The University of New Mexico seeks a dedicated and visionary Director of the Center for Academic Excellence and Leadership Development (CAELD)  to lead efforts in identifying, mentoring, and supporting high-achieving students in pursuing prestigious national and international scholarships. Housed within the Honors College, this position plays a vital role in fostering a culture of academic excellence by providing individualized advising, strategic programming, and institutional collaboration to prepare students for opportunities such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Udall and Fulbright scholarships. The director will work closely with faculty, staff, and leadership to identify promising candidates, develop competitive applications, and enhance the university’s national presence in scholarship competitions. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in student mentorship, a deep understanding of competitive scholarship processes, and a commitment to high-impact academic opportunities for all students.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Oversees the process of nationally competitive scholarships for UNM students, which includes collaboration with various programs on campus, faculty, and university leadership.
Serves as a liaison between UNM and national scholarship foundations.
Provides necessary support for the UNM’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter.
Provides administrative support for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.
Manage an operational budget of more than $220,000.
Assesses the program effectiveness and develop strategic plans.
Supervises professional staff.
Works collaboratively as a part of Honors College professional staff.
Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• MA  and at least 5 years of experience working in a university setting directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified
• Knowledge in one or more of the following areas: fellowship advising, special awards/grants management, undergraduate research, graduate research, academic advising, career services, honors programs or colleges
• Demonstrated experience advising or preparing students of all disciplines for scholarships and fellowships
• Demonstrated experience with program development, and administrative skills
• Knowledge of nationally competitive awards (and their application processes) available to students of all disciplines; and
• Ability to create partnerships among stakeholders in higher education
• Strong communicator, both in writing and verbally, including public presentations
• Ability to manage fluctuating work to meet deadlines with accuracy.

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.