Posting Number S-3812
Position Number 72675
Type of Recruitment External
Position Title DIRECTOR / CENTRAL BOUND PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Position Summary
This position provides programmatic and operational leadership for Central Michigan University’s community college partnership initiative, Central Bound. This role is responsible for fostering collaborative relationships across institutions, engaging community college partners, and coordinating with key stakeholder groups to support Central Bound program objectives and student success. The program director plays a pivotal role in supporting the recruitment, retention, and overall academic achievement of program participants, contributing directly to the advancement of the institutional enrollment strategies and academic mission
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree.
Two years of professional experience in a higher education setting.
Experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and shifting timelines.
Experience fostering collaborative relationships with internal and external partners.
Experience working with community colleges.
Proven ability to lead proactively, including driving change, aligning stakeholders, and delivering measurable results.
Familiarity with the student life cycle, particularly the transfer student experience.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly and persuasively articulate complex concepts.
Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
Proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and relevant software, including CRM and student information systems.
Demonstrated understanding of the institutional infrastructure that supports students, including admissions, financial aid, academic advising, and support services.
Ability and willingness to travel for partner meetings and/or events.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Education, Business Administration, or a related field.
Five years of professional experience in a higher education setting.
Experience administering transfer enrollment, early college, or educational partnership programs.
Experience with program assessment, outcomes evaluation, and reporting.
Knowledge of transfer credit evaluation, articulation processes, and related policies.
Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain partnerships with community colleges and co-enrollment programs.
Familiarity with enrollment management strategies and institutional planning.
Demonstrated understanding of articulation agreements, consortium financial aid, and compliance requirements.
Demonstrated understanding of how transfer guides support student pathways, degree planning, and timely completion.
Duties & Responsibilities
Leads, administers, and coordinates all operational aspects of the Central Bound community college partnership program.
Serves as a liaison and institutional representative between CMU and Central Bound partner institutions, facilitating clear communication, alignment of goals, and collaborative problem-solving to support student success.
Collaborates with university leadership to develop and implement annual and long-term recruitment plans and strategies for the degree partnership program.
Initiates, supports, and advances transfer initiatives that position CMU as a transfer-affirming and student-focused institution.
Assists in the coordination and tracking of financial aid consortium packages for Central Bound students to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Partners with CMU student support units and community college stakeholders (i.e. academic advising, admissions, financial aid, registrar, IT, and online student services) to ensure seamless program delivery and student success.
Establishes and maintains effective relationships with partner institution representatives, responding proactively to issues and facilitating ongoing collaboration.
Works with internal stakeholders, including college administrators, advisors, recruiters, and marketing professionals to design and implement effective recruitment, onboarding, and transition strategies for Central Bound students.
Convenes regular meetings with community college partners and key CMU contacts to review program initiatives, progress, and outcomes.
Assesses training needs and provides ongoing professional development support for internal and external stakeholders throughout the academic year.
Collaborates in the development and maintenance of transfer guides and articulation agreements, coordinating with administrative offices as Central Bound program needs evolve.
Manages program assessment and reporting, including preparation of reports or presentations.
Collaborates in the development of onboarding opportunities to ensure positive student experiences.
Assists in managing resources, including budget, staff support, and technology to ensure the effective operation of the Central Bound program.
Remains informed of institutional policies and procedures, monitoring their impact on the program and suggesting recommendations to support effectiveness.
Utilizes data and tracking tools to monitor program enrollment, outcomes, and analyze trends in support of continuous improvement efforts of the program.
Compiles and reports enrollment trends, student demographics, and outcomes for both on-campus and distance learners enrolled in the program.
Ensures compliance with academic regulations and institutional policies, promoting equitable and effective practices for transfer and degree partnership students.
Represents CMU in presentations, discussions, and collaborative initiatives with Central Bound partner institutions.
Supervision Exercised
None.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit letters of recommendation. If you wish to include recommendation letter(s) that are not required, please utilize the Recommendation Letters upload field.
Employee Group Professional & Administrative -Salary
Staff Pay Level
Pay Range $68,000 - $78,000 per year
Division Academic Affairs
Department Innovation & Online
Position Status Provisional
Position End Date 10/31/2028
Employment Status Full-Time
FTE 1.00
Position Type 12 month
Weekly Work Schedule Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed
Location Mount Pleasant, MI
About the Department
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
CMU Leadership Standards
Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.
Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
EEO Statement
CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.
If you wish to see “Know Your Rights ” posters, please click here.
CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.
Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.
CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:
Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: titleix@cmich.edu
Posting Ends
Open Until Filled Yes
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