Assistant Director, Civic Engagement | Arcadia University

Bryn Mawr College; Glenside (PA); On-site; GBP 53,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Arcadia University seeks an Assistant Director of Civic Engagement to help shape the university's community relationships and student engagement. You will be a founding member of the Strategic Partnerships and Alumni Engagement team, developing opportunities for students, community partners, and the university to collaborate for social impact.

The role includes advising Civic Scholars, coordinating engagement activities, teaching/co-teaching, and assessing program outcomes to drive strategic

Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience working with college or high school aged students in higher education, K-12, or with volunteers or program participants in community-based organizations.
• Experience developing and maintaining relationships with students, volunteers, community partners, government, campus partners, or other constituents.
• Demonstrated success managing community engagement programs, events, and initiatives.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel as needed for community programs and events.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for community partners hosting Arcadia students as volunteers and Federal Work-Study employees.
• Advise Civic Scholars and lead planning and delivery of co-curricular learning experiences.
• Co-teach or teach up to one 4-credit course related to the role.
• Develop and assess student learning outcomes related to community and civic engagement programs.

Skills

Relationship building

Project management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

The Assistant Director of Civic Engagement is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of community engagement at Arcadia University. As a founding member of the new Strategic Partnerships and Alumni Engagement team, this individual will help build relationships, expand opportunities, and imagine innovative ways for community partners, current students, and the University to connect and create meaningful social impact. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Director will strengthen existing community partnerships while cultivating new ones, develop engagement strategies with colleagues across campus and academic departments, and expand opportunities for students and community partners, including through community-based work-study. The role will advise Civic Scholars as they engage in community service, advocacy, activism, and social impact work, while supporting their progress and leading assessment of the program. This is an ideal opportunity for a creative, entrepreneurial, and relationship-focused professional who is energized by building something new and wants to help define what meaningful community engagement can look like at Arcadia-strengthening connections, expanding opportunities, and creating pathways for students and community partners to shape the University’s future.

Essential Functions:

External Relationship Development:

• Serve as the primary point of contact and resource for community partners that host Arcadia students as volunteers and Federal
• Work-Study employees, and in some instances internships.
• Develop ongoing and varied opportunities that connect students with community partners through service, internships, Federal Work-Study, and project-based engagement.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive database of community partners, contacts, opportunities, and engagement activities.
• Serve as a primary liaison between community partners, government partners, and the University, including leading Arcadia’s NextSteps AmeriCorps partnership.
• Participate in community-university networks and meetings, including the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND).

Advising and Teaching:

• Provide annual advising to Civic Scholars and other interested students, establishing individualized plans and measurable goals related to academics, service, advocacy, and professional development that fulfill program requirements and advance students’ educational and professional goals.
• Lead the planning and delivery of co-curricular learning experiences for Civic Scholars and other interested students in collaboration with colleagues and students.
• Co-teach or teach up to one, 4-credit course related to the content of the role.
• Develop and assess student learning outcomes related to community and civic engagement programs and experiences.
• Plan and implement educational components that support students’ engagement with community-based organizations.

Student Programming and Outreach:

• Serve as a point of contact for prospective Civic Scholars and prospective NextSteps AmeriCorps mentors and mentees.
• Coordinate the Civic Scholars admissions process, including application review and engagement during regular admission, pre-orientation, and orientation.
• Plan and execute events and programs at varying scales, from small-group leadership and community-building experiences to large, university-wide initiatives, including the Day of Service during new student orientation.
• Lead Arcadia’s campus-wide get-out-the-vote initiative, Arcadia Votes, in collaboration with campus stakeholders.
• Contribute to Arcadia START (Students Taking Active Responsibility Together), the pre-orientation program for Civic Scholars and other interested students, in coordination with other pre-orientation experiences.
• Coordinate ongoing community-building experiences for Civic Scholars and other interested students.
• Work with the Director and colleagues across the Division to create and maintain an annual calendar of predictable engagement opportunities for students and community partners.
• Collaborate with Divisional staff to integrate local and global programming through resource sharing and collaborative programming.
• Serve as a representative on campus committees and working groups, as appropriate.

Data Management and Assessment:

• Assist with Divisional strategic and annual planning processes.
• Work with the Director to manage priorities and budgets.
• Develop, administer, and summarize mid-year and year-end program evaluations, connecting findings to University initiatives and strategic priorities.
• Maintain systems for documenting and monitoring Civic Scholars’ progress and program participation.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience working with college or high school aged students in higher education, K-12, or working with other volunteers or program participants in community-based organizations
• Experience developing and maintaining relationships with students, volunteers, community partners, government, campus partners, or other constituents.
• Demonstrated success managing community engagement programs, events, and initiatives.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel as needed for community programs and events.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience teaching and designing syllabi.
• Experience with CRM systems.
• Experience managing projects and bringing new initiatives from concept through implementation.

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated alignment with Arcadia’s Lived Values.
• Exceptional relationship-building and networking abilities necessary.to collaborate effectively with administrators, faculty, staff, students, community partners, volunteers, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to stay organized and on track, and to manage complexity.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing needs, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Exemplary skills in planning, coordinating, and executing quality events.
  Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple University departments.
• Strong customer service orientation and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace applications.

Arcadia University is a top-ranked private University in Greater Philadelphia that provides a values-based, authentic educational experience by placing students at the center. The Institute of International Education has consistently ranked Arcadia first in the nation for study abroad, and the Princeton Review has ranked Arcadia among the “Best in the Northeast” for 10 consecutive years. The University’s graduate programs in Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Education, and Public Health are nationally ranked in their respective categories by U.S. News & World Report, which cites Arcadia for being among the top study abroad programs and a top performer for social mobility. Arcadia is home to a close-knit and welcoming community that supports students throughout their journey. Arcadia’s quality academic programs, unique approach to a liberal arts education, and supportive community guide students toward degree completion and career success. Learn more about our vibrant community at www.arcadia.edu .

We welcome candidates who can contribute to the excellence of our community. The successful candidate will demonstrate examples of ways they will incorporate our values in their work.

At Arcadia University, our Lived Values are the foundation of our highly regarded, values-based learning community, which reflects the world in which we want to live. As such, Arcadia actively seeks and welcomes candidates who embrace those values. Arcadia prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, age, gender identity, military or military veteran status, disability, family medical or genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic. All offers of employment are conditional based on the successful completion of a background check. Employment may not begin until the University accepts the results of the background check.

Arcadia offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, generous tuition benefits for employees and their families, retirement benefits, health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.