Director of Ivy Cares

Major Responsibilities:

Program Leadership & Student Success 

• Responsible for the development, coordination, management, and growth of the Ivy Cares Office and its programs and services. 

• Determine needs of student populations and align goals/operation of the Ivy Cares Office accordingly 

• Develop and implement programs, services, and initiatives that address basic needs and other non-academic barriers that may interfere with student success, persistence, and completion. 

• Coordinate programs on campus that increase student access to resources and raise awareness of student needs as well as the impact of poverty, food insecurity, housing instability, transportation, childcare, mental health, trauma, and other external factors on academics, student success, and persistence. 

• Develop strategies to increase awareness and utilization of Ivy Cares programs and resources among students and employees. 

• Facilitate student access to and use of campus and community resources. 

• Promote awareness of the connection between basic-needs security and student enrollment, retention, persistence, and completion. 

Campus and Community Engagement  

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with on-campus departments, local schools, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, foundations, employers, and other community partners to expand resources and support available to students. 

• Serve as a primary representative of Ivy Cares in the community by attending community meetings, events, coalitions, and initiatives related to basic needs, student success, and community engagement. 

• Identify opportunities for collaborative programming, resource sharing, referrals, and other partnerships that strengthen the network of resources available to Ivy Tech students. 

• Collaborate with academic and student support areas, including advising, financial aid, counseling, career services, enrollment, faculty, and other campus partners, to strengthen identification, referral, and support of students experiencing basic-needs challenges. 

Student Support & Case Management  

• Oversee case management and daily operations. 

• Meet with students to conduct intake, develop individual plans, and monitor progress. 

• Maintain and monitor case notes in electronic student record systems 

• Manage case load in a manner that promotes retention, persistence, and student success through proactive interactions and interventions 

• Establish and maintain appropriate referral processes and partnerships to ensure students receive coordinated support across campus and within the community. 

Resource Development & Grant Support 

• Identify grants, sponsorship, and other external funding opportunities that support Ivy Cares programs and priorities. 

• Develop grant proposals, funding requests, progress reports, and other materials in collaboration with appropriate college partners. 

• Cultivate relationships with foundations, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and community partners to identify opportunities for financial and in-kind support. 

• Collaborate with the Ivy Tech Foundation and other institutional partners on external funding and resource development opportunities. 

Operations, Budget & Assessment 

• Manage the Ivy Cares Office’s budget, allocate personnel and fiscal resources, and conduct annual performance reviews of personnel. 

• Establish and maintain appropriate policies, procedures, and operational practices to support effective delivery of Ivy Cares services. 

• Develop and implement assessment strategies to evaluate the reach, effectiveness, and impact of Ivy Cares programs and services. 

• Collect, analyze, and report data related to program participation, student needs, referrals, outcomes, and resource utilization, and use findings to inform program development and continuous improvement. 

• Use student feedback, institutional data, community data, and relevant research to identify emerging student needs and inform Ivy Cares priorities. 

• Maintain accurate records and documentation related to Ivy Cares programs, services, partnerships, and activities. 

Advocacy, Professional Engagement & Collaboration 

• Identify, review, and utilize relevant research on wraparound services and basic-needs security in higher education and maintain current knowledge of best practices. 

• Demonstrate strong commitment to student development and success through advocacy, positive attitude, adaptability, approachability, problem solving, and support. 

• Engage in behaviors that create an inclusive environment in which all people are valued, supported, and respected. 

• Actively participate in professional development opportunities and professional organizations, as well as college-wide committees, etc. 

• Represent Ivy Cares and Ivy Tech professionally with students, employees, community partners, and other external stakeholders. 

• Be an active participant on the AWARE (Behavioral Intervention) Team. 

This is not to be construed as an exhaustive list. Other duties logically associated with this position may be assigned. All responsibilities will be conducted within the parameters of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), other applicable regulatory requirements, and professional standards. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Higher Education, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, or related field required. 

• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, social services, nonprofit management, community engagement, student support, or a related field. 

• Demonstrated experience in developing, coordinating, and managing programs and services that support students, clients, or community members. 

• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple projects. 

• Demonstrated experience in leading diverse teams. 

• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal and external partners. 

• Effective verbal and written communication skills. 

• Ability to collect, interpret, and use data to assess programs, identify needs, and inform decision-making. 

• Ability to exercise independent judgment related to college policies and develop appropriate processes and procedures as needed. 

• Ability to promote an inclusive environment that reflects the broad diversity and backgrounds represented by our students and employees and which every individual feels respected and valued. 

• Ability to represent the college professionally with community partners, external organizations, and other stakeholders. 

• Flexibility to attend meetings/functions after normal working hours. 

• Contribute to a team environment. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Higher Education, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, or related field preferred. 

• Experience working in an educational setting 

• Experience with grant research, grant writing, funding proposals, or other forms of external resource development. 

• Experience developing and managing community partnerships. 

• Experience working with basic-needs initiatives, food insecurity, housing insecurity, emergency aid, or other wraparound services. 

• Experience with program assessment, data analysis, and using data to inform program development. 

• Experience working with foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, government agencies, or other community partners.