Director of Graduate Degrees (0322U), Graduate Division Ops - #78418

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

As a central service center for the entire campus, the Graduate Division works to guide and assist students from the moment of application for admission, through the various milestones of their progress, to the completion of their degree requirements. We provide academic, financial, personal, and professional support services that are vital to the everyday well-being and life-long successes of Berkeley master's, professional, and doctoral students.

As the authoritative resource and chief advocate for graduate education, the Graduate Division ensures the equitable administration of policies governing graduate studies across Berkeley's 14 schools and colleges. As the administrative arm of the Academic Senate's Graduate Council, we partner with the faculty and staff of each program and the deans of each school and college to maintain the world-renowned quality of Berkeley's graduate education.

Position Summary

The Director of Degrees serves as the campus' principal expert on graduate degree progress oversight, monitoring, and conferral. With over 135 distinct graduate programs offering multiple professional and academic master's and doctoral degrees, the Graduate Division is responsible for maintaining systems and business processes that ensure the integrity of the academic enterprise in the graduate and professional student space.

The incumbent develops proposals and recommendations to guide and support a broader strategic direction, responding to changes as budget and information system changes drive operational revisions and reallocations of resources. The Director oversees a team to provide direct policy and process guidance regarding myriad Academic Senate regulations, use of systems and tools to conduct their work, and advisement to faculty and staff on a wide range of critical issues such as probation and dismissal, exceptions to policies, and complex student cases that can include issues related to funding, employment, health and wellbeing, housing and basic needs, etc. which require the input and partnership with a range of colleagues and offices across campus.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 06/02/2025.

Responsibilities

Makes decisions on performance, salary actions, hiring decisions and other human resources related issues of managed staff.

• Hires, trains, and manages the performance of Student Affairs Officers and other student advising staff in Graduate Division Student Services who in turn train, guide, advise, and provide resources to GSAOs and other graduate advisors across all 135+ academic programs.
• Assesses gaps in knowledge of and resources available to campus graduate advisors, and develops and delivers training and information via a variety of channels to support local faculty and staff advisors on critical and key issues related to academic degree completion.
• Provides daily direction to professional student services advisors on the more complex issues encountered.

Provides direction to professional student services advisors on the more complex issues encountered.

• Provides highly complex analyses across a broad spectrum of policies and procedures and provides in-depth, complex analyses as a specialist in all arenas related to graduate student academic progress.
• Proposes, leads and/or participates on policy and planning committees and working groups. Researches and summarizes best practices in field.
• Develops and coordinates policy communications for campus wide use by departmental staff and faculty; formulates strategies for education and enforcement of policies related to graduate academic degree curricula.
• Develops and advocates solutions to system issues, including developing and administering new systems, policies, processes, or programs.
• Identify and report problems at hand or predicted based on information.
• Provides analyses for complex academic, data, systems, and resource projects working directly with all levels of managers, faculty, staff, SIS project staff and campus leadership.
• Campus expert related to ProQuest and Library publication of dissertations and theses; serves as campus representative when determining service delivery needs, changes in business process, or specific actions such as determining when embargo policies conflict with other policies or complicating factors.
• Serves as campus expert regarding graduate academic degree management within the SIS; troubleshoots and partners with campus stakeholders to design solutions to business process and student information systems problems.

Recognizes issues that have organization impact or future implications and advises employees accordingly.

• Advises and consults with Graduate Dean, Associate Dean, and Assistant Deans on development and implementation of complex academic policy.
• Provides critical input, recommendations, and judgment on exceptional requests to such policies.
• Advises Office of the Registrar and FASO staff on graduate policy and process.
• Serves as campus expert and in collaboration with Academic Affairs, serves as a primary advisor on interpretation and implementation of University academic policy for graduate education including higher education committees, probation and dismissal, complex student cases and exceptions to policy.
• Develops proposals and recommendations to guide and support a broader strategic direction for the organization.
• Responds to changes as budget and information system changes drive operational revisions and reallocations of resources.
• Evaluates effectiveness of existing protocols and recommends changes to Graduate Division leadership.
• Leads and directs a wide variety of projects and follows through with all levels of staff and individuals inside and outside the organization.
• Supports the Assistant Dean for Student Services in designing and providing information to campus constituents that meet their advising and student support needs.

Represents the student services unit to the organization community and relevant external constituencies.

• Represent Graduate Division, and by extension departmental graduate faculty and staff advisors, on central committees that determine policy and resource allocation.
• Serve as Berkeley academic services representative to UC Council of Graduate Deans Staff Group.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of and/or can quickly learn common University-specific computer application programs.
• Knowledge of and/or can quickly learn University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.
• Skills in monitoring/assessing people, processes or services, to make improvements.
• Skills in project management, social perceptiveness to be aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Ability in problem identification, reasoning.
• Ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, persuade others, and lead.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Salary & Benefits

This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly at an annual rate and is eligible for UC Benefits.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $88,900.00 - $126,400.00. The full range for this classification is $88,900.00 - $163,900.00.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is eligible for up to 40% remote work. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Misconduct

SB 791 and AB 810 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 allegations 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

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.