Program Manager

The Division of Student Affairs at the University of New Mexico (UNM) is pleased to announce a newly created role within the College Enrichment and Outreach Programs focused on influencing positive student outcomes through comprehensive orientation and access initiatives. The Program Manager for Orientation & Access position will be pivotal in shaping the strategic direction of New Student Orientation programs and is an exciting opportunity for an innovative leader passionate about shaping student transition programming and advancing the institution's mission centered on equitable academic excellence and student success practices.

The Program Manager for Orientation & Access position is best suited for a student affairs professional whose passion for student success, strong understanding of best practices in orientation and student transition, and ability to implement empirically-based programs to drive student enrollment, retention, and degree attainment is prominent. This position will have primary oversight of the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of orientation programs that serve over 7,000 new students annually, including First-Year, Transfer, Branch Transition, Returning, and Online students.

Situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, UNM is the state's flagship institution and serves a diverse population of over 25,000 students, offering a unique blend of cultural richness, academic excellence, research, and transformative student engagement experiences.

The professional selected for this position will:

• Lead the development, execution, and evaluation of New Student Orientation programs, ensuring they are engaging, inclusive, and accessible to all incoming students.
• Incorporate current research and empirical best practices in Orientation, Transition, and Retention to continuously improve program delivery and effectiveness.
• Develop and implement programs that increase access to higher education for underrepresented, first-generation, and rural students, ensuring that all students feel supported as they transition to UNM.
• Oversee a ~$1 million annual budget, generated by Student Fees and Donor Designations, ensuring sustainable program funding and fiscal responsibility.
• Manage a team of professional and student staff members who are responsible for various aspects of New Student Orientation including hiring, performance evaluation, goal-setting, coaching, training, work allocation, and problem resolution.
• Lead collaborative efforts with academic colleges, student support units, and other key stakeholders to ensure orientation programs are aligned with institutional goals for student success and retention.
• Develop and manage effective and timely communication plans to ensure incoming students and their families are well-informed about orientation timelines, expectations, and processes.
• Contribute to cross-collaborative efforts with unit-level colleagues to ensure a seamless transition from orientation to ongoing student engagement programs, such as first-year experience (FYE) courses and peer mentoring.

Anticipated Onboarding - March 2025

See the Position Description for additional information.

High school diploma or GED; at least 6 years of experience 2 of which are management level experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in student affairs, orientation, or student transition programs.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and implement student programs that foster access, retention, and success for diverse populations.
• Strong track record in building and collaborating with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated knowledge of current trends and best practices in orientation, student access, and first-year retention through participation in relevant conferences, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
• Experience in leading large-scale orientation programs at a diverse institution.
• Active involvement in professional networks such as NODA (Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education), NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), or the First-Year Experience community.

Only applications submitted through
the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job
advertisement on a 3rd party site, please
visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.