Assistant Director, Upward Bound

Reporting to the Director of Upward Bound, the Assistant Director advises and coaches program participants, including seniors and Bridge students, to promote secondary-school completion, college enrollment, persistence, and graduation. The position coordinates program operations, participant records and outcome data, federal reporting, Individual Graduation Plans, communications, recruitment, activities, travel, and partnerships with schools, families, University colleagues, and community stakeholders.

For the first seven days of the posting period, the hiring manager will consider only internal candidates; if no internal candidate possesses the required qualifications after that period, the posting will be opened to external applicants.

Grant-Funded Position

This position is supported by grant funding. Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactory performance, institutional and programmatic need, and the continued availability of grant funds. The employee must comply with applicable grant requirements, University policies, youth-protection standards, and federal reporting obligations.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the Director with daily program administration, implementation of grant objectives, staff and student activities, operational planning, and compliance with University and federal requirements; oversee assigned activities and office operations in the Director’s absence or as delegated.
• Advise and coach Upward Bound participants, seniors, and Bridge students regarding academic progress, college readiness, enrollment, persistence, degree planning, career development, scholarships, and graduate or professional education.
• Develop and maintain Individual Graduation Plans and provide individual and group programming addressing goal setting, academic mindset, time management, anxiety, procrastination, personal barriers, financial literacy, leadership, career exploration, and college transition.
• Collect, verify, enter, and maintain accurate participant, service, attendance, academic, postsecondary-enrollment, persistence, and completion data in Blumen and other approved systems.
• Use the National Student Clearinghouse and other authorized sources to track participant outcomes and support preparation, verification, and timely submission of the U.S. Department of Education Annual Performance Report and other required reports.
• Process and maintain participant files, correspondence, electronic documents, meeting materials, purchase documentation, departmental invoices, student supplies, and approved stipends in accordance with grant and University requirements.
• Coordinate campus facilities, participant transportation, field trips, college tours, travel, meetings, workshops, recruitment activities, and other program logistics; monitor assigned expenditures and documentation within delegated authority.
• Recruit eligible students and partner schools; process applications and eligibility documentation; and build productive relationships with participants, families, school personnel, University employees, community representatives, and postsecondary partners.
• Monitor participant attendance and engagement, evaluate student needs and readiness, provide timely intervention and positive reinforcement, and protect confidential information in accordance with FERPA and applicable data-security standards.
• Represent the program at school visits, community events, conferences, meetings, and professional-development activities, and perform other duties consistent with the grant and position as assigned by the Director.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in education, counseling, social science, public administration, student affairs, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience working with students in college-access, academic-support, youth-development, secondary-school, postsecondary, or related educational programs.
• Evidence of successful relationship building with faculty, staff, community representatives, parents and families, teachers, school administrators, or other partners.
• Experience with partnerships, strategic planning, operational planning, program coordination, or student services, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative leadership environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to the position.
• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, college access, TRIO, student services, program administration, or a large organization.
• Experience with Upward Bound or another TRIO program, Blumen, federal grant reporting, the National Student Clearinghouse, participant tracking, or the U.S. Department of Education Annual Performance Report.
• Professional or personal background that supports effective engagement with the educational needs of low-income, first-generation, and other program-eligible students.
• Experience supervising or coordinating staff, student workers, tutors, instructors, volunteers, or program activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Attributes

• Knowledge of college-access, academic-support, student-success, and postsecondary-transition practices for low-income and first-generation students.
• Ability to advise, coach, motivate, and build trusting relationships with secondary-school and college students.
• Strong organizational, program-coordination, recordkeeping, data-management, analytical, problem-solving, communication, presentation, interpersonal, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, school personnel, families, community partners, and diverse stakeholders while managing multiple priorities, exercising sound judgment, maintaining confidentiality, and meeting deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, student or grant databases, and electronic records systems; experience with Blumen is desirable.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work is performed in professional office, classroom, school, college, and community settings with frequent interaction with approximately 90 program participants, families, school personnel, University employees, and community partners. The position requires extensive computer use, data entry, meetings, workshops, recruitment, and participant activities. Evening and weekend work may be required. The employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, communicate, use standard office equipment, travel among program sites, lift or carry materials weighing up to 25 pounds, and supervise student activities and extended travel, with or without reasonable accommodation. Extensive travel, estimated at up to 80%, may be required based on the program calendar and grant needs.

SUNO Benefits

SUNO offers eligible employees a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

Health insurance: through the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits (OGB). Learn more

Retirement: through the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL). Learn more

Dental insurance: offered through UNUM. Learn more

Vision insurance: offered through UNUM. Learn more

Paid time off and University holidays: for eligible positions, in accordance with University policy. Learn more

Benefit eligibility, enrollment, employee contributions, coverage, leave accrual, and retirement participation are governed by applicable plan documents, state law, University policy, appointment type, and employment eligibility.

Application Materials

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, current résumé, unofficial transcripts for all degrees awarded, and contact information for three professional references. Official transcripts and additional documentation may be required before appointment. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Non-Discrimination Statement

In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other federal, state, and local laws, Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) forbids discriminating or harassing conduct that is based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in Uniformed Services, and all other categories protected by applicable state and federal laws.

This commitment applies but is not limited to decisions made with respect to hiring and promotion, the administration of educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other University-administered programs. Discriminatory acts of any kind are strictly forbidden.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement

Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Office of Human Resources.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER•STATE AS A MODEL EMPLOYER (SAME)