Ombudsperson bei Awe

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

Job Description:

Job Title: Ombudsperson

Reports to: Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Position Type: Part-Time

FLSA Classification: Non - Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Who We Are

Founded in 2021, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is a nonprofit, four-year MD program that will enhance traditional medical education with the arts, humanities, and whole health principles. The school’s culture embraces self-care to empower students to care for their own well-being as well as their patients’. The school’s state-of-the-art medical education facility is in Bentonville, Arkansas on the Crystal Bridges campus, home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Heartland Whole Health Institute. The school has been granted preliminary accreditation status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

About The Position

Ombudsperson is a confidential, independent, and neutral resource for medical students seeking guidance on resolving academic, interpersonal, or institutional concerns. Serving as a trusted and impartial advisor, the Ombudsperson helps students navigate complex situations, understand their options, and explore informal solutions outside of formal grievance or disciplinary channels. This 0.50 FTE role focuses exclusively on the medical student population and supports a culture of respect, professionalism, and fairness in both academic and clinical environments. The Ombudsman reports to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Meet one-on-one with medical students to listen to concerns related to academic challenges, mistreatment, interpersonal conflict, communication breakdowns, ethical dilemmas, or perceived unfair treatment. Ensure a safe, nonjudgmental, and confidential space to discuss sensitive matters.
• Help students interpret institutional policies, codes of conduct, and procedures. Provide context around their concerns and offer guidance on potential next steps without prescribing specific actions.
• Offer informal resolution strategies such as conflict coaching, communication planning, or mediated dialogue. When appropriate, facilitate structured conversations between students and faculty, staff, or peers to address misunderstandings and reach mutual understanding.
• Refer students to appropriate campus and clinical support resources, including academic advising, mental health counseling, Title IX coordinators, disability services, and compliance officers, as needed—while maintaining confidentiality.
• Identify recurring or systemic concerns affecting student wellbeing or learning environments. Provide de-identified summaries of trends to institutional leadership to inform improvements in policy, practice, or climate.
• Promote awareness of the Ombudsperson's role and the principles of confidentiality, neutrality, and informality through participation in student orientation, workshops, wellness events, and student communication channels.
• Operate in accordance with the standards of practice and ethical principles set by the International Ombuds Association (IOA), including confidentiality, independence, neutrality, and informality.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master’s degree in conflict resolution, counseling, higher education, or a related field required
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in higher education, counseling, health professions education, or conflict resolution required
• Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with discretion required
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and emotional intelligence skills
• Cultural humility and sensitivity to the diverse experiences and backgrounds of medical students
• PhD, or other terminal degree preferred
• Certification or eligibility for certification as a Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP®) preferred
• Familiarity with the academic and clinical pressures of medical education, and relevant policies (e.g., FERPA, Title IX, ADA, LCME standards)
• Experience in working directly with medical students or graduate/professional learners preferred

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, position requires sitting at a desk and utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time and good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching, and physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed part-time (Monday-Friday, 20 hours weekly) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some local travel will be required, and a flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.