in campus Student Information System (SIS); maintains/updates degree requirements in SIS Academic Progress Reports and online catalog (Berkeley Academic Guide).
• Serves as primary contact for communication between Social Welfare students and the university. Keeps graduate students informed of important dates and deadlines as well as relevant department and university news. Acts as liaison with other campus offices for students with problems/conflicts.
• Provides counseling, support and referral to other university resources as determined necessary. Exercises judgment with respect to confidentiality and sensitivity of student issues and concerns.
• Advises faculty on policies and procedures on all aspects of graduate students regarding the degree program.
• Analyzes the consequences of School’s academic policies and recommends new or changed policies to improve student services. Collaborates with students, faculty and staff to identify and implement innovative approaches to meeting the needs of a diverse and changing student body.
• Plans and implements complex, high-visibility student events, including new graduate student orientations; academic success strategies; and student life engagement/enrichment programs with a focus on equity, inclusion and belonging in collaboration with other advisors.

Admissions and Recruitment: 35%

• Advises prospective applicants on necessary academic preparation; appropriateness of program as it pertains to the prospective applicant’s goals; utilizing in-depth knowledge of the organization’s admissions criteria, helps rank applicants for admissions; evaluates domestic and international transcripts for degree eligibility; initiates and arranges student recruitment visits to Berkeley.
• Advises school on and helps implement approved outreach strategies, including identifying targeted institutions to meet organization’s goals. Supports evaluation of strategy effectiveness and proposes process improvements.
• Ensures online and in-print admissions information and program promotional materials are accurate, complete, and current. Develops and implements recommendations for recruitment strategy to enhance yield.
• Develops and conducts regularly scheduled program information sessions throughout the year; represents program at graduate recruiting events; initiates and arranges student recruitment visits to Berkeley and new-admit visit days.
• Advises prospective graduate students (both walk-in and scheduled appointments) on the nature of the department’s graduate program; the admission process; deadlines, department and University policies, requirements and procedures. Suggests alternatives to those whose stated goals might be better served in another department, on another campus, or through UC Extension or an exchange program. Advises applicants during the application review process. Reviews and prioritizes arriving correspondence and documents and determines action needed. Responds directly to inquiries.
• Administratively leads all phases of the annual graduate admission process which includes approximately 600 applications for all graduate degrees. Receives and organizes documents for future retrieval, for admission, reactivation, readmission and change of major/degree applications and petitions. Assists in preliminary screening of applicants. Interprets and applies campus, School and Graduate Division policies related to admission eligibility.
• Evaluates files of applicants with degrees from both U.S. and international institutions. Analyzes, interprets and applies policy set by Graduate Division to determine the equivalence and verify authenticity of academic credentials. Assesses validity of requests for exceptions to regular policies and procedures. Identifies and refers to the Graduate Admissions Office any documents that appear altered or fraudulent. Using a variety of grading scales, calculates and reviews grade point average to determine that applicants meet the minimum level of academic achievement for admission eligibility established by the Berkeley Graduate Division.
• Collaborates with departmental Graduate Student Affairs Officers (GSAOs), to act as a liaison for the faculty with the Graduate Division. Advises faculty regarding relative strengths and weaknesses of applicants; assists with interpretation of Graduate Division policies and procedures. On behalf of the HGA, on recommendation from the Admission Committee, makes recommendations for admission, readmission and deferral to the Graduate Admissions Office via the online graduate application management system. Analyzes, justifies and recommends exceptions for non-routine applicant admission. Composes petitions for admission exceptions to eligibility requirements. Informs all applicants of the departments’ recommended admission decision. Based on independent knowledge of departmental and Graduate Division requirements for admission, make recommendations and forward applications suitable for formal appeal and reevaluation to the HGA.

Advising Program Coordination and Supervision: 25%

• Provides day-to-day, first-level supervision of Student Services staff.
• Coordinates Student Services staff workloads and assignments; gives direction and support to help staff meet individual and departmental performance goals and expectations.
• Provides training and onboarding assistance to new staff; collaborates with Student Services Team to identify appropriate staff training and professional development opportunities for growth and development.
• Makes recommendations regarding possible staff personnel actions as needed to second-level supervisor or Dean’s Office management.

Other relevant duties as assigned: 5%

Required Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.
• Advanced knowledge of and/or can quickly learn academic programs, including curricula, admissions requirements, and financial aid programs, at colleges/universities and specifically at UC Berkeley.
• Advanced experience working in a sophisticated higher education environment with top-level faculty, staff, and students.
• Thorough knowledge of and/or can quickly learn University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.
• Ability to interpret complex policies and develop procedures to ensure compliance.
• Advanced knowledge of common campus-specific computer applications and other computer application programs, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Excel and Word and other data analysis software and databases.
• Ability in problem identification and reasoning; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, persuasion, leadership.
• Advanced knowledge of project management including program design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Skills in judgment, decision-making, and problem-solving, regarding Graduate Division rules and procedures.
• Absolute reliability to manage projects and meet deadlines.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills; multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations.
• Skills in monitoring/assessing people, processes or services, to make improvements.
• In-depth knowledge of the field’s post-degree employment opportunities and practices.
• Skills in project management, social perceptiveness to be aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Advanced interpersonal skills at all levels within the organization and ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; advanced service orientation and critical thinking skills; and attention to detail.
• In depth ability to use organizational skills to multi-task in a high-volume environment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Absolute ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.
• Absolute reliability to meet deadlines.
• Able to travel up to 5% time and work occasional evenings/weekends for special events.
• Bachelor’s degree in related area and/or equivalent/training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of complex U.S. visa and immigration procedures, compliance issues, and employment eligibility/authorization for international students and scholars.
• Master’s in Social Work or related area.

Salary & Benefits

This is a 1yr, full-time (40 hours/week), contract appointment, eligible for UC benefits with the possibility of extension. This is a monthly paid, exempt position.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California’s Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted salary that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $85,000.00 – $97,350.00. The full pay scale range for this position classification is $70,100.00 – $124,700.00 (grade 21).

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is eligible for up to 40% remote work.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, please see the University of California Discrimination, Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace policy.

This job is part of the Employee Referral Program. If a UC Berkeley employee is referring you, please ensure you select the Referral Source of “UCB Employee“. Then enter the employee’s Name and Berkeley email address in the Specific Referral Source field. Please enter only one name and email.