Summary
Description
SECTION I – OUR VALUES CULTIVATE OUR VISION AND CULTURE
At CMU, we believe in acting from a foundation of goodwill. This belief gives us the courage to form meaningful relationships, embark on joint endeavors and take risks in the pursuit of new possibilities. It’s this courage that enables the Mavily to explore new ways of thinking and doing, knowing that there is no perfect solution, no perfect idea.
From this place of humility and courage, we’ve built a culture of resilience. We invest in the future by continuously adapting to change, overcoming challenges, and seizing new opportunities. We recognize that change is constant, and our resilience allows us to embrace it with confidence. Endless curiosity drives us to approach the unexpected as if it were expected, seeing opportunities for discovery and renewal in every challenge. In this community rooted in love and dignity, curiosity thrives, leading to endless opportunities for growth and advancement.
Inspired by the soul of the West—the spirit that our region embodies—we emerge as a force for positive change, harnessing our collective power to build a Human Scale University that reflects our values and brings to life our shared vision of the world we aspire to create.
Colorado Mesa University Core Values
Love – Extending oneself for nurturing the growth of self and others
Dignity – Respecting the intrinsic value of each person and believing that others act from a foundation of goodwill
Courage – Taking risks in the pursuit of new possibilities
Humility – Suspending one’s ego and pride to recognize that no idea is perfect and being open to the input of others
Resiliency – Investing in the future by adapting to changes, overcoming challenges and pursuing Opportunity
Curiosity – Cultivating awe and exploring the unknown
Power – The strength to act collaboratively with individual agency to achieve our goals
SECTION II – THE SEAT
At CMU, we look at every position as a seat. Every seat is vital and the individual in the seat contributes significantly to our mission of providing an affordable and accessible education and forming meaningful and mutually enriching partnerships that support the well-being and vibrancy of our community. As a human centric organization, a priority is to ensure we have the “right seats” in our organization, and that the expectations, ownership and accountabilities are defined and communicated clearly for the success of the individuals holding the seats.
OVERVIEW AND ROLE SCOPE OF TEAM AND/OR TASKS
IRIS is CMU’s first year advising center and one-stop that supports students’ needs relating to academic advising, registration, financial aid, financial counseling, and navigating college systems. IRIS Advisors provide these services in four ways: 1) front-line customer service offered at the front desk, phone and email, 2) in-person or phone extended advising and financial counseling appointments, 3) targeted proactive advising services for students in need of additional support, and 4) events and groups sessions.
The Manager of IRIS Communications is responsible for the development and execution of communication campaigns directed to and refined for students and influencer populations (parents, counselors, etc.) to support retention goals for traditional and non-traditional undergraduate populations. This seat will work closely with the Associate Director of Retention Systems to build proactive communication plans and event calendars using IRIS’s CRM system (Slate) and an Appreciative Advising approach. The Manager of IRIS Communications is also responsible for planning and executing the IRIS social media plan and maintaining the IRIS website.
Communication and Outreach
• Designs and delivers communication plans to promote student retention, graduation, and financial success using IRIS’s CRM platform.
• Creates content that aligns with the department voice and uses an Appreciative Advising framework.
• Develop a clearly defined communication calendar using multiple communication channels (e.g. text, email, social media, etc.)
• Monitors the advising teams’ use of the CRM database and assists advising teams with communicating with their advisees.
• Understand data metrics and analytics to measure and optimize communication performance.
Social Media and Website
• Responsible for the planning and execution of an IRIS social media plan.
• Develop a clearly defined social media calendar to ensure thoughtful and comprehensive coverage of IRIS events and initiatives.
• Create fun, trendy social media content while maintaining professionalism and Appreciative Advising voice.
• Maintain and update the IRIS website and chatbot to ensure content is accurate, meets accessibility requirements, and information is delivered using department voice.
• Understand data metrics and analytics to measure and optimize content performance.
Retention System Maintenance & Utilization
• Supports Associate Director of Retention Systems in CRM database development and data efforts.
• Create and build reports for caseload management, enrollment management, retention, and student finances.
• Assists with training professional staff on new processes in IRIS’s CRM software.
• Assists in the creation and management of campus wide knowledge repository regarding the CRM platform and tools.
• Creation and maintenance of events within CRM database.
IRIS Department Daily Operations
• Uses the CRM database to assess department operations and communication effectiveness: i.e., tracking of phone, email, desk, and appointment traffic.
• Participate in regular training in advising, registration, records, financial aid, and student accounts, as well as training from other campus resources.
• May present at and participate in various events and workshops.
• Supports IRIS customer service operations. Acts as an advisor during high volume times.
Leadership, Management, and Accountability (LMA) Responsibilities
• The Manager of IRIS Communications does not directly supervise any professional staff.
• Supervision of a small team of student employees may be required.
• Seeks out professional development networks to keep the institution current on innovations in the CRM development. Travels when needed for conferences and/or site visits.
Individuals in this seat support the following teams:
• IRIS Advising Team (Team Black, Team Gold, Team MAVroon, and Montrose Team) – IRIS Advisors are assigned to a team of 5-7 IRIS Advisors led by an IRIS Lead Advisor. IRIS Advising Teams are divided based on academic department.
