Assistant Director Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative

The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI) promotes STEM pathways and STEM PhD growth for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The Initiative is a $150 million effort established through a gift from the Bloomberg Philanthropies. Led by the Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Diversity and Partnerships (AVP), the VTSI is located within the Office of the Provost, which is part of Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

The Initiative seeks an exceptional Assistant Director, Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative for this groundbreaking project. In collaboration with the AVP and the Office of the Provost, the Assistant Director will plan, manage and administer program activities for the VTSI STEM PhD scholars, including academic, mentoring, professional and career development, and cohort building activities; provide VTSI scholars foundational advising and coaching; plan, manage and deliver activities to build cohesion and community among VTSI scholars; and closely monitor and support their academic, professional, and life design success. The Assistant Director also will help manage and support summer undergraduate and post-baccalaureate program experiences to attract and excite HBCU/MSI students in the STEM training pathway to STEM graduate education. The Assistant Director will support student outreach and connection for the VTSI, assist with management of the VTSI admissions process, and support other initiatives directed at achieving the VTSI mission to nurture, mentor, and connect the exceptional talent that exists at HBCUs and MSIs for transformative impact across the nation and the globe.

The position is a full-time role.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• With the AVP and other JHU stakeholders, develop, coordinate, deliver and oversee an academic, leadership, life skills, and social programming curriculum for a pre-matriculation program to support the growth and development of incoming scholars. Assess and evaluate effectiveness of pre-matriculation program offerings.
• Manage the overall day-to-day operations of VTSI program activities and associated graduate diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Collaborate with VTSI staff, internal and external stakeholders to successfully plan, implement and direct activities related to VTSI student success.
• Serve as a liaison for the VTSI to JHU graduate programs/departments and other internal and external VTSI partners, particularly those related to VTSI admissions, programming, student life and experience, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Represent the VTSI on internal and external committees and working groups as needed.
• Maintain continuous interactions and communications between the VTSI and JHU programs to ensure that VTSI operations are coordinated and responsive to individual program needs and the needs of the VTSI scholars within these programs.
• Collaborate with VTSI staff to maintain and update a VTSI student tracking database.
• Engage with JHU graduate program leads to collect and distribute information on VTSI programs and initiatives.
• With VTSI staff, implement strategies to support innovative, effective, and efficient processes to support VTSI STEM PhD and pathway programs.
• Work collaboratively with VTSI staff to plan meetings, symposia, agendas, workshops and programs that will support the goals of the VTSI.
• Facilitate and, at times, lead discussions among graduate programs and among VTSI scholars to secure advice and ensure collaborative dialogue and synergy across programs and to enhance achievement of the VTSI mission and goals.
• With other VTSI staff, monitor operating budgets for VTSI program activities.

Student Academic Advising, Counseling, Professional and Career Development, and Community

• In collaboration with JHU STEM graduate programs and other VTSI staff, provide complementary one-on-one and group academic/career advising, individual counseling/coaching, and mentorship to VTSI students.
• Monitor on an ongoing basis the individual academic progress of VTSI scholars and coordinate with JHU stakeholders to promote positive academic progression.
• Develop strategic relationships with programs to ensure continuous needs assessment for VTSI scholars and to ensure academic, professional, and community-based needs are met.
• Develop and implement comprehensive initiatives to foster student success from pre-matriculation through graduation. Provide referrals to and collaborate with appropriate offices and/or JHU faculty/staff to address VTSI student questions and concerns when needed.
• Facilitate student exploration of their skills, interests, values and experiences to support their career trajectories.
• Work with the AVP, VTSI staff, and other JHU stakeholders to develop a longitudinal leadership and professional development curriculum, career advising, and experiential life design activities for VTSI scholars.
• Convene scholars for longitudinal professional and career development cohort activities and manage leadership and professional development curriculum and experiential life design opportunities for VTSI scholars and monitor progress.
• With the AVP and VTSI staff, build and maintain a network of internal and external professional stakeholders for mentorship and sponsorship of VTSI scholars.
• With the AVP and VTSI staff, design, plan, and implement activities to maintain cohesion and community among VTSI scholars.
• Develop and direct other initiatives designed to advance the academic, career and professional development, and life course success of VTSI scholars.
• Supervise VTSI student fellows; set priorities and goals; provide formal and informal feedback; coach, train, and mentor to achieve short- and long-term goals.

VTSI STEM Pathway Programs

• Serve as a liaison to JHU summer undergraduate research and post baccalaureate pathway program leads on VTSI summer scholars program.
• Manage and support the selection and placement process for VTSI supported students in JHU summer undergraduate research and post baccalaureate program experiences.
• In collaboration with JHU summer undergraduate research and post baccalaureate program leads and VTSI staff, develop, manage and administer dedicated cross-program JHU activities for VTSI supported students and other affiliated scholars to build community and cohesion during their journey at JHU and to advance their academic, professional development and experiential life course needs.
• Work with JHU STEM graduate program leads and other JHU stakeholders to facilitate early touchpoints and opportunities for one-on-one and group connection for students in the STEM pre-PhD pathway to JHU graduate programs and personnel during both the summer and academic year.

