Director of the Thriving Initiative

Position Number: 41160121

Payroll Title: ACCESS AND ENGMT PROFL 4

Job Code: 4258

Job Open Date: 9/23/2025

Application Review Begins: 10/8/2025

Department Code (Name): DEIN-Office of Inclusive Excellence

Percentage of Time: 100%

Union Code (Name): 99 Non-represented

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Grade: MSP/24

Pay Rate/Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $97,200 to $130,000/year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $97,200 to $182,000/year.

Work Location: 2202 Mosher Alumni House

Working Days and Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: Hybrid

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

The mission of the Office of Inclusive Excellence is to reshape UCSB into a dignifying and affirming space, by ensuring the well-being of all students and employees through cultivating a strong sense of belonging, and by building coalitions with community members. The ultimate goal is to create an institution where all members feel embraced.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

Under the general direction of the Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, the Thriving Initiatives Director coordinates the planning, development, direction, promotion, and evaluation of the Thriving Initiatives at UC Santa Barbara. Assumes responsibility for overall development and long-term implementation and evaluation of comprehensive strategic plan for Thriving Initiatives effectiveness that includes participation from faculty, students, staff, and alumni. #LI-KA1

Required Qualifications:

MA in Social Science, Education, Public Policy, Public Administration, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Humanities, Social Sciences, Education, Mathematical, Physical, or Biological Sciences, Psychology, Public Policy, etc.

7-9 years Experience in higher education administration with an emphasis on student success.

4-6 years An ability to conduct and utilize research on student success.

4-6 years A record of securing external funding for research or programmatic innovation.

4-6 years Evidence of effective collaboration with multiple decentralized student-serving initiatives and the ability to articulate and expand their collective impact for need-based students.

4-6 years Experience in analyzing data from a wide variety of sources and presenting statistical information in an appropriate, understandable format.

4-6 years Experience in organizational psychology and entrepreneurship, or a related area.

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegation or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• 20% Planning, Development, and Evaluation of Thriving Initiatives - Coordinates the planning, development, direction, promotion, execution and evaluation of the Thriving Initiatives at UC Santa Barbara. Assumes responsibility for the overall development and long-term implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive strategic plan for the Thriving Initiatives' effectiveness that includes participation from faculty, students, staff, alumni, and Greek organizations. Advises the Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence regarding foundational and cutting-edge best practices, scholarly research, and institutional strategies that promote the well-being of all communities and inclusive access to resources. Serves as a member of UC Thriving Task Force and conducts the relevant research and recommends a systemwide framework for need-based Thriving at the University of California that applies to students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Works with the Research Data Analyst in the Office of Inclusive Excellence to develop evaluation tools to be used to monitor and gauge the effectiveness of campus policies to advance the instruction, mentoring, recruitment, retention, K-16 outreach, and cultural well-being of staff, students, and faculty at UCSB and provide yearly reports on such evaluation to the VC for Inclusive Excellence every June. Works collaboratively with evaluators and Institutional Research staff to develop metrics for assessing and improving the effectiveness of multiple intersecting Thriving initiatives, employing quantitative and qualitative methods and data.
• 10% Advises Vice Chancellor on President's Task Force on UC Thriving Initiatives - Recommends a systemwide framework for Thriving Initiatives at the University of California to decrease institutional performance gaps in recruitment, retention, graduation, and student support. The framework should address campus environment/climate; outreach, recruitment, and orientation; academic success opportunities; hiring; research; training and professional development; public mission partnerships; communications; and accountability measures. Recommends changes as appropriate to relevant University policies to more explicitly support Thriving Initiatives at UC campuses and locations.
• 20% Leads Collaboration Across Academic Units - Leads collaboration across academic units-departments, divisions, centers-and especially with Admissions, Office of Undergraduate Education, Graduate Division, Multicultural Center, and the Center for Innovative Teaching, Research and Learning to enable UCSB to retain and support at-risk students by fostering an environment where students thrive academically and cultivating a strong sense of belonging at the University. These duties include, but are not limited to, consultation with existing and creation of new initiatives to increase enrollment and sustain that enrollment through advancement of new academic policies, pedagogies, instructional methodologies, and community to increase graduation rates and feelings of belongingness of students in the majors and minors of their choice at UCSB. Collaborates with the Office of Undergraduate Education Letters and Science Academic Advising on supporting the need-based undergraduate students and outlines a pipeline for undergraduates to enter graduate school, professional school, or post-university technical/professional careers, and defines mechanisms to provide such students with the tools they need to obtain advanced degrees at UCSB or elsewhere for postgraduate careers.
• 10% Staff Support - Collaborates with UCSB staff and faculty across campus in the Office of Undergraduate Education, Multicultural Center, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Admissions, and Alumni Affairs to support, serve, and affirm student efficacy and well-being, particularly with respect to their persistent and timely efforts for holistic support for at-risk students, especially those who are low-income and/or first-generation.
• 15% Develops Campus wide Framework and Accountability - Conducts the relevant research with the Office of Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Alumni Affairs to recommend a campus-wide framework for Thriving Initiatives at UCSB that applies to students, faculty, and staff and is aligned with the State of California goals to decrease institutional performance gaps in recruitment, retention, graduation, and student support. Recommends changes as appropriate to relevant University policies to more explicitly support Thriving Initiatives at UC campuses and locations. Defines expectations (e.g., knowledge, skills, abilities) for executive and academic leadership on campuses (i.e., chancellors, provosts, vice chancellors, vice provosts, deans, Academic Senate) to support at-risk students succeed at the University of California. Identifies and recommends measures for institutional accountability for student success.
• 15% Mentoring and Training - Mentors and trains faculty, staff, students, and alumni in best practices, culturally congruent strategies, and affirming practices of engagement when serving the needs of students to enhance their academic success, their sense of well-being, embracement and "at homeness" at UCSB.
• 10% Decision-making - Represents the Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence in engagements with internal and external decision makers and partners regarding UCSB's Thriving mission and programming.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs.
As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit University of California Policy on Vaccinations - https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy

*Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations:

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