Director of Student Experience

About the role

Job Title: Director of Student Experience Department:  Enrollment Management Reports to:  Vice President of Enrollment Management Location:  Residential, In-person Employment Status:  Full-Time Exempt Staff Salary Range:   $120,000 - $160,000 About Palo Alto University (PAU) Palo Alto University is a private, nonprofit university dedicated to advancing human understanding through innovative education, groundbreaking research, and impactful practice in behavioral science. Founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Silicon Valley, PAU offers graduate and undergraduate programs in psychology, counseling, social work, and behavioral science, including the PAU-Stanford PsyD Consortium with Stanford Medicine. Grounded in human dignity, PAU's scholars, clinicians, educators, and learners share a single conviction: that understanding how people think, feel, behave, relate, heal, and make meaning is among the most essential work of our time. The university enrolls over 1,200 students, has a network of more than 4,200 alumni, and employs over 150 faculty and staff united by a mission-driven commitment to advancing human understanding. PAU enters its sixth decade at a defining moment: a new president, a new provost, a bold new vision and strategic plan, and an urgent opportunity to shape how behavioral science responds to the challenges of an increasingly changing world. You will join a mission-driven community with the ambition to make a measurable impact on the human condition. The Role At Palo Alto University, the student experience is not incidental or peripheral to the academic mission. It is integral to it. Students who feel connected, supported, and seen are students who persist, grow, and go on to do the work the world needs. The Director of Student Experience is the leader responsible for ensuring that all our students will grow to become successful and engaged alumni in the future. Reporting to the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Director builds and sustains a vibrant, inclusive student community for both residential and online students. This is not a conduct or compliance role. It is a community-building, connection-making, and student-development role, grounded in the conviction that education transforms when students belong to something larger than their coursework. The Director leads the design and delivery of co-curricular programs, community initiatives, and wrap-around support services that connect students to one another, to the broader PAU community, and to opportunities and resources on and off campus. The role supervises the Office of Student Experience and the Office of Accessible Education, and partners closely with academic affairs, enrollment management, and external organizations to ensure every PAU student has what they need to thrive. Responsibilities Community Building and Student Connection Design and lead a vibrant co-curricular experience that builds genuine community among PAU students, both residential and online, across programs, backgrounds, and life stages. Create programming, events, and initiatives that foster belonging, peer connection, and a shared sense of identity and purpose within the PAU community. Develop intentional strategies for engaging online students in the full life of the university, ensuring distance does not mean disconnection. Build traditions, rituals, and community touchpoints that deepen student affinity for PAU and strengthen the alumni pipeline over the long term. Student Personal and Professional Development Design and implement programs that support the personal growth, leadership development, and professional readiness of PAU students across all programs and career stages. Connect students to mentorship opportunities, professional networks, alumni engagement, and career-adjacent experiences that extend their education beyond the classroom. Partner with academic programs and faculty to integrate student development opportunities into the broader educational experience. Support students in developing the self-awareness, resilience, and interpersonal skills that are central to both professional effectiveness and personal well-being. Wrap-Around Student Support Provide proactive, holistic support that anticipates student needs and removes barriers to persistence, well-being, and degree completion. Connect students to on-campus and off-campus resources, including mental health services, financial wellness support, community organizations, and professional services, ensuring every student knows where to turn. Collaborate with Financial Aid, Admissions, and Academic Affairs to identify students who may benefit from additional support and coordinate timely, coherent responses. Develop and maintain a comprehensive resource guide and referral network that reflects PAU's commitment to the whole student. Accessible Education and Inclusive Support Oversee the Office of Accessible Education, ensuring every student with a disability receives timely, equitable, and legally compliant accommodations and support. Partner with faculty and academic leaders to foster an inclusive learning environment that honors diverse learning needs and accessibility standards. Ensure PAU's policies, programs, and communications reflect a genuine commitment to belonging and full participation for all students. Stay current with best practices in accessibility, universal design for learning, and relevant federal and state requirements including ADA and Section 504. Data, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement Use data and student feedback to assess the effectiveness of programs and services, identify emerging needs, and drive continuous improvement across the student experience function. Develop and track key indicators of student engagement, belonging, and well-being, and share findings with the VPEM and institutional leadership. Partner with Institutional Research to align student experience data with broader enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes. Assess program impact regularly and reallocate resources toward the initiatives that demonstrably improve student connection and success. Team Leadership and Collaboration Lead, develop, and inspire a small, mission-driven team within the Office of Student Experience and the Office of Accessible Education, setting clear expectations for performance, accountability, and student-centered service. Foster a team culture that is warm, creative, equity-minded, and genuinely invested in the lives of PAU students. Build strong partnerships across academic affairs, enrollment management, advancement, and external community organizations to create a seamless and supportive student journey. Represent PAU at professional conferences, community events, and student affairs networks, contributing to the field and bringing best practices back to the institution. First-Generation Student Support Recognize and actively support first-generation graduate students, who navigate the demands of advanced academic life often without the professional networks, institutional knowledge, or family roadmaps that others take for granted. Develop programs, peer communities, and mentorship opportunities specifically designed to build confidence, professional identity, and a sense of belonging among first-generation students at PAU. Connect first-generation students to alumni, faculty, and professional networks that expand their understanding of career possibilities and help them see themselves in the roles they are training for. Partner with academic programs and faculty to raise awareness of the distinct challenges first-generation graduate students face and foster an institutional culture that honors their journey and invests in their success. Build bridges between first-generation students and the practical resources they may not know to seek, from financial wellness