Associate Director of Student Operations

Working Title: CLA Associate Director of Student Operations Job Description
Job Title: Student Services (SS) Manager 1 - Student Services (SS) Multidiscipline
Job Code: 9361MD
Salary Range: $70,000 - $85,000

This is an in-person, on-campus position supporting students and staff, located in Johnston Hall. Remote work may be available during academic breaks, as determined by the supervisor based on operational needs.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

The priority application deadline is 11/30/2026. Please submit a cover letter and resume for consideration.

About the Job:

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) at the University of Minnesota is a premier liberal arts college within a leading land-grant research university. With more than 60 majors across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, CLA serves approximately 12,000 undergraduate and 1,600 graduate students across 31 academic units. CLA Student Success (CLASS) encompasses the offices, programs, and initiatives that support the undergraduate experience, including academic advising, career services, engagement and belonging, scholarships, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a focus on student recruitment, retention, and degree completion.

CLA Student Services is a customer-focused office that supports students throughout their academic journey, from orientation and transition to graduation. We provide advising, student records, registration, communication, and other services that support student academic success, professional readiness, and personal well-being.
The office serves CLA students, prospective students, faculty, staff, families, and other members of the University and broader community. We provide support through a variety of channels, including in-person, email, phone, web, text, and virtual services.

As the data custodian for CLA undergraduate student records, CLA Student Services oversees student records and registration processes, coordinates student service and communication initiatives, and provides information, problem-solving, referrals, and support related to students' academic progress and degree completion.
Our work is aligned with the CLA Student Success mission and CLA strategic plan. We are committed to creating a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment and to providing consistent, high-quality service to all students. We value collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-informed practices that enhance student retention, success, and well-being.

Primary Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership (55%)

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for CLA Student Services processes, systems, and initiatives that support consistent, effective student services across CLA advising offices.
• Develop, recommend, and implement innovative, data-informed process improvements that enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and student experience across CLA advising and student services.
• Serve as the primary data custodian for CLA undergraduate student records, ensuring compliance with complex student and university data processes, policies, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Analyze university college, and office, level data to identify trends, operational issues, and opportunities for improvement; develop recommendations and present findings to unit leadership.
• Participate in long-term strategic planning and establish operational goals, performance standards, and processes that advance CLA Student Success priorities.
• Provide leadership and oversight for complex student record and registration processes, including resolving issues and ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures.
• Oversee internal and external transfer student processes and collaborate with campus partners to ensure effective transitions and timely access to academic resources.
• Provide oversight of student information systems and coding processes, including advisor assignments, major/minor advisors, student groups, holds, and other student population data; ensure information is accurate, current, and appropriately maintained.
• Collaborate with the Office of Admissions and other campus partners to support recruitment, matriculation, and transition processes for new students, including students participating in the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Program and President's Emerging Scholars Program.
• Provide strategic leadership for CLA new student orientation in collaboration with Associate Directors and CLASS staff, including monitoring enrollment and date confirmations, recommending system and process improvements, and ensuring orientation capacity aligns with student needs.
• Lead the development and implementation of orientation communication strategies and timelines, coordinating web, email, phone, text, and mail communications to ensure incoming students receive timely, accurate, and consistent information.
• Serve as a strategic partner to CLASS leadership and stakeholders, identifying operational needs, resolving complex issues, and developing solutions that support student success, access, and degree completion.

Student Services Operations (45%):

• Translate University and CLA policies, priorities, and strategic goals into effective operational practices, procedures, and service standards for CLA Student Services, exercising sound judgment when addressing exceptions and complex situations.
• Prepare and interpret operational reports and other data to assess service effectiveness, identify emerging issues, and inform recommendations to Student Success leadership.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with CLA departments and University partners, including Admissions, Academic Support Resources, Undergraduate Education, and other student service and operations offices. Represent CLA Student Success on university-wide committees, workgroups, task forces, and initiatives as appropriate.
• Exercise independent judgment and decision-making in addressing complex operational and student service issues; interpret and apply University, CLA, and Student Success policies and practices while balancing student needs, institutional requirements, and operational considerations.
• Establish, document, and maintain operational procedures, standards, and best practices to support consistency, continuity, and effective knowledge management within CLA Student Services.
• Provide leadership for a positive, inclusive, and student-centered workplace culture by establishing clear expectations, supporting professional growth, fostering collaboration, and modeling respect, accountability, and transparency.
• Supervise and develop 7-9 full-time employees, including hiring, onboarding, training, workload management, performance management, professional development, recognition, and corrective action, as appropriate.
• Partner with CLA Student Success administration and relevant stakeholders to lead inclusive recruitment, hiring, and onboarding practices for CLA Student Services staff.
• Ensure staff have the knowledge, resources, training, and support necessary to provide accurate, responsive, and equitable service to students and internal and external partners.
• Oversee the Student Services office budget, space, equipment, staffing, and other operational resources to ensure the office is appropriately positioned to meet the needs of incoming and continuing CLA undergraduate students.
• Establish and monitor operational practices for high-volume student service functions, including phone, email, mail, and other communication channels, ensuring timely, accessible, and consistent service.
• Foster effective coordination among CLASS advising offices and CLA partners on college-wide student service processes, including registration, orientation, academic warning, advisor assignments, commencement, and other student support initiatives.
• Identify and address operational risks, service gaps, and emerging needs; develop and implement solutions that strengthen service delivery, improve efficiency, and support positive student outcomes.

Required:

• BA/BS degree plus at least six years of relevant experience, or master's degree plus at least four years of experience in student services, higher education administration, academic advising, enrollment management, or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data and information, identify trends and operational issues, and develop recommendations and solutions to support organizational goals.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and campus partners.
• Demonstrated experience providing operational leadership for complex programs, services, or processes in higher education.
• Strong commitment to student and staff diversity, equity, and justice, and the promotion of an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, developing, and evaluating professional staff, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development.

Preferred:

• Master's Degree, ABD, or Doctorate in liberal arts, higher education, or other field directly related to the position.
• At least four years of demonstrated leadership and operational management experience within a complex, decentralized, or large-scale higher education environment, preferably working directly with undergraduate students.
• Deep knowledge of undergraduate administrative processes, including orientation, registration, degree audit systems, transfer student matriculation, academic warnings, scholastic petitions, and commencement.
• Experience overseeing unit budgets, managing physical space, and optimizing technological resources and equipment to meet operational demands.
• Proven ability to manage multiple commitments and initiatives simultaneously while supporting diverse constituencies and balancing competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation, process improvement, and organizational change that improve student outcomes.

About the College of Liberal Arts:

Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines and programs, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the University of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, and over 20 interdisciplinary research centers and administrative/support units. CLA has over 1,300 faculty and staff spanning research, teaching, advising, outreach, and administrative functions. CLA units reside in over twenty buildings on the East Bank and West Bank of the Twin Cities campus. CLA enrolls nearly 13,000 undergraduate students, over 40% of the undergraduate enrollment on the Twin Cities campus, 1,400 graduate students, and has an annual all-funds budget of $290 million.

CLA is a destination for curious, compassionate individuals who are committed to making our increasingly interdependent and diverse global community work for everyone. That foundational commitment begins in our CLA Constitution. CLA is committed to increasing enrollment of underrepresented and under-resourced students, diversifying our faculty across all disciplines, recruiting, and retaining a diverse staff, and promoting the expression and exploration of diverse perspectives and viewpoints-so that we all gain the background knowledge and analytical skills we need to understand and respect differences.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in CLA

Working in CLA

The Benefits of Working at the U

Pay Range: $70,000 - $85,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the
time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures
that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while
maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and
equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates
will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

The priority application deadline is 11/30/2026. Please submit a cover letter and resume for consideration.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail jobcentr@umn.edu.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.