Manager, Student Experience

**Job Description**: **About MRU**: Founded in 1910 and located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Mount Royal University grew into a vibrant college in the 1930s and became a mid-sized university in 2009. Mount Royal has carved out a distinct niche by offering smaller class sizes, a robust liberal education and unique undergraduate programs. Currently, more than 15,000 credit students choose from 13 bachelor degrees and 38 majors. Mount Royal University is located in the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of the Treaty 7 region in southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut'ina and the Iyarhe Nakoda. We are situated on land where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. The traditional Blackfoot name of this place is "Mohkinstsis," which we now call the city of Calgary. The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation. **About the Office of Student Experience**: Mount Royal University’s Office of Student Experience works closely with staff and faculty to better understand our students and learn what we can do to ensure their success. Our goal is to help students learn about and navigate campus resources. As such, we are home to Orientation & Transition, the Early Support Program, and Student Leadership. **About the Role**: The Manager of Student Experience oversees the development, administration and management of student experience initiatives and programs: first-year transition programming including peer mentorship, Early Support, and student leadership curriculum coordination. The incumbent must have strong leadership and project management skills, be familiar with the intricacies of the student life cycle and have extensive knowledge of the post-secondary environment. The Manager reports to the Director, Student Success & Learning Services and must have extensive knowledge of student affairs and student services. The demands of this role require the incumbent to have the capacity to work in a complex environment with shifting priorities and the skill to manage and effectively liaise with multiple stakeholders across campus. This position is highly student-focused and the success and satisfaction of students and the student experience is paramount. **Responsibilities**: **Strategic Leadership and Management of Student Experience** - Implement the strategic direction for this portfolio, in consultation with the leadership team - Collaborate with teams to ensure the programs and services are being offered in an intentional strategic manner - Closely monitor student success and progression and adjust programming to address gaps and changes in students’ needs - Maintain connections with professional networks and associations to monitor trends and best practices **Human and Fiscal Resource Management** - Responsible for all staff in Early Support, Transition programming including peer mentorship and the Student Leadership Coordinator - Staff recruitment, training and development, staff performance and evaluation and oversee overall organizational structure - Skillfully manage people and provide staff with a productive working environment - Demonstrate fiscal acuity in the management of the budget of the unit **Assessment** - Assess and ensure that all programming has articulated learning outcomes that are being assessed and reported on - Monitor the assessment and adjust programming as necessary to meet programs’ objectives and outcomes **Marketing and Communication** - Communicate to stakeholders the results of assessments which is critical for buy-in and institutional support - Ensure students receive timely and accurate messaging - Keep administration, faculty and staff aware of the impact of first year transition programming and work closely with faculty to understand and champion Early Support **Leadership and Participation in Retention Initiatives** - Participate on several institution-wide standing and ad-hoc committees to oversee the development and implementation of retention initiatives - Develop interventions and support for at-risk students, early engagement initiatives to support student transition across the campus advising community **Qualifications**: - Bachelor's Degree in a relevant discipline such as Education, Business Administration, or Communication - 6 - 10 years of experience within a post-secondary environment - Minimum of 1 - 2 years of supervisory or management experience, ideally in a student related service area - Background in student development theory, learning theory, retention best practices and student leadership development is required - Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills - Strategic thinker with planning experience - Technology proficiency (using office software, student information systems, and data analysis, Banner) - Attention to detail - Results driven - Creative and adaptable problem solver - Strong research, assessment, and evaluation skills **MRU Leadership Competenc