Position Title:
Director of Educational Assessment
Position Type:
Regular
Hiring Range:
$112,100 - $131,800 per year; commensurate with experience
Pay Frequency:
Annual
POSITION PURPOSE
Santa Clara University (SCU) seeks an experienced assessment professional to join our institution as the Director of Educational Assessment. The Director provides leadership for the assessment of undergraduate and graduate student learning, and co-curricular learning at SCU as reflected by program and institutional-level goals and priorities. With a strong commitment to, passion for, and knowledge of higher education research and evidence-based practices, the Director helps shape institutional priorities and activities, and generates interest and commitment to approaches that foster equitable, effective learning environments for all students. The Director of Educational Assessment takes a leading role in building relationships and engaging with campus stakeholder groups and partners in order to advance inquiry about student learning and data-informed decision-making and identification of program improvements. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Planning and Educational Effectiveness, the Director works closely with and supervises a team of two full-time staff members.
ABOUT EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT
Santa Clara University is committed to an education of the whole person in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students to contribute to a more humane, just, and sustainable world. Educational Assessment plays a leadership role in identifying institutional evidence of the ways in which students develop a set of lifelong habits of mind and heart through a personalized, integrative, and rigorous Jesuit education.
Located within the Provost's Office, Educational Assessment provides leadership and management in the coordination of university-wide efforts to support and improve student learning. As a unit that includes assessment of academic learning and co-curricular learning, it models a holistic and integrative approach to teaching, learning, and the ways of demonstrating student learning. Assessment at SCU is driven by a commitment to fostering collaborative, meaningful, and sustainable processes of inquiry to ensure that all of our programs' educational aspirations for student achievement and performance are realized.
Educational Assessment contributes directly to critical institutional assessment-related priorities, including the program review process, WSCUC accreditation and other specialized accreditors, and university and divisional strategic planning. Educational Assessment provides support for the assessment efforts of faculty, staff, and other assessment coordinators in all undergraduate and graduate academic programs, the University Core Curriculum, Student Life, Undergraduate Studies, and other centers or units on campus that offer academic or co-curricular learning experiences. As teaching and learning is central to the mission, vision, and strategic priorities of Santa Clara University, Educational Assessment works particularly closely with Faculty Development and Academic Technology in SCU's teaching center (currently called the Faculty Collaborative for Teaching Innovation) to use institution-wide assessment results to guide reflection, planning, and decisions about pedagogy and curricula.
Educational Assessment is committed to innovative and evidence-based practices in the assessment of student learning. It has created programs to bring students directly into the work of assessment and to attend to issues of equity by promoting culturally responsive assessment to recognize and support the needs of SCU's increasingly diverse populations. Working with others in the Provost's Office, Educational Assessment collaborates on resources and tools for institutional transformation; development and delivery of evidence-based interventions; assists campus partners in their work; and advocates for institutional policies in support of student learning and success.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Management, Supervision and Leadership (25 percent)
Provide vision and leadership in planning, directing and managing Educational Assessment programs and initiatives, including the assessment of Institutional Learning Outcomes at the undergraduate and graduate level, academic program assessment, the Core Curriculum, and institution-wide co-curricular learning outcomes assessment.
Provide leadership on the assessment and institutional effectiveness activities that demonstrate institutional effectiveness for WSCUC accreditation and other college-and/or program-level specialized accreditations
Engage with university leadership to support critical university strategic priorities, including strategic planning; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives; and other priorities
Directly supervise a team of two (Associate Director of Educational Assessment and Associate Director of Co-curricular Assessment); provide work direction to Administrative Associate; may supervise additional staff/students as needed
Chair the University Assessment Committee and direct its activities and projects
Oversee budget for Educational Assessment
Engage in Educational Assessment Activities (45 percent)
Develop and implement strategies for the successful assessment of Institutional Learning Outcomes at the undergraduate and graduate level, academic program assessment (often in collaboration with other department-level assessment coordinators), the Core Curriculum, and institution-wide co-curricular learning outcomes assessment
Oversee assessment and institutional effectiveness activities that demonstrate institutional effectiveness for WSCUC accreditation and other college-and/or program-level specialized accreditations
Work with Vice Provost for Planning and Educational Effectiveness and academic and co-curricular programs to ensure integration of assessment into academic and co-curricular program review.
Design and implement quantitative and/or qualitative assessment research projects, including the coordination of data collection, data entry, analysis and dissemination of findings with a focus on improving services and programs
Identify and implement new data sources and tools to support assessment goals (e.g., alumni surveys, focus groups)
Develop assessment research projects with campus partners that lead to program improvement, including consultation, development of tools/resources, and workshops
Provide timely feedback on annual assessment reports and campus-wide practices of equitable assessment, including disaggregation of data, using methods of assessment most appropriate to differing groups of students, and adopting methods to reflect the student voice.
Oversight for and engagement with the Bronco Assessment Student Ambassador program (BASA) that involves undergraduate students as partners in academic and co-curricular assessment
Oversight for and engagement with creation and updating of resources for the Educational Assessment website, workshops, and training materials
Identify new projects and disseminate innovative assessment methods
Contribute to other projects and initiatives in Educational Assessment or the Provost Office as needed
Build and maintain robust and collaborative partnerships with other units (20 percent)
Actively participate with leadership in the emerging teaching center(currently, the Faculty Collaborative for Teaching Innovation) to integrate teaching, learning, and assessment at the course and program level.
Develop collaborative relationships with assessment coordinators across the university's Schools, Centers, the University Library, etc., and identify strategies for strengthening inquiry and evidence-based analysis and decision-making
Work collaboratively with Institutional Research, Divisions, and Centers on campus
Represent Educational Assessment and the role of assessment in university committees, task forces, etc. for emerging and ongoing institutional priorities
Outreach and Professional Engagement (10 percent)
Outreach to external constituencies (e.g., professional organizations) about assessment findings and the work of Educational Assessment through conference presentations, publications, etc. and development of strong networks within the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities or other groups, such as AAC&U
Participate in professional networks associated with assessment
Convene campus participation to create opportunities for professional development in higher education
PROVIDES OR RECEIVES WORK DIRECTION
Directly supervises two full-time academic staff
May oversee the work of undergraduate student assistants in Educational Assessment.
Mentoring and guiding student participants in the BASA program.
May receive work orientation, guidance, or training from HR or other units
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
A Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) is required, ideally in a related discipline (education, assessment, social sciences)
Six or more years of increasingly responsible, professional, relevant full-time work experience with student learning assessment at the institutional level required
Three or more years of experience managing full-time staff
Three or more years of full-time university or college-level teaching
Preferred
Multi-year experience in both academic and co-curricular outcomes assessment, at the department and university level (e.g., Core curriculum or Institutional learning outcomes)
Previous experience at the university/college director level
Previous experience working in a faculty development or a teaching center
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The items below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred. This position requires the ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of research literature on the assessment and evaluation of teaching and learning in higher education, and the ability to translate that knowledge into practice
Knowledge of research literature on student success across disciplines and learning environments in higher education, with attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
Training in and experience with the assessment of student learning in higher education, including co-curricular and academic outcomes
Knowledge of accreditation expectations and experience providing support for accreditation reports
Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines, and support an environment for others to do the same
Demonstrated experience in and strong passion for empirical research and answering questions with data
Demonstrated knowledge in the areas of program evaluation and assessment, quantitative and qualitative research methods, assessment, research design and development, database management, and statistical analysis
Demonstrated proficiency with statistical tools such as Microsoft Excel, SPSS, SAS, STATA, R or similar tools
Facility with developing systems and processes to systematize assessment practice in an efficient and coordinated way
Demonstrated team leadership and collaboration skills; effective skills managing meetings and motivating team to achieve goals
Excellent verbal, presentation and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information clearly for a range of audiences
Experience with creating materials for website, presentations, etc. about assessment processes
Demonstrated commitment to staying current and professional engagement with developments in assessment practices, educational research, and emerging technologies in the field
Demonstrated ability to facilitate a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of diverse cultures and backgrounds
Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop credible, collaborative relationships with all levels of faculty, administrators, staff, and deal effectively with internal and external constituencies
Ability to handle difficult and confidential matters with good judgment, tact, and diplomacy
WORK SCHEDULE AND ENVIRONMENT
This is a full-time, Monday-Friday, in-person position. Evening or weekend work may be required to support university and unit deadlines, programs, and events.
The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
Typical office environment
Mostly an indoor office environment
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person who meets skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal
Travel to other buildings on the campus
Attend conferences and training sessions in- or out-of-state locations
COVID-19 Statement
The health and safety of the university community is a top priority. All Santa Clara University students, and employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or request a medical or religious exemption. Please visit our COVID-19 webpage for additional information.
EEO Statement
Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination
Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and California State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender, and prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. The Title IX Coordinator and Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is Aaron Zisser, Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 408-551-3043, azisser@scu.edu , www.scu.edu/title-ix . Inquiries can also be made to the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Clery Notice of Availability
Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services website . To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Santa Clara University affirms its' commitment to employ qualified individuals with disabilities within the workplace and to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. All applicants desiring an accommodation should contact the Department of Human Resources , and 408-554-5750 and request to speak to Indu Ahluwalia by phone at 408-554-5750 or by email at iahluwalia@scu.edu .
To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/scu/scu/job/Santa-Clara-CA/Director-of-Educational-Assessment_R3838
jeid-8b902c2ab457624e8ddbcdd54ca377a5