support to professional development opportunities to community organizations that understand their experience. Multicultural Student Support and Inclusive Community Design and sustain programs, spaces, and community initiatives that honor the full range of cultural identities, lived experiences, and backgrounds represented in the PAU student body. Develop culturally responsive support and programming that reflects an understanding of how race, ethnicity, culture, language, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of identity shape the graduate student experience. Create intentional opportunities for cross-cultural connection, dialogue, and learning that deepen the PAU community and prepare students for the diverse professional environments they will enter. Partner with faculty, academic programs, and community organizations to advance an institutional culture of genuine inclusion, where every student sees themselves reflected in the community around them. Advocate for the specific needs of historically underrepresented student populations and ensure that PAU's programs, communications, and services are accessible and affirming across all cultural backgrounds. International Student Support and DSO Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO), authorized to support F-1 international students and maintain required student information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Issue and update Forms I-20, advise students on maintaining F-1 status, process eligible Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and other SEVIS requests, provide travel endorsements, and support Optional Practical Training (OPT)-related processes. Monitor student enrollment and status requirements, maintain required records, and ensure timely and accurate SEVIS reporting in compliance with federal regulations and SEVP policies. Advise international students on the full range of immigration-related matters, including program extensions, reduced course load requests, change of status, and reinstatement, in partnership with the Principal Designated School Official. Develop programs and community initiatives that support the belonging, transition, and integration of international students into the PAU community and the broader Silicon Valley environment. Connect international students to on-campus and off-campus resources that address the unique personal, cultural, financial, and professional dimensions of studying in the United States. Veteran and Military-Connected Student Support Serve as a primary point of contact and advocate for veteran and military-connected students, ensuring they receive the recognition, resources, and community they have earned through their service. Connect veteran and military-connected students to VA educational benefits, certification processes, and on-campus and off-campus resources that support their transition to academic life and their long-term personal and professional goals. Develop programs and community initiatives that honor the experience and identity of veteran and military-connected students, foster peer connection among them, and integrate them fully into the PAU community. Partner with Financial Aid, Admissions, and Academic Affairs to ensure veteran and military-connected students navigate enrollment, benefits certification, and academic support with clarity and minimal friction. Stay current with VA educational benefit programs, including the GI Bill and related programs, and ensure PAU's policies and practices reflect the evolving needs and rights of veteran and military-connected students. Housing, Transportation, and Cost of Living Support Develop and maintain a comprehensive resource guide for off-campus housing options, transportation alternatives, and cost-of-living support tailored to the Silicon Valley context, where the financial demands of student life can be as challenging as the academic ones. Build intentional partnerships with local landlords, housing organizations, public transit providers, and community resources to expand affordable options available to PAU students. Proactively connect students to housing and transportation resources at the point of enrollment and throughout their academic journey, reducing friction and financial stress before it affects persistence. Collaborate with Financial Aid to identify students whose cost-of-living challenges may affect their enrollment status and coordinate timely, practical responses including emergency aid referrals where appropriate. Advocate institutionally for policies, partnerships, and programs that reduce the financial burden of studying at PAU, reflecting the university's commitment to access, equity, and student well-being. Qualifications Required Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, psychology, or a related field. Five or more years of progressive experience in student affairs, student life, or student success, with at least two years in a supervisory or leadership role. Demonstrated experience building student community, co-curricular programming, and engagement initiatives across diverse student populations. Experience supporting both residential and online student populations. Strong understanding of student development theory and its practical application in higher education settings. Knowledge of accessibility services and accommodation requirements, including ADA and Section 504. Demonstrated commitment to equity, belonging, and inclusive student-centered practice. Excellent interpersonal, written, and communication skills, with the ability to connect authentically with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds. Experience working with international and veteran students. Ability to work in person on campus as part of PAU's residential leadership culture. Preferred Experience in a graduate or professional school environment, especially within psychology, counseling, social work, or behavioral science. Experience designing programming for online or hybrid student communities. Familiarity with Jenzabar or comparable student information systems. Active involvement in NASPA, ACPA, or other relevant professional organizations. Experience developing off-campus resource networks and community partnerships that support student well-being. Leadership Qualities Genuinely student-centered, with a deep belief that the co-curricular experience shapes who students become. Creative, entrepreneurial, and energized by the opportunity to build a student experience function from the ground up. High emotional intelligence, exceptional relationship-building skills, and the ability to inspire trust among students and colleagues alike. Comfortable with ambiguity, excited by growth, and committed to building something that reflects PAU's values and mission. Integrity, warmth, and an unwavering focus on the dignity and development of every student. Work Hours and Location This is a full-time, residential position based at PAU's campuses in Palo Alto and Mountain View, California. Regular in-person presence is expected and essential to the community-building culture the Director is responsible for creating and sustaining. Occasional evening and weekend availability is required for student programs, events, and community initiatives. Remote work arrangements will not be accepted. Equal Opportunity and Accommodations Palo Alto University is an equal opportunity employer firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and employment practices. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition, disability, or any other status protected by law. As provided by law, PAU will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who are otherwise qualified to perform the essential functions of the position without undue hardship to the university. PAU is committed to building a high-quality work environment that attracts and welcomes employees from a wide range of backgrounds.