Student Outreach & Connection

• Work with the AVP and VTSI staff to develop and implement a student outreach and recruitment plan and participate in both externally sponsored and JHU-specific recruitment events.
• Collaborate with VTSI staff to implement VTSI goals for student outreach and connection. This includes but is not limited to connection and outreach (visiting, calling, emailing, following up) with target organizations and individuals to present and disseminate information about the VTSI, attending events and conferences for recruitment, and following up with leads both at individual and organizational levels.
• Promote the VTSI through formal and informal interactions and communications with prospective students, peer institutions, associations, and collaborating organizations.
• Plan, attend, and present at recruitment and outreach events for prospective students, influencers, and partners.
• With VTSI staff and other JHU stakeholders, develop and prepare recruitment materials and communications for VTSI programs.
• Work with VTSI staff and other JHU stakeholders to promote the VTSI and JHU programs through print, online, and other media platforms.
• Send communications to targeted organizations to promote and disseminate information about the VTSI.
• Plan and manage individualized communications, presentations, chats, social media interaction, and individual and group campus visits, and on-campus and virtual outreach events for prospective students to promote and disseminate information about the VTSI, including to provide information on program eligibility, requirements, application process, and respond to other questions.
• Support application growth goals by actively recruiting prospects and applicants through various outreach efforts: travel, phone, email, on campus, mail, text, online and other developing technologies.
• With VTSI staff, develop and manage strategic relationships with targeted organizations and individuals to advance student outreach and connection.
• With VTSI staff, provide data and reports in support of evaluating recruitment strategies.
• Manage and support JHU graduate program faculty connections to HBCU/MSI partners to advance opportunities for prospective student engagement and connection to JHU.

Admissions

• Support the admissions function for VTSI. This includes support for the applicant experience and communication, student selection processes and interviews, acquisition of post- selection information and surveys, and transfer of information into the student record to support accepted student matriculation.
• Serve as a liaison between VTSI, JHU STEM PhD programs, and JHU concerning admissions, Slate, and other University efforts relevant to admissions operations.
• Support review and evaluation of applications for admission and help manage review records.
• Work collaboratively with other VTSI staff on development, maintenance and launch of the VTSI application process and coordination of adjudication, placement and communications across JHU STEM PhD programs.
• Assist prospective students with the application process.
• Assist with the development and implementation of Accepted Applicants events.
• Work collaboratively with program/school admissions teams, faculty, staff and other program stakeholders on outreach and recruitment issues and opportunities.
• With VTSI staff, compile and report on admissions metrics for VTSI scholars, including the overall success of VTSI recruitment efforts.

Alumni Relations

• Lead activities to engage and involve alumni of VTSI supported initiatives in meaningful ways. This includes responsibility for planning and implementing alumni events, cultivating relationships with VTSI alumni, and engaging them in various alumni activities.
• With the AVP and VTSI staff, create and manage an alumni relations plan for the VTSI including events, newsletters, special events, and in-person or virtual programs.
• Develop an annual plan outlining the goals and objectives of the alumni relations program aimed at maximizing alumni interest in and involvement with the VTSI.
• With VTSI staff, create and maintain a database with accurate alumni records.
• Represent the VTSI at alumni events and activities to enhance the prominence and positive profile of the VTSI in the alumni community.
• Serve as a key point of contact for alumni of the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative.

Evaluation & Reporting

• Work with VTSI staff to develop and complete surveys and analysis for regular assessments of VTSI programs.
• With VTSI staff, develop and produce content for materials, reports, and publications to support VTSI initiatives.
• Assist the AVP and VTSI staff with the development of interim and annual reports.
• Work collaboratively with VTSI staff to manage program database and student records; create reports on nomination, selection, admission, matriculation, academic progress, retention, graduation, participant attendance records, and to fulfill approved external data requests.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience working positively and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders; ability to work collaboratively and build strong working relationships across programs, faculty, administrative staff, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities in a complex, fast-paced environment, with the ability to respond quickly to changing needs and to balance competing responsibilities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate data, identify patterns, and formulate predictions used to make recommendations.
• Self-motivated and demonstrated success in implementing new initiatives.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience developing workshops and courses for adult learners.
• Experience providing professional and career development activities, preferably to graduate trainees.
• Knowledge of higher education student recruitment events, especially at the graduate level.

*This position will require some work outside of normal business hours and/or weekends and some travel.

• Master's or Ph.D. in education or specific field related to program.
• Five year's experience in all aspects of academic program administration. Supervisory experience preferred.
• Additional experience may substitute for education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Experience with academic and/or career advising, STEM education, student success or diversity initiatives in a higher education setting preferred.
• Experience working with STEM graduate students and/or with STEM pathway programs preferred.
• Experience with and commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives preferred.
• Experience with outreach, recruitment, coaching and/or mentoring of STEM graduate students in a higher education environment preferred.
• Experience with coaching and mentorship of STEM graduate students on academic, professional and career development, and life design preferred.
• Experience developing and managing programs in an institutional setting preferred.
• Experience with event management preferred.
• Experience with data analysis preferred.
• Experience with admissions software systems preferred.
• Knowledge of best practices for using websites and social media to engage students preferred.
• Strong client service skills preferred.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team preferred.
• Analytical problem-solving ability preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) preferred.

Classified Title: Academic Program Manager 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Assistant Director Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative   
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/ME  
Starting Salary Range: $64,600 - $89,000 Annually (Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus 
Department name: ​​​​​​​Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative  
Personnel area: University Administration