PROGRAM DIRECTOR, Scholar Recruitment & Selection

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Founded in 2001, Point Foundation is the nation’s oldest and largest scholarship fund for LGBTQ+ students of merit pursuing their dreams and goals through higher education. Well beyond the tuition and other financial assistance that opens doors otherwise closed to these students, Point Foundation empowers its LGBTQ+ scholars to achieve their full academic and leadership potential despite the obstacles often put before them and go on to make significant impact on society.

Since 2015 Point has significantly expanded its scholarship offerings and number of awards. What began as a single scholarship program that supported exceptional LGBTQ+ students at four-year colleges, universities, or graduate schools, now includes a Community College Scholarship Program, a BIPOC Scholarship initiative, and a portfolio of Opportunity Grants. In addition to tuition, housing, books, and other expenses, Point Foundation’s programs are dedicated to supporting student leaders with mentorship, leadership development opportunities, and a range of conferences and professional and networking interactions to advance their academic and professional pursuits.

Through its people and its programs, Point Foundation is building the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders, across the country, and in virtually every professional field. Point Scholars are doctors and teachers and artists. They are lawyers and businesspeople and entrepreneurs. They are elected officials, nonprofit executives, scientists, researchers, and more. Leveraging the tools, networks, and benefits of education made possible by Point’s support, Point Alumni can ascend to positions of leadership as openly LGBTQ+ people, and as such are helping create a more accepting, inclusive, and equitable world.

To learn more about Point Foundation, please visit www.pointfoundation.org

POSITION OVERVIEW

Point seeks a collaborative, innovative program director to lead the design, execution, and growth of a distinctive, inspiring, and intersectional leadership development program for Point’s national community of more than 500 LGBTQ community college, undergraduate, and graduate students. The Program Director works closely with the Chief Program Officer (CPO) to execute Point’s vision and strategy for expanding LGBTQ access to and success in higher education and developing the next generation of LGBTQ leaders.

Primary responsibilities include leadership curriculum design with a focus on the experiences of LGBTQ, BIPOC, and first-generation college students; collaborating on strategy to expand and elevate Point’s leadership programming; leading the execution of major leadership events including the biannual National Leadership Conference, Community College Conference, and retreat for new scholars; planning a variety of virtual leadership programming held throughout the year; and overseeing Point’s mentoring program and scholar advocacy initiatives.

Reports To: Chief Program Officer

Status: Full-Time Administrative Exempt

Supervises: Associate Program Manager

Location: Los Angeles, CA (remote)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead Recruitment

• Work with CPO and selections subcommittee of the Board of Directors to define strategic priorities for annual recruitment. Partnering with our Development team, plan and execute recruitment of candidates for named scholarships with narrow eligibility criteria or preferences.
• Increase Point’s presence and visibility at virtual and in-person recruiting events.
• Collaborate with the marketing and communications team to create engaging and accurate marketing collateral and communication campaigns.
• Engage prospective applicants and stakeholders from high schools, higher education institutions, university- and community-based LGBTQ centers, and relevant nonprofit organizations.
• Provide resources and training to empower Point alumni, board members, and volunteers as recruitment ambassadors.

Plan & Execute Selection Process

• Lead the design, planning, and execution of inclusive, equity-driven application and selection processes for all Point Scholarships. Under the guidance of the CPO, work with the selections subcommittee to evaluate and revise applications and evaluation rubrics.
• Work closely with finance, marketing and communications, and development staff to determine timeline and plan notification, announcement, and disbursement processes. Lead strategy for recruiting, training, and stewarding volunteer application readers.
• Stay up to date on the educational challenges commonly faced by LGBTQ students, best practices in recruitment and selection, financial aid policies and norms, and admissions trends in higher education.
• Analyze and report on application and selection data to keep Point staff and boards informed about applicant demographics and areas for improvement in the selection process.
• Work closely with the CPO to conceptualize new and emerging scholarship opportunities and adjust recruitment and selection strategies accordingly.

Miscellaneous

• Maintain knowledge of all Point programs and benefits for scholarship recipients. As requested, collaborate with CPO and Program Director to identify new programmatic opportunities that support recruitment goals.
• Collaborate with staff across the organization to communicate impact, support development reporting needs, and support the success of Point Scholars.
• Sit on Board committees and subcommittees as assigned.

*Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

• At least three years of experience as an associate director of college admissions.
• Proficiency with online application platforms and CRMs.
• Demonstrated experience recruiting LGBTQ, BIPOC, and first-generation college students and building positive relationships with students from historically excluded communities.
• Demonstrated prior experience designing and facilitating admissions or selections trainings.
• Demonstrated prior experience (minimum 1 year) supervising staff.
• Well-developed collaboration skills, with the ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team and solve problems creatively.
• Preparation to work in an expanding organization with a fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions.
• Above average organizational and project management skills.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience as a director of admissions.
• Demonstrated experience leading recruitment programs for underrepresented students and/or designing applications and selection rubrics that advance racial, gender, and socioeconomic equity.
• Established relationships with community colleges and experience recruiting community college and transfer applicants.
• Familiarity with admissions and financial aid practices at community colleges and undergraduate- and graduate-level programs at four-year institutions, public and private.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Able to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise tact and diplomacy in a diverse organizational setting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator
• Remains focused in the face of pressure, and able to deliver against timelines
• Strives for excellence and has experience leading and managing others to new levels of program effectiveness
• Enjoy group work and collaboration but also possess the ability to work independently

GENERAL

• Passionate about Point’s mission and able to promote and communicate the organization’s philosophy, mission, and values
• Strong knowledge of, or connection to, the LGBTQ community and related social issues

The purpose of this job description is to provide an overview of the scope of the position. This is not a comprehensive list of duties/responsibilities.

DEI at POINT

Point Foundation recognizes that LGBTQ, racial, and social injustices exist in our nation and is committed to intentionally cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of the organization.

Point Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to having the rich diversity of our community reflected in our workforce.

It is the policy of Point Foundation to provide equal membership, employment, and service opportunities to all eligible persons without regard to race, religion, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, marital status, parental status, physical ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, membership in any labor organization, political ideology/affiliation, and; for employment only, height, weight, and record of arrest without conviction, disability of an otherwise qualified individual, or any other legally protected basis, to the fullest extent provided by applicable federal, state, and local law. This policy applies to employment, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, relationships with outside vendors and customers, use of contractors and consultants and in dealing with the public.