Executive Director, Student Learning Center (0316U) #76665

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.

Founded in 1973, the Student Learning Center (SLC) is UC Berkeley's premier undergraduate academic support unit, housing nine distinct programs and services, including Academic Coaching, Economics, Language Exchange, Math and Statistics, Students as Scholar-Practitioners, Science, Strategic Learning, Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training & Resources, and Writing. Each year, the SLC serves over 12,000 students-approximately 35% of the undergraduate population-helping them navigate the academic rigor, social dynamics, and cultural expectations of a world-class research university. The Center is renowned for its process-oriented, research-driven, and culturally-informed approach to collaborative peer learning and pedagogy.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of the SLC plays a pivotal role in informing, enhancing, and transforming the undergraduate experience at UC Berkeley. As the chief architect of the Center's vision and strategic direction, the Executive Director provides transformative leadership that drives the SLC's mission to foster academic success and equity. This role is central to creating a culture of excellence and innovation, ensuring that the SLC remains a cornerstone of undergraduate education at one of the world's leading research universities. Reporting directly to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, the Executive Director also shapes campus-wide initiatives by serving on committees, task forces, and working groups. In this capacity, the Executive Director advocates for best practices in student engagement and learning, ensuring that the SLC's innovative approaches influence the broader academic community and reinforce UC Berkeley's commitment to access and academic excellence.

The Executive Director builds and sustains strategic partnerships with divisional deans, the Academic Senate Committee on Courses of Instruction, academic departments, and faculty across campus. These collaborations are essential to advancing the SLC's mission of supporting common good courses and fostering a campus-wide culture of inclusive, student-centered learning. By working closely with these stakeholders, the Executive Director ensures that the SLC's programs align with the university's broader educational goals and priorities, while also advocating for innovative approaches to undergraduate education.

Among the Executive Director's responsibilities is the oversight of the University's Summer Bridge program, a highly complex initiative that supports a globally diverse community of entering undergraduates. This program requires sophisticated leadership to navigate its multifaceted challenges and opportunities, reflecting the Executive Director's capacity for high-level thinking and strategic decision-making. While Summer Bridge is a significant undertaking, it represents only one aspect of the Executive Director's broader role in shaping academic support and student success initiatives. Last but not least, the Executive Director also serves as the primary liaison between the Democratic Education at Cal (DeCal) Program and campus administration, bridging the gap between student-initiated learning and institutional priorities. Partnering with DeCal, which supplements the academic curriculum with over 300 courses annually, exemplifies the SLC's commitment to democratizing education and empowering students as co-creators of knowledge.

The position will remain open until filled, with application reviews beginning in mid April.

• Leadership and Strategic Vision: Directs the Student Learning Center and determines the center's strategy, goals, and objectives. Sets the vision and mission for the SLC. Aligns the SLC's strategic plan with the Division of Undergraduate Education strategic plan and the campus strategic plan. Maintains awareness of current educational research and student needs; incorporates evolving best practices into the SLC's programs as relevant.
• Operations Oversight: Monitors all SLC operations and ensures delivery of high-quality services. Distributes available resources to SLC programs in order to maximize effectiveness and impact for students. Evaluates effectiveness of SLC programs and makes changes to programs as needed.
• Staff Management: Manages three professional staff direct reports and, through them, a total of 18 professional staff and over 200 Tutors. Assigns responsibilities to staff throughout the center and determines division of labor in order to offer desired programming. Provides professional development and growth coaching for staff members as relevant.
• Policy Oversight: In response to evolving student and department needs, formulates the SLC's policies and practices. In coordination with the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, determines or recommends changes in policy and practice when necessary to address changing conditions. Evaluates barriers to student success and recommends policy shifts to remove such barriers in order to increase opportunity for all students.
• Executive Advising: Consults with senior administrators, deans, chairs, and academic department leaders on the student learning needs of the campus. Evaluates short- and long-term trends in student demographics, academic profiles, the use of instructional technology in courses, and current educational practices; adapts SLC practices to respond to these trends, and advises campus leaders on other necessary adaptations in practice and policy.
• Budget Oversight: Oversees the SLC's budget, ensuring careful spending practices to use limited resources effectively. Makes strategic decisions regarding SLC financial outlay. Ensures proper implementation and stewardship of donor funded programs.
• Philanthropic Engagement: Maintains relationships with philanthropic donors who support the SLC's programs. Collaborates with partners from University Development and Alumni Relations to ensure strong donor stewardship. Cultivates new philanthropic relationships as relevant to support the SLC.
• Space Management: Manages the SLC's building space allocation of over 10,000 square feet of the Cesar Chavez Student Center, ensuring coordination with local and regional building managers and facilities services staff as appropriate.
• Outreach: Ensures internal campus marketing of SLC programs by conducting outreach to students, academic departments, and leaders.

• Thorough understanding of and curiosity in current educational and learning theories, particularly as they apply to academic support teams. This includes staying updated on recent academic trends, curriculum design and academic advising strategies.
• Thorough knowledge of organizational development, operational planning, program management, and leadership. This includes expertise in budget planning and management, human resources management and staff training, data collection and analysis, and understanding of and ability to engage in fundraising and donor relations.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills: effectively communicate complex information both in writing and orally, to a range of stakeholders, such as faculty, students and/or university leadership.
• Advanced skills in supervision and staff development: Overseeing staff recruitment, training, development, and performance management.
• Strong relationship building and collaboration skills and understanding of working in a matrixed organizational structure. Ability to develop partnerships and gain buy-in to move projects forward in a decentralized environment.
• Strong service and student-centric orientation and strong skills in analytical thinking, strategic planning, and creativity to co-build a vision and strategic plan for a department (the center); strong skills in leveraging data, information, and expertise to advise stakeholders.
• Expertise in supporting diverse student populations with varying learning needs and fostering an inclusive learning environment.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.

• Advanced knowledge of best practices for cultivating peer mentorship programs and peer learning environments.
• Experience managing represented employees in a collective bargaining environment; knowledge of labor relations best practices.
• Thorough understanding of institutional, social, and policy barriers to student success, and knowledge of or proven success leading best practices for overcoming such barriers in order to support growth and opportunity for all students.
• Experience working with philanthropic donors and engaging in fundraising outreach.
• Knowledge of program assessment and evaluation methodologies.
• Experience with space and facility management needs.
• Advanced degree in related area preferred.

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 salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $190,000.00 - $207,000.00. The full salary range for this position classification is $109,200.00 - $207,800.00

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Please include, as part of your application a brief (1-2 paragraph) statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in your professional experience.

Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our UC Berkeley Principles of Community, which states that "every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring, and humane environment in which these values can thrive."

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.

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

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative Action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.