About the University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU), a private university, is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region, with approximately 12,900 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. DU is classified as an R1: Doctoral University – very high research activity as a Doctoral/Research University. Financial Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and The Princeton Review have consistently ranked DU among the nation’s top 100 universities and among the top three universities in the state of Colorado.
The University of Denver embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that define our region and our history. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students and empower Pioneers to make a difference around the world.
About DU Advancement
The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence of our great institution. Advancement efforts at DU have a tremendous impact through our relationships with DU’s remarkable students, dedicated donors, inspiring alumni, engaged families, and wonderful friends. DU is committed to building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our institution as we implement the DU IMPACT 2025 vision. The University of Denver and DU Advancement deeply value inclusive excellence, recognizing that its success is dependent on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. You can learn more about inclusive excellence at the University of Denver by visiting The Cultural Center’s digital home. As a part of that effort, we are continuing to grow a team of collaborative, curious, results-oriented, and mission-driven advancement professionals who value inclusivity and who possess a deep respect for one another and for our shared profession.
Career and Professional Development (CPD) is a part of the Global Networks team within DU’s Advancement office. CPD is one of four offices on campus providing career development services to a diverse community of DU students and alumni. CPD serves all of the undergraduate programs, University College, multiple graduate programs, and alumni not served by the other career services offices on campus. We provide a full range of services including one-on-one career advising, workshops, programming/events, career fairs, on-campus recruiting, access to thousands of jobs, internships and alumni and employer connections. Career & Professional Development is a very fast-paced, busy office that connects with students, faculty, staff, a wide variety of departments and divisions across campus, employers, parents and the community. CPD is implementing a strategic plan for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion that includes six bold goals to achieve by 2025 based on feedback from stakeholders including students, alumni and employers.
Position Summary
The University of Denver is seeking a driven and passionate partner to join our Career & Professional Development team as the Assistant Director of Professional Mentoring. As part of an institutional imperative to provide an innovative 4-Dimensional Experience for students on campus, the University of Denver is investing in growth and creation of student mentoring opportunities to offer ways students can develop and excel in all of the 4 Dimensions. The Assistant Director will work collaboratively with the Director of Campus Engagement, Alumni Engagement teams, 4D Experience team, Student Employment team and other campus 4D partners to develop and manage an innovative, inclusive, holistic professional mentoring initiative that can scale quickly in support of the goal for each student to be connected with a constellation of mentors. The Assistant Director will grow student connections with alumni that are enabled by an online mentoring platform, serve as a campus-wide subject matter expert and resource for units interested in launching professional mentoring programs within their departments, and create meaningful mentoring opportunities for student groups that would benefit from access to professional connections. Through these efforts, the Assistant Director will support the learning goals and provide opportunities that advance the 4D Experience and the constellation of mentors. The Assistant Director will oversee pathways under the 4D framework for all students to have a professional mentoring opportunity during their DU experience; either through Career & Professional Development mentoring options and offerings or another campus mentoring program. To achieve these goals, it will be critical that the Assistant Director show experience and commitment to career/student development and its intersection with diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Assistant Director will also need to work closely with technology vendors to build out, administer, and continuously improve an online mentoring platform that best serves DU students and mentors.
This position is dedicated to collaborating with both the CPD team and the Associate Director of Mentoring and Planning in the 4D Experience office in building best-in-class scalable student mentoring opportunities and programs at the University of Denver. The Assistant Director conducts benchmarking research as needed to develop and improve alumni and professional mentoring programs; convenes campus partners to develop standards, resources and best practices for alumni and professional mentoring under the umbrella of the 4D Mentorship Collaborative; provides input on program strategies; and designs and delivers trainings to students who will be engaging with alumni as well as to alumni mentors. The Assistant Director will lead professional mentoring programs, with responsibility for assessment, marketing of programs, creating and managing communications, collaborating with campus partners, training and selection of alumni and professional mentors, and training on professional networking skills and mentoring processes for students to ensure high quality learning experiences. Additionally, this staff member will ensure the program is designed to create an inclusive environment for alumni mentors and students through thoughtful selection and training as well as program development. To meet the learning needs of a diverse group of students, mentoring groups may be formed around career interests, subject area affinities and/or identities. The Assistant Director may also have the opportunity to supervise a student employee who supports the program.
Performance indicators for the position will include quantity of student and alumni participation in the professional mentoring platform and programs, and initial measures of quality such as satisfaction and/or learning outcomes.
Essential Functions
Program Development and Promotion
- Develops, plans, and implements various projects related to, but not limited to networking skills trainings, career-related individual and group mentoring and networking opportunities, and university-wide initiatives utilizing technology platforms to deliver at scale.
- Provides resources to support campus partners with professional mentor and student recruiting, selection, and matching processes.
- Works with professional mentoring participants to provide resources and resolve any issues.
- Coordinates student mentoring information and training sessions and assists in creating a marketing plan and materials to build awareness of professional mentoring options and resources.
- Create and disseminate communications to students and alumni mentors, including emails and quarterly newsletters, and identify content relevant to audiences from diverse backgrounds.
- Maintain and update website content regarding professional mentoring resources and develop written resources for student and alumni mentors, partner with marketing and communications staff as needed.
- Conducts research as needed through benchmarking with peer institutions, connecting with professional associations, and participation in career and professional development conferences to understand and provide suggestions and ideas for professional
- mentoring programs.
Training & Professional Development
- Provides subject matter expertise and training to units launching professional mentoring programs in their departments.
- Design and deliver trainings to students/alumni on successful tips for mentoring relationships and other similar topics to include professional development, leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as professional mentoring information sessions.
- Create an intake process that prepares students to be successful in their protege roles while setting learning and career goals to enhance students’ professional skill development.
- Continually evaluate programs by, among other metrics, tracking outcomes and impact. Utilize program evaluation results to modify and improve program.
Partnerships & University Citizenship
- Work collaboratively across campus with other types of mentors such as faculty, staff, and student peers to offer students a variety of mentoring options.
- Under the larger umbrella of the 4D Mentorship Collaborative, lead a career mentoring working group that helps guide the direction of the program, share best practices among partner programs, and ensure comprehensive organizational success and coordination for career-related mentoring opportunities on campus.
- Utilize technology systems to track and report on professional mentoring activity across; create standardized assessment tools for measuring program impact.
- Model “One DU” leadership.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Background and understanding of professional mentoring as it relates to training of mentors and students, assessment, and development of student mentoring programs.
- Knowledge of student development and/or student career development.
- Strong relationship management skills.
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity including the understanding and appreciation for cultural differences that impact the student experience.
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
- Exceptional collaboration skills and ability to effectively partner with key stakeholders.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to learn new technology systems and leverage technology in support of program goals.
- Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines, take initiative, work independently, and self-start.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education or work experience (Veterans with equivalent combination of military certification/education and experience may substitute for the degree qualification).
- 3 years of relevant professional experience in human resources, mentoring programs, career services, student affairs, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience using technology solutions to support and scale programs and/or services.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in student affairs, higher education, human resources, communications, or a related field.
- Relationship management experience.
- Experience working in a higher education setting.
- Demonstrated understanding of mentorship in higher education and career development.
- Experience creating and implementing high quality and engaging mentoring programs.
Working Environment
Open office environment.
Unexpected interruptions often occur, and stress level is moderate to high.
Noise level is quiet to moderate.
Physical Activities
Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Some nights and weekends, as required.
Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) June 12, 2023.
Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.
Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 10.
Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $55,000-$65,000.
The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.
Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver .
Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university’s complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non-discrimination-statement .
All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.
Advertised: May 23, 2023
Applications close: