Director, Novogratz Bridge Year Program - Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
About the Job
Overview
Princeton University’s Novogratz Bridge Year Program, a unit within the Office of International Programs (OIP), offers incoming undergraduate students the opportunity to begin their time at Princeton with nine months of community-engaged learning in a culture different from their own. In addition to supporting the work of community organizations at program sites overseas, Bridge Year provides participants with a deeper appreciation of the nature and purpose of civic participation, greater international perspective and intercultural skills, and unique opportunities for personal growth and reflection.
The Novogratz Bridge Year director leads the administration, management, evaluation, and continuous development of the University’s Bridge Year Program. This role includes identifying and selecting partner organizations, collaborating closely with them to ensure a healthy, safe, and engaging learning environment for participants, and conducting ongoing assessments of partner effectiveness. Additionally, the director is responsible for setting and achieving strategic priorities for program marketing and outreach, overseeing participant selection, and developing and managing an effective pre-departure process, which culminates in a five-day orientation on Princeton’s campus. The position also involves managing risk and responding to health, safety, and conduct incidents at Bridge Year program sites, fostering alumni engagement to build community and promote civic engagement, preparing an annual budget and overseeing program spending, supporting the Office of Advancement’s stewardship and fund-raising efforts, and representing the Bridge Year Program to internal and external audiences on behalf of the University.
The position communicates with numerous constituencies both within and outside of the University (students, parents, alumni, faculty, university administrators, program partners, donors, and the media) and works with a wide range of University offices (University Health Services, Admission, Campus Life, the Office of General Counsel, the Alumni Council, the Office of Advancement, etc.).
For full consideration, please submit resume and cover letter with your application by January 31st.
Responsibilities
Partner Relations and Program Development
The director is responsible for establishing and maintaining a collaborative and productive working relationship with Bridge Year partners, and works together with partners to review on-site operations and make program enhancements, in order to best meet program objectives. This work generally involves: vetting and selecting partners as needed; negotiating initial partnership agreements and renewals; maintaining close communication with partners related to on-going program operations; collaborating with partners on program development and assessment; planning a two-day staff training, just prior to pre-departure orientation for all on-site staff.
Risk Management
The director collaborates with program partners and University stakeholders (University Health Services, Global Safety and Security, the Department of Risk Management, the Office of General Counsel, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, the Title IX administrator, the Department of Public Safety, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, the Travel Oversight Group, and others) to establish and maintain program-specific policies and procedures that best ensure participant health and safety, including mental health. The director is also responsible the primary 24/7 on-call responder for health, safety and conduct incidents involving Bridge Year participants.
Recruitment, Selection, Pre-departure Orientation and Student Support
The Director works closely with the Assistant Director and the Office of Admission to effectively do outreach to prospective participants, and implement a careful selection process for all Bridge Year sites. The Director is responsible for developing and delivering a robust pre-departure curriculum that culminates in a five-day orientation on Princeton's campus. This includes working with the Program Coordinator to maintain the application portal and the pre-departure website in Global Programs Systems, creating and annually updating the pre-departure materials, and working with University Health Services to review the health information of all participants, as well as generating supporting information for participant visa applications.
Student and Family Engagement and Support
The director serves as a mentor to Bridge Year participants on-site at their Bridge Year location and works to create and sustain an inclusive and engaged community of Bridge Year alumni on campus. Along with the assistant director, the director actively participates in campus life, gets to know students well, and works to supports their personal development and learning beyond the classroom. The director serves the primary point of contact for parents and family members. In this role, the director works to positively engage with parents, providing them with the information, resources, and assistance they need to support the Bridge Year experience of their student.
Staff Management and Strategic Planning
The director leads a small team including an Assistant Director and a Program Coordinator, and works to create a productive, collaborative, and supportive work environment for team members. This involves: working with staff to develop clear work goals, strategies and objectives; engaging staff in an annual goal setting and strategic planning process; monitoring staff performance and providing feedback; creating opportunities for staff professional development, as well as opportunities for staff to share their own expertise.
Financial Management and Stewardship
The director is responsible for preparing an annual budget and monitoring annual program spending. The director negotiates the fees paid to partner organizations and, as previously mentioned, is responsible for allocating supplemental funding for participants with financial need. The director represents that Bridge Year Program on behalf of the University. In this role, the director speaks about and promotes the program in presentations both on and off campus; supports the fund-raising and stewardship efforts of the Development office; responds to media requests; and establishes and maintains networks with organizations related to international education and service learning.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree and 10 years
- Successful experience working with youth either in an educational environment or volunteer organization.
- Working knowledge of experiential education, service-learning theory, and best practices in civic engagement programs
- Experience working with students in an international location
- Excellent judgment, analytic and problem-solving skills, planning and organizational skills, attentiveness to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, comfort leading workshops and small group discussions.
- Previous managerial experience
- Proficiency in cross-cultural communications.
- Openness, composure, and flexibility.
- Ability to give and receive direction and constructive feedback
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
- International travel required
- Availability to work nights and weekends during emergencies and peak periods of the year
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS