| Description |
Position Title:
Student Affairs Manager (SAM)
Program Focus:
Costa Rica is currently undergoing a period of rapid economic and social change. As this resource-rich, wonderfully biodiverse country continues along a path of rapid development, it is increasingly influenced by global policy such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and foreign markets. Costa Rica's economy has shifted from one based chiefly on agriculture to one driven by ecotourism and technology exports. At the same time, rapid rural-to-urban conversion is straining natural resources in ecologically fragile areas. The country is at a critical juncture as resource management decisions are being made in an effort to keep pace with competitive global markets. Our goal is to study different development and resource management models that protect the biodiversity of Costa Rica's ecosystems while promoting socioeconomic benefits for its people.
Location:
The SFS Center for Sustainable Development Studies - Atenas, Costa Rica
Reports to
Center Director
Start Date:
June 23, 2014
Duration:
This position is for a 1 year contract beginning late June 2014. The SAM must be available to travel to SFS headquarters in Beverly, Massachusetts for one week of training at the end of June, before departing to their center.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Under the oversight of the Center Director, the SAM, as an individual and as a member of the Center faculty/staff team, will assist in the following areas:
Student Affairs
- Deliver in-country orientation and ongoing training to students in the areas of community building, critical thinking, cross-cultural issues, conflict resolution, self-awareness, communal living, and health and safety
- Act as a resource to students on their program-related and personal needs
- Facilitate communication within the student group and between staff and students
- Preemptively monitor and address individual student and group attitudes and behavior
- Keep the Center Director informed of potential problems
- Participate in resolving group management issues and student discipline problems
- Facilitate establishment and support of student committees
Safety & Risk Management
- Take responsibility for the safety of all program participants
- Adhere to, actively model, and enforce all school-wide and Center rules and polices
- Coordinate incident reporting system and on-site safety audits
- Ensure that incident information and reports are provided to SFS headquarters
- Submit a Risk Management Plan to SFS headquarters prior to field trips
- Participate in the review and revision of Center risk assessment and management plans
- Coordinate the Center’s emergency plans, including for evacuation and fire safety
- Recommend and review policies and procedures needed to manage risks
- Coordinate the safety and health portions of the on-site orientation
- Maintain all land-based medical kits and safety supplies
Community Outreach
- Work with Center faculty/staff to develop and implement community outreach activities
- Arrange recreational programming for students within the local community
- At all times, work to ensure good relations between the Center and local community
- Organize and facilitate guest speakers from the community
Program Support
- Coordinate and communicate scheduling of program to students as needed
- Participate in training activities for new Center staff prior to and during the program
- Provide periodic reports, marketing materials, and student input to SFS headquarters
- Participate in preparation of final reports and Center field preparation guide revisions
- In cooperation with other Center staff and as delegated by the Center Director, provide day-to-day coordination of interns
- Participate in planning activities prior to program start and in review post-program
- As requested by the Center Director, assist with other logistical, group management, and administrative tasks
Daily Center Life
- Live on-site for the duration of each program period and take meals with students
- On a rotating basis, take responsibility for Center-specific staff of the day duties
- Ensure that all staff understand the responsibilities of the staff of the day role
- Take part in, and occasionally lead, Center upkeep projects, social, and field activities
- Serve as Center caretaker during program breaks as requested by the Center Director
- Drive standard transmission vehicles as needed
Qualifications:
- Ability to receive Costa Rican work authorization required
- Clean driving record and able to operate manual transmission vehicles
- B.A./B.S. required
- Functional command of Spanish (Panama and Costa Rica Centers ONLY)
- Extensive group and student facilitation experience
- Significant experience living, working, or studying internationally
- Background in experiential educational programming
- High emotional and cross-cultural intelligence
- Experience with crisis and risk management
- Accustomed to working long hours in remote environments with limited resources
- Ease with living communally and using shared facilities
Preferred Qualifications:
- College-level study of international education
- Experience living, working, or studying in the country or region of Centre
- Familiarity with navigating medical resources in developing countries
- Background in wilderness, travel, or tropical medicine
- Student and residential affairs experience in higher education
Other Expectations:
- Wilderness First Responder certification required by start date (SFS reimburses up to a cap)
- Willingness to work flexible hours and live on site at the field station with a small team of permanent staff, groups of US undergraduate students and visiting researchers or programs
- Participate in the residential campus activities and community outreach
- Represent SFS at local and international conferences
- At all times, work to ensure good relations between the SFS and the local community
Compensation/Benefits
Salaried, travel and health insurance reimbursement, room & board, and excellent benefits package included.
To Apply: Please submit your application and resume online. For full consideration please apply by March 31, 2014.
Any questions regarding the position should be directed to jobs@fieldstudies.org. No phone calls please.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
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