Get new jobs for this search by email

Palo Alto University is hiring: Assistant Director, Writing Studio in Palo Alto

Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of today’s diverse society. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body. PAU has recently been designated as an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). PAU offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online, hybrid and residential options, and has an engaged faculty who prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities. PAU is dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being in our diverse community of students.

Job Title: Assistant Director, Writing Studio

Department: Student Success

Reports To: Director, Writing Studio

Location: Residential

Employment Status: Full Time

Compensation: $85,000 – $100,000

JOB SUMMARY

The Writing Studio at Palo Alto University seeks a dynamic and experienced professional to fill the role of Assistant Director, Writing Studio. As a key member of PAU’s Student Success team, the Assistant Director will work closely with the Director of Writing to coordinate the day-to-day operations in the Writing Studio, including the management of tutorial assistance, as well as contributing to the growth of PAU’s overall learning community.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary responsibility of the Assistant Director is to support the Writing Studio’s mission to empower students to become confident and effective writers in support of their academic and professional success.

Program Support

• Collaborate with the Director to develop and implement strategic initiatives for the Writing Studio, ensuring alignment with the university's academic goals.

Writing Consultations and Workshops

• Maintain the daily schedule, including student cancellations and missed sessions.
• Supervise one-on-one writing consultations for students seeking ongoing writing support.
• Evaluate students referred to the Writing Studio, designing action plans for improvement.
• Conduct on-demand writing workshops for the PAU community.

Recruitment

• Lead diverse recruitment efforts for the roles of student writing coaches.
• Collaborate with the Director in conducting student hire interviews, evaluating applications and writing samples, and contributing to final hiring decisions.

Training and Development

• Provide direct supervision, training, and professional development for student writing coaches, including providing constructive feedback to tutorial staff.
• Remain apprised of best writing practices and pedagogies.

Assessment and Evaluation

• Collaborate with the Director to develop and implement assessment strategies to measure the effectiveness of writing support programs and make data-driven improvements.

Student Engagement

• Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages student engagement with writing resources and services.
• Other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Master's or Ph.D. in English or related field preferred (e.g., Rhetoric, Composition, Writing Studies, Education)
• 3+ years of experience teaching English writing courses or working in a writing center, preferably at the college level
• Proficiency in English grammar, composition, and style, along with a sound knowledge of critical analysis, methods and techniques of planning, writing, and editing is expected
• Demonstrated experience in writing center administration or related academic support services
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
• Excellent written/verbal communication, interpersonal, organizational, and listening skills
• Commitment to academic excellence and student success
• Sensitivity to students with diverse backgrounds and learning needs
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with others
• Advanced skills in Word, Excel, Google Documents, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom, and Turnitin

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Qualified candidates for the Writing Studio Assistant Director position should apply with a:

• Cover letter describing qualifications for and interest in the position.
• Curriculum vitae
• Writing center philosophy statement
• Writing sample

EEOC POLICY

The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies.