Director, McNair Scholars Program

Central Washington University is recruiting a Director, McNair Scholars Program to join our Douglas Honors College team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a 0.9375 FTE (37.5 hours/week) campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $59,068 - $67,928 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the  academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Rent Cafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025.

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here.

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more:
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The Director of McNair Scholars Program provides leadership for CWU's Ronald

E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program. This includes planning, implementing, and evaluating the program designed to increase the number of participants in accordance with the goals, objectives and compliance requirements from the Department of Education. They are responsible for implementing the federally funded project in alignment with approved objectives and Department of Education requirements. The position manages core program functions, including staffing oversight, marketing and recruitment, annual programming, and participant advising to ensure required and permissible services are delivered to eligible students.

The Director manages McNair's fiscal functions and program data systems and prepares documentation and outcome data for inclusion in the annual budget and the Annual Performance Report (APR). Working under the DHC Director's oversight as Principal Investigator, the role ensures that all materials are accurate, complete, and ready for final review and approval before submission.

All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

• Master's degree or higher AND three years of experience in a student-centered, higher education program
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with campus officials, faculty, staff, parents, students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds and experiences.
• Strong written and oral communication to include organizational and administrative skills.
• Experience in program development and evaluation for academic support programs.
• Experience with administrative skills, including budgeting, personnel management, and/or experience writing grant proposals and reports.
• Excellent time management and record-keeping skills.
• Computer skills that demonstrate the ability to use software applications to produce written correspondence, create and maintain spreadsheets, and…