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Associate Director Of Specialty Certification Relations 🔥


About NASPA

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. We serve the diverse needs of our community, from vice presidents of student affairs to undergraduate student leaders considering a career in the field. Founded in 1919, NASPA includes more than 15,000 members in all 50 states, 29 countries, and 8 U.S. Territories. Guided by the principles of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and inquiry, we are dedicated to empowering our members to realize their full potential and to cultivating student success in collaboration with our institutional members, who represent every sector of higher education. NASPA centers justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work; read more about our commitment [1] here.

The position is housed organizationally within the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification (The Consortium), which is operationally connected to NASPA for several functional areas. The Consortium supports and strengthens the student affairs profession and individual student affairs educators through offering certification credentials beginning in 2022. The Consortium is a collaboration among ACUHO-I, ACUI, AFA, ASCA, NACA, NASPA, and NIRSA dedicated to promoting and advancing the student affairs field in higher education.

About the Position 

The Associate Director (AD) of Specialty Certification Relations is responsible for managing all aspects of specialty area certifications, including in campus activities, college unions, collegiate recreation and well-being, fraternity and sorority life, housing and residential life, and student conduct. The AD serves as the primary point of contact for all specialty area certifications; manages inquiries, materials, and records for specialty certification applicants and certificants; communicates directly with testing vendors; liaises with partner associations; and manages specialty area marketing and communications.

The AD collaborates with the Executive Director to ensure the continued development and management of the Consortium policies and procedures. Supporting certification governance, policy development, and advisory groups are integral to this position’s responsibilities.

Essential Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary contact for facilitating all tasks supporting the development, implementation, operation, maintenance, and management of specialty area certifications. 
  • Process and evaluate certification applications and documentation to determine eligibility in accordance with current certification standards and policies.
  • Manage workflow and tasks effectively in the certification management system, prioritizing time-sensitive tasks first and completing work within pre-established time frames.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate database records in the certification management system for applicants and certificants. Ensure data integrity, document management and control, and consistent processing and business rule application to all certification records in the certification management system.
  • Serve as the primary contact for specialty area certification with the Consortium’s testing vendor.
  • Provide proactive and ongoing communications and guidance to applicants, certificants, and/or association partners via telephone, web conference, or in writing.
  • Develop and deliver consistent specialty area certification communications, information, materials, and physical and electronic collateral. Manage specialty area certification information on webpages and marketing efforts.
  • Conduct educational and informational activities for different audiences to educate and inform on topics related to certifications, including at conferences and professional development events.
  • Provide guidance and answer inquiries about certification maintenance policies.
  • Resolve applicant and certificant issues and complaints using consistent messaging and referencing standards, policies, and procedures.
  • Support the establishment of the certification governance structure and the work of various governance and advising groups on issues that pertain to certification, including in specialty areas.
  • Provide supplemental support to general student affairs educator certification.
  • Assists with all-team projects and participates actively in staff meetings and projects.
  • Other activities, duties, and responsibilities as assigned to support the association. 

Reports To:

Executive Director, Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification

Qualifications

  • Baccalaureate degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
  • Experience working within a non-profit association certification setting (understanding of ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation policies and procedures is preferred).
  • Minimum of four-to-five years professional experience including project management and/or administration of professional certification programs or products.
  • Strong writing skills and ability to communicate in an effective, collegial, and timely manner.
  • Strong customer service orientation and skills; ability to interact with applicants, certificants, stakeholders, governance bodies, and volunteers across various levels.
  • Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
  • Experience with marketing and communications.
  • Experience with data entry and data management; experience with certification management system preferred.
  • Experience in volunteer/committee management.
  • Ability to work both autonomously and collaborate effectively across internal departments and with external stakeholders to achieve mission and goals in a collegial and timely manner.
  • Ability to effectively organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks to ensure timely and accurate results.
  • Ability to travel out of state and overnight as needed (anticipated 3-4 times per year).
  • Experience working in and/or professional familiarity with a higher education setting preferred.

Employment Status:

Full-time Exempt: Exempt employees by definition are exempt from overtime compensation requirements of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, and are required to work as the job demands on a no time limit basis. 

Office Location/Working Conditions/Physical Requirements 

Office Location

  • This position may be based anywhere in the contiguous 48 states. 

It is the employee’s responsibility to provide reliable internet capabilities for any work location outside of the Washington, D.C. office.

Please note, the NASPA Washington, D.C. Office is in partially-open status at this time, with all staff members who wish to spend time or work in the D.C. Office required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Travel 

Occasional overnight travel to represent NASPA at events, on college and university campuses, and in-person meetings is an essential function of this position. Locations vary and can include sites outside of taxi service from major airports. As a result, the position is required to have the ability to travel independently, including air travel, navigating ground transportation, and occasionally driving a rental car. 

Please note, NASPA staff members who wish to travel on behalf of the Association are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Physical Requirements

  • This position is primarily office-based with primary work on a computer, including phone, email, and video conferencing.
  • Responsibilities occasionally may require an adjusted work schedule, overtime, and evening/weekend hours in order to meet deadlines and support events and programs. 
  • This position will be required to routinely pack and unpack program materials for shipment, which will require pulling, pushing, lifting, and moving boxes weighing up to 50 pounds. 
  • This position will be required to coordinate on-site event execution, which may include moving furniture and other items, navigating event spaces, and communicating verbally with venue staff. 

Additional COVID-19 Information

Vaccination is not a requirement for employment. However, staff members who are unable to be vaccinated because of a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, or those who are unable to or choose not to be vaccinated for any other reason, will not have the option to spend time or work in the D.C. Office, attend in-person Association-related meetings/events, or participate in any other Association-related travel while this policy is in effect. Job duties related to these activities will be conducted remotely where possible or reassigned as necessary.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination Statement 

It is NASPA’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. NASPA does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, gender identity, gender expression, affectional or sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, genetic information, educational status, political affiliation, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making, or any other basis protected by state or federal laws in its hiring decisions and practices. When necessary, NASPA also makes reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. 


  1. https://www.naspa.org/about/equity-and-justice

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