Life Design Coach
Position Summary
Life Design Coaches create an affirming, diverse, and inclusive learning environment for undergraduate students to make meaningful, purpose-driven connections between their curricular and co-curricular experiences that will lead them to academic, career, and personal success before and after graduation. Life Design Coaches create opportunities and experiences for students to express themselves and all of the identities they hold, facilitate an awareness of self and critical self-reflection, and contribute to students’ sense of belonging at BGSU. Coaches also build strong relationships with students and empower them throughout their academic experience to develop a comprehensive college and life plan that centers on the four life design pillars: Career, Purpose, Well-being, and Connections.
Life Design Coaches support a caseload of students, whom they will engage in classroom and co-curricular contexts from Summer Orientation through graduation. In this capacity, Life Design Coaches are primarily responsible for ensuring each student they work with makes a successful transition to college and graduates with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead a purpose-driven, well-designed life.
Life Design Coaches will collaborate closely with campus partners to ensure that students know how to select experiences that are aligned with their values and career goals.
Essential Duties, Tasks and Responsibilities
- Introduce incoming students to the concepts of Life Design by teaching multiple sections of BGSU 1910: Design Your BGSU (1 cr.) and ensure assigned students continue developing their understanding of the Life Design framework through workshops, activities, and established touchpoints in the first year and beyond. This course will be a place where students can develop connections and are affirmed in their identities. Life Design Coaches will utilize appropriate learning management software to support in-person and/or remote instructional methods with a focus on inclusive pedagogy that reflects and supports a diverse student demographic. Life Design Coaches may also teach a similar course with developmentally appropriate outcomes during the spring or fall semester of their students’ junior or senior year. This course will focus on career preparation, and life after graduation.
- Provide on-going coaching to assigned students through graduation. Collaborate with students from diverse backgrounds to identify academic and co-curricular experiences that align with their academic, personal, and career interests. Help students evaluate curricular options and develop a comprehensive success plan that aligns with the Life Design mindsets and four pillars. Provide academic planning referrals to advising staff as appropriate.
- Provide proactive and responsive outreach to assigned students based on a variety of data sources (e.g., pre-matriculation data, predictive modeling, early alerts, and midterm grades) from Summer Orientation through graduation. Exercise cultural competence and an awareness of the intersection of identities as they build rapport and trust with students. Connect students to appropriate campus resources that promote academic success, campus and community engagement, retention, and degree completion. Encourage and recognize students who have been successful. Conduct exit interviews with students who leave the institution.
- Provide students with career coaching, interviewing techniques, and job search strategies. Facilitate connections with alumni and other mentors in support of career development. Refer students for in-depth mentoring in these and other areas.
- Monitor, track, and provide regular updates on the retention, progression, and campus and community engagement of all students within the caseload. Use appropriate technology, data, and strategies to support university persistence, retention and four-year graduation goals.
- Participate in on-going training and development, including a Life Design Community of Practice that encourages constant professional development and identifies opportunities to enhance BGSU’s Life Design framework. These opportunities may include assisting in designing and refining the graduation plan and assisting with various assessment activities related to all aspects of the department.
- Collaborate with colleagues across campus, and especially the Division of Diversity and Belonging, to create an inclusive environment that acknowledges the unique needs of students, including neurodiversity, marginalized and historically underserved students including students of color, first-generation, LGBTQ+, and international students.
- Other and additional duties and responsibilities as assigned, including participating in staff meetings, on-going training and development, recruitment activities, and various work groups and committees.
Knowledge, Skills or Abilities
- Embodiment of the core values of the life design department: inclusion, curiosity, collaboration, and courage
- Demonstration of life design mindsets: curiosity, reframing, reflecting, taking action, and collaboration
- Critical thinking skills
- Active listening skills
- Compassionate and caring attitude toward working with students
- Effective in working with diverse populations
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Ability to interact well with students, parents, faculty, administrators and other members of the campus and community
- Knowledge of or ability to learn design thinking concepts, student development theories, and career development theories
- Understanding of the functions of an institution of higher education, including academic and student affairs
- An understanding of student learning outcomes associated with the completion of general education curriculum and baccalaureate/liberal arts degree
- Knowledge of all degree programs offered at BGSU (can be learned on job)
- Knowledge of University academic policies and procedures as well as support services (can be learned on the job)
- Knowledge of computer applications including but not limited to: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, People Soft/CSS, student success software, various learning management systems, and an ability to learn and adopt other technologies
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree required. Successful candidate must have Master’s degree conferred at the time of application.
The following experience is required:
- Minimum of one to two (1-2) years of relevant work experience (can include 2 years graduate assistantship experience) with preference given to experience in advising, counseling, teaching, facilitation, or coaching in a secondary or higher education setting with preference given to experience in advising, counseling, teaching, facilitation, or coaching.
Preferred Qualifications
The following experience is preferred:
- Experience in an educational setting
- Certification or experience in life coaching, success coaching, or academic coaching and/or career development
Salary
Full-time, Administrative staff position available. Administrative Grade Level 354. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. Full benefit package available.
For best consideration, applications must be received by: March 10, 2021. To learn more about Life Design and this innovative and transformative professional opportunity, please visit our website: https://www.bgsu.edu/life-design/employment-opportunities.
To Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter which includes an expression of interest, summary of qualifications, and examples of how you have engaged others in diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or belonging work.
For a complete job description & to apply for this position visit https://bgsu.hiretouch.com/ or contact the Office of Human Resources at (419) 372-8421. BGSU. AA/EEO/Disabilities/Veterans. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Bowling Green State University, please call 419-372-8421.