Project Director/Marshall for All

The Project Director provides strategic leadership and accountability for the development, management, and implementation of the Marshall for All (M4A) debt-free bachelor’s degree program at Marshall University. The role integrates program direction with data-driven evaluation to ensure M4A evolves sustainably and equitably in alignment with institutional goals. The Project Director leads long-term planning, continuous improvement, and evidence-based decision-making, and oversees the reporting, research, and performance systems needed to optimize program operations and student outcomes. This role operationalizes the program through supervision of program staff and coordinated implementation with partner offices, including convening committees to improve processes and connect students to the resources, mentoring, training, internships, and opportunities that support a successful debt-free degree experience.Program Strategy, Development & ScalingGuide the long-term vision, sustainability, and strategic direction of Marshall for All (M4A), including ongoing program design, implementation, and scaling over time.Identify emerging challenges and opportunities using data, research, and stakeholder feedback; set strategies that advance the program mission and improve student outcomes, and ensure implementation through program staff and campus partners.Collaborate with peer institutions by sharing Marshall for All program strategy and evaluation findings to support replication and adaptation of debt-free initiatives.Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder EngagementServe as the primary convener of university leadership, campus offices, students, and external partners to support coordinated implementation of Marshall for All.Partner with Financial Aid, Student Success, Institutional Research, and other units—including close coordination with the financial aid operations/packaging and student experience functions—to align program strategy, operational workflows, compliance requirements, and student supports.Facilitate cross-department communication, issue resolution, and escalation pathways to support program integrity and student success.Data-Driven Evaluation, Reporting & Continuous ImprovementLead the design and oversight of program evaluation and long-term tracking, including interpretation of results to assess effectiveness and inform strategic and operational improvements.Establish and oversee program goals, reporting, analysis, documentation, and dashboards/systems that monitor program performance, service delivery, and student outcomes.Oversee any grant-funded evaluation work, ensuring compliance and alignment with grant goals and reporting requirements.Program Operations, Resource Stewardship & RepresentationDirect priorities across program workstreams by establishing operating rhythms and issue-triage/escalation pathways; hire, supervise, and support program staff to ensure role clarity and operational coverage across the end-to-end program.Develop multi-year sustainability and resource plans grounded in data, institutional priorities, and funding realities; recommend adjustments to program structure, staffing, and processes to support long-term viability.Develop and oversee execution of a communications plan in partnership with the Office of Marketing and Communications, leveraging program staff and partner offices to deliver timely, consistent messaging.Represent Marshall for All in institutional meetings, committees, and strategic planning efforts; communicate program performance, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership to champion data-informed decision-making.