• IRIS Department – This seat supports the Director of IRIS, Associate Directors of IRIS, Manager of Retention Systems, and IRIS department operations.
• Enrollment Management – This seat supports the overall eorts of the Enrollment Management team regarding student success, enrollment, and retention.
• Regularly collaborate with university partner oices, such as Admissions, Financial Aid, Educational Access Services, Student Wellness Center, Student Services, Registrar, and Student Accounts.
Individuals in this seat are required to:
• Demonstrate a high level of discretion and professional judgment in actively assessing and advising students from all backgrounds on key aspects of student success, such as academic advising and registration, student finances, personal wellness, and student success skills.
• Interpret and apply institutional policies, procedures, and regulations related to academic, financial, and student support programs.
• Utilize a variety of computer systems, software, and technologies in daily operations including Microsoft Office, Slate, Banner, Outlook, among several others. Uses critical thinking to identify ways to use technology to improve operations and service.
Other duties may be assigned as needed by our business. Some evenings and weekends may be required.
SECTION III – OUR DESIRES FOR RIGHT FIT
For the success of our mission and our teams, we desire to have individuals who are a “Right Fit” in our seats. We define “Right Fit” as those who embrace our culture, demonstrate our values, understand the seat and what is required. We seek individuals who want this seat, desire to be a part of a bigger vision and have the capacity to be a successful member of our CMU team.
CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS
Capacity for this seat includes knowledge, skills and emotional intelligence and ability to commit to this seat.
• Must demonstrate strong communication and the ability to write, edit and proof with attention to audience, tone and nuance.
• Must embrace an Appreciative Advising approach.
• Ability to learn quickly and stay up to date on current academic and financial policies.
• Ability to present complex information in an understandable manner to students, parents, and guests.
• Ability to manage stress in demanding customer and student-service areas.
• Ability to learn and adapt to new software and technology quickly.
• Ability to prepare and present programming to various audiences.
• Desire and willingness to work collaboratively with multiple teams and departments.
• Self-motivated and flexible, with the ability to self-manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to listen, synthesize information and write clearly and concisely.
• Strong time management, organization and start-to-finish project management skills.
• An ability to work on projects, take initiative and confidently advocate for a strategic vision.
• Strong interpersonal communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to maintain student confidentiality and educational privacy rights (FERPA).
• Ability to communicate strategically, facilitate decision making and work through difficult conversations with people at all levels in the organization.
• Ability to embrace change and innovation.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE FOR RIGHT FIT
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Experience with communication, editing, marketing, or social media.
• Must possess strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and the ability to work independently as well as be a team player.
• Strong computer skills. Proficient with MS Office. Experience with Banner student database system experience and/or Slate software preferred.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, especially first-generation, low-income, academically underprepared and/or groups that are underrepresented in higher education.
• Experience in customer service, academic advising, success coaching, college classroom teaching and/or counseling/social work.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
DISCLAIMER – This position description is only a summary of the typical functions of this seat, and not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and areas of accountability.
DIRECT INQUIRIES CONTACT: Justin Little, jlittle@coloradomesa.edu
HOW TO APPLY: Applicants will be asked to complete an online application by creating a profile and then providing personal and demographic information. In addition, please be prepared to upload a:
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Include the name, phone number, email address and relationship of at least three professional references who can attest to your ability to perform the job you are applying for. Professional references should include at least one current or former supervisor. Professional reference may also include current or former employers, colleagues or other professionals who have first-hand knowledge and can recommend you for employment.
• Copy of transcripts for all degrees completed (if your transcripts include a social security number or birthdate, please redact that information before uploading the document. Official transcripts will be required upon hire)
ABOUT COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY
A comprehensive university in Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa University provides exceptional educational opportunities on a state-of-the-art campus. As western Colorado’s largest university, CMU serves students on its main campus in Grand Junction, its satellite campus in Montrose, its technical college, CMU Tech, and via online offerings.
Colorado Mesa University serves as the primary intellectual and cultural center of western Colorado and promotes the exchange of ideas that are of regional, national, and international importance. Founded in 1925, it is a dynamic university enrolling 10,000 students at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels.
At the heart of the CMU experience is an integrative and experiential approach to higher education that encourages students to think differently and empowers them to challenge assumptions. CMU brings students together with expert scholars and thinkers from different disciplines to make connections between ideas and gain the skills to solve the unstructured, complex problems they will encounter in life. Our focus is on providing quality academic programs, built on a strong liberal arts core that supports students' interests and regional employment needs, as well as technical programs that respond to vocational workforce demands.
The Grand Valley is home to some of the best outdoor recreation in the state of Colorado and you will not have to fight traffic and crowds to enjoy it. CMU is surrounded by the Grand Mesa, Book Cliffs, and the Colorado National Monument. We have world-class mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, rafting, and a mountain resort that’s less than 45 minutes from campus for skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing. Living and working in Grand Junction, you will be able to explore one of Colorado’s best kept secrets.
Colorado Mesa University is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and who have a demonstrated commitment to improving the levels of access and success for underrepresented students within higher education.
Colorado Mesa University is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history. Applicant must be able to verify U.S. employment eligibility. Colorado Mesa University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a culturally diverse faculty, staff and student body. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact the CMU Human Resources Office by phone or email. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and the type of accommodation needed.
