Project Director, ELEVATE Program (82028)

Title III Project Director

Iona University | ELEVATE Project

Reports to the Provost | 12 month appointment | 100 percent effort devoted to Title III

The Title III Project Director is a grant funded position that provides day-to-day leadership and management for Iona University’s ELEVATE project, strengthening academic quality, student success, workforce readiness, and institutional effectiveness through the responsible integration of artificial intelligence. The Director coordinates implementation across all project goals to advance student success systems.

Serving as a hands-on connector, the Director works with academic leaders, faculty, advising, Career Development and other campus and external partners to map existing resources, identify opportunities, and implement coordinated improvements. The position manages project operations, compliance, evaluation, and sustainability, with particular attention to low-income and first-generation students. Successful candidates will have experience in grant management; demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, academic leaders, and student support professionals; knowledge of workforce development, career competencies, and the relationship between academic learning and professional preparation; and the ability to identify students’ academic needs, interests, and skills and collaborate with campus partners to connect students with appropriate supports, credentials, experiential learning, and career opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead project implementation, coordinating personnel, work plans, budgets, procurement, compliance, documentation, and required federal reporting.

• Map academic programs, learning experiences, career competencies, and student supports against project goals; identify gaps and establish shared responsibilities, timelines, and milestones.

• Collaborate with academic departments, Career Development and other partners to connect academic learning with workforce needs through credentials, experiential learning, and employer and community engagement.

• Coordinate grant-supported AI integration and faculty and staff development with responsible academic, technology, and student support offices.

• Partner with student success, Institutional Research, IT, and the evaluator to advance integrated support systems, coordinate data collection, assess outcomes, and guide improvements.

• Convene project partners, monitor progress, resolve implementation barriers, recommend adjustments, and provide regular reports to the Provost and President.

• Develop plans to sustain effective practices, partnerships, and institutional capacity beyond the grant period.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, education, business, workforce development, or a related field, and at least three years of relevant experience in project management, academic initiatives, student success, or institutional improvement.

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate initiatives across departments, map programs or processes, build collaborative relationships, and carry plans through implementation.

• Strong organizational, budgeting, communication, and assessment skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and use data to inform decisions.

• Proficiency with technology and software used for project management, collaboration, budgeting, and reporting.

• Familiarity with higher education platforms, such as Handshake or other career platform, student information systems, learning management systems, and advising or student success tools.

• Ability to use dashboards and data reports to identify student needs, track participation and outcomes, and connect academic learning with career opportunities.

• Working knowledge of responsible AI use in education and workforce preparation, with the ability to learn new systems and collaborate with technical partners.

• Working knowledge of responsible AI use in education and commitment to student access, persistence, and success.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal grant administration; academic and career integration; experiential learning or micro-credentials; educational innovation; and student success or career platforms, dashboards, and outcome reporting

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

About Iona/EEO Statement:

Founded in 1940, Iona University is a private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona is a growing, highly accredited institution located just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan, with campuses in New Rochelle, Bronxville, and a new location in County Mayo, Ireland. With over 4,000 students, Iona offers small classes, engaged faculty, and a wide range of programs across the School of Arts & Science, the LaPenta School of Business (AACSB accredited), the NewYork Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

Recognized by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report, Iona is nationally ranked for academic quality, social mobility, and long term return on investment. The University’s continued growth and rising reputation reflect its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, service, and opportunity.

Iona University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and applicants for employment. Iona is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered free from discrimination based on any legally protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Iona University encourages applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds.