Assistant Director, Community Engagement & Leadership

Socket.dev; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Brandeis University seeks an energetic Assistant Director of Community Engagement & Leadership to connect student learning with leadership, service, and community impact. You will design meaningful experiences, advise emerging leaders, and collaborate with partners to bring signature programs to life on campus and beyond.

The role emphasizes safe, equitable engagement, grant-writing interest, and mentoring professional staff, with evening/weekend commitments as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with 3–5 years in higher education, student affairs, or related field.
• Commitment to social justice and inclusive student experiences.
• Ability to advise, mentor, and supervise students and staff.

Responsibilities

• Create experiences that connect Brandeis students with leadership and service opportunities.
• Advise student leaders and organizations; develop leadership programs.
• Build relationships with faculty, staff, student groups, and community partners.
• Oversee risk management, compliance, and accessibility of programs.
• Manage budgets, coordinate events, and contribute to strategic planning.
• Supervise staff and interns, fostering an environment for growth.

Skills

Student leadership

Community engagement

Service

Social justice

Program development

Event management

Communication

Risk management

supervision

Grant writing

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

None

Job description

Help students turn their values into action. Build leaders. Strengthen communities.

At Brandeis University, we believe education extends far beyond the classroom. We are seeking an energetic, creative, and collaborative Assistant Director of Community Engagement & Leadership to help students connect what they learn with how they lead, serve, and make a difference in the world.

This is an opportunity for a student affairs professional who is passionate about student leadership, community engagement, service, and social justice to design meaningful experiences that inspire students to become thoughtful leaders and engaged citizens.

As a key member of the Student Engagement team, you will create programs, advise emerging leaders, cultivate community partnerships, and bring signature service experiences to life, including VolunteerFest, MLK Day of Service, the Commitment to Service Awards, and peer-to-peer mentoring.

The hiring range for this position is $63,400 - $75,400.

What You Will Do

Create Experiences That Matter

Lead and develop high-impact community engagement and service initiatives that connect Brandeis students with opportunities to serve, lead, and create positive change. You will have primary responsibility for signature programs including:

• Community Engagement Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program
• VolunteerFest
• MLK Day of Service
• Commitment to Service Awards
• Celebration of Service
• Service & Leadership Pre-Orientation programming
• Alternative Break and other community-engaged experiences

Develop the Next Generation of Student Leaders

Advise student leaders and organizations, develop co-curricular leadership programs, and help students translate their experiences into leadership skills they can carry into their careers, communities, and lives.

Build Bridges Between Campus and Community

Develop strong relationships with faculty, staff, student organizations, and community partners. Serve as a connector who helps students find meaningful ways to contribute while strengthening Brandeis University relationships with the broader community.

Champion Safe, Equitable, and Accessible Engagement

Oversee the policies, processes, and risk-management practices that support student participation in community-engaged experiences. You will ensure that programs are thoughtfully designed, inclusive, accessible, and aligned with University expectations, including volunteer compliance, transportation, liability waivers, and other required documentation.

Turn Ideas Into Action

Manage program budgets, support strategic planning, coordinate events and initiatives, and contribute to divisional and University-wide efforts. You will have the opportunity to bring creativity and innovation to the way Brandeis engages students in leadership and service.

Invest in People

Supervise and mentor professional staff, graduate assistants, undergraduate student employees, and interns, creating an environment where others can learn, grow, and do their best work.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking someone who brings energy, curiosity, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to student development and community engagement.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Have a bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in higher education, student affairs, community engagement, leadership development, service-learning, nonprofit work, or a related field.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to social justice, community engagement, and inclusive student experiences.
• Know how to build authentic relationships with students and help them turn ideas into meaningful action.
• Bring strong program development, event management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Are comfortable balancing big-picture thinking with the details required to make programs successful.
• Have experience advising