Assistant Director of Student Activities for Identity and Belonging

About the role

The Assistant Director of Student Activities for Identity and Belonging advances the mission and strategic priorities of the Student Activities Office (SAO) by providing strategic leadership, advocacy, and comprehensive advising for approximately 90 student organizations focused on culture, identity, religion, and gender. This position plays a critical role in enhancing the student experience by designing, implementing, and facilitating educational initiatives, training, and dialogues related to inclusive excellence, belonging and engagement for student leaders and organizations.

Reporting to the Associate Director for Student Activities and Civic Engagement, this role serves as a subject matter expert in fostering inclusive student environments and navigating complex dialogues around inclusive excellence, belonging and engagement via developmentally appropriate organizational practices. A key architect of the student experience, the Assistant Director bridges the SAO and University identity centers to ensure holistic support, cultivating collaborative partnerships and ensuring coordinated, integrated advising for student organizations affiliated with these centers.

Beyond advising, the Assistant Director is responsible for advancing departmental diversity and inclusion strategy by designing educational initiatives, managing risk for high-impact events, and facilitating professional development that empowers student leaders as socially responsible stewards. This position ensures operational continuity and provides strategic support to the Multi-Partial Team.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership, advocacy, and comprehensive advising for approximately 90 student organizations focused on culture, identity, religion, and gender.
• Design, implement, and facilitate educational initiatives, training, and dialogues related to inclusive excellence, belonging, and engagement for student leaders and organizations.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in fostering inclusive student environments and navigating complex dialogues around inclusive excellence, belonging, and engagement.
• Bridge the SAO and University identity centers to ensure holistic support and coordinated advising for affiliated student organizations.
• Advance departmental diversity and inclusion strategy by designing educational initiatives and managing risk for high-impact events.
• Facilitate professional development that empowers student leaders as socially responsible stewards.
• Ensure operational continuity and provide strategic support to the Multi-Partial Team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Social Justice Education, or a related field required plus a minimum of 3 years of experience in event planning or program development, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Social Justice Education, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in an academic setting is strongly preferred.
• Experience in crisis management or responding to student activism/protest is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated commitment and success working in a multicultural environment with a critical understanding of social justice issues in both student and workplace settings.
• Experience supervising and coordinating students strongly preferred.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends as required.

Skills

• Proficiency in navigating high-stakes conversations and facilitating dialogue across difference.
• Knowledge of principles, practices and theories of student leadership and development; understanding of the cultural, social and educational needs of students developing in leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience developing systems and structures that center inclusive excellence, belonging and engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to creatively and efficiently solve problems, using sound judgment, assuming ownership of a problem, and resolving challenges in a collaborative manner.
• Ability to use qualitative and quantitative data to tell the story of student belonging and organizational success.
• Demonstrated organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends as required.
• Agility and familiarity with latest software, database systems, and computer literacy.