Student Program Manager

Position OverviewThe School of Education & Human Sciences at the University of Kansas is seeking to fill the position of Graduate Student Program Manager. This person will report directly to the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the School of Education & Human Sciences, but will work closely department chairs, advisors, and staff, as well as various university and third-party partners. The person will manage the admissions, recruitment, graduation and student service needs for all graduate students in the SOEHS as well as provide leadership in maintaining and updating SOEHS graduate policies, compiling data for the Graduate Catalog, and managing projects such as US News & World Report. The person represents school or division with campus departments, advisory boards, professional organizations, and/or other internal or external contacts to coordinate program activities and establish/maintain relationships for program resources. Collects, analyzes, and reports data for program assessment and revision. Oversees program compliance.

The successful candidate will serve as the key liaison between prospective and current students, department staff and faculty, the SOEHS dean's office, and relevant KU offices (including the Office of Graduate Studies, Graduate Admissions, and the Registrar's office). Key duties include evaluating academic plans, approving or denying Progress to Degree forms, processing various administrative forms, and ensuring compliance with university and departmental policies. The manager also collaborates with marketing teams to develop follow-up communications and informational materials, attends relevant meetings and trainings, and oversees program compliance.
Additionally, the Program Manager acts as the Graduate Admissions Officer, overseeing the entire admissions process in collaboration with the Senior Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. This includes admitting students, organizing recruitment events, attending career fairs, and providing recruitment advice to units and potential students. The role involves close coordination with faculty, staff, and the Office of Graduate Studies, as well as managing catalog revisions, preparing surveys, and handling graduation-related tasks. The manager also supervises graduate assistants and ensures accurate communication of school and university information to students.
Job Description50% - Student Progress and Graduation

• Evaluate all graduating students' academic plans to confirm they have met departmental and School requirements before they are approved to take their final graduation milestone. Send the official list of graduating students to the Registrar by the deadline each semester.
• Approve or deny all Progress to Degree (PTD) forms for faculty appointments, student program changes, petitions, submission of doctoral forms, masters and doctoral exam approvals, probation, and other student milestones.
• Process add/drop forms, change of grade forms, VA forms, and other forms sent by the Registrar.
• Process petitions for students through the Faculty Executive Committee and the School of Education Associate Dean.
• Work with the Associate Dean on student probation matters and students' progress towards degree.
• Upload student graduation materials and forms to Perceptive Software files.
• Review and submit students' dissertations and theses to Proquest each semester.
• Work closely with the KU Library and be knowledgeable on systems used for graduating students for their thesis/dissertation.

35% - Admissions and Enrollment

• Work closely with the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs on the entire admission process.
• Oversee and admit students referred by the departments for admission to the SOEHS, requiring extensive knowledge of University admission policies and procedures for international and domestic students, and use of Slate CRM.
• Know and follow University and School policies and procedures for admissions.
• Work closely with faculty and staff in SOEHS departments on admissions process and updates to their application and process each year. Provide recruitment advice.
• Work closely with the Office of Graduate Studies, attend their monthly meeting, and attend training on systems for the admission and enrollment of students.
• Attend departmental meetings and share data on admissions as well as recruitment opportunities.
• Confirm information relating to degrees is accurate on Graduate Admissions web pages.
• Provide SOEHS administration and departments with relevant prospective student, inquiry detail, enrollment data, course selection information, admission data, and student information.
• Serve as the main contact for graduate students in the SOEHS, working closely with the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies & Research.
• Answer questions from prospective students via Zoom, phone calls, or email.

5% - Recruitment and Events

• Organize online recruitment events for prospective students (Explore Graduate Student week, program-specific online open houses, etc.).
• Attend University career events and various graduate recruitment fairs hosted by school districts or others.
• Hold Zoom calls with prospects for Jayhawk Global Programs.
• Work closely with SOEHS and KU's marketing teams to develop follow-up emails to prospective students and help draft content for webpages and informational fliers.
• Serve as liaison with the KU Edwards Campus and participate in their orientation events and other activities necessary for the SOEHS programs offered there

5% - Compliance and Communication

• Attend relevant staff meetings and trainings related to graduate advising, admissions, and registrar issues.
• Oversee program compliance based on university, SOEHS, and departmental program policies.
• Share School and University information via email to graduate students.
• Know KU departments and graduate programs and who to send students to if they have questions.

5% - Catalog and Surveys

• Carry out graduate catalog revisions and coordinate this online process with all departments.
• Attend required training for catalog editing and work closely with the University Registrar.
• Prepare and submit the US News & World Report general and online surveys each year. Collect data from various KU departments and assess and provide data for the survey.
• Submit names of SOEHS graduates for the KU Commencement program used in May.
• Work with SOEHS marketing for the program for their graduate recognition ceremony in December and May each year.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree
2. Minimum of 3 years with direct full time work experience at a post-secondary education institution
3. Demonstrated effective written communication skills, as evidenced by application materials

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master's degree
2. Demonstrated experience working with a variety of student populations in a higher education setting, as evidenced by application materials
3. Familiarity with KU systems, processes, and policies, as evidenced by application materials
4. Demonstrated experience with program assessment and evaluation, as evidenced by application materials
5. Demonstrated experience in managing multiple projects, as evidenced by application materials
6. Demonstrated experience with student information and computer systems, as evidenced by application materials

Additional Candidate InstructionsA complete application consists of:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
• Resume
• List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered. Application review begins Thursday May 15th, and will continue until a qualified applicant is selected. To ensure consideration, please apply prior to that date.
Contact Information to ApplicantsLisa Wolf-Wendel Advertised Salary Range$48,000-$65,000Application Review BeginsThursday May 15, 2025Anticipated Start DateMonday June 2, 2025 Apply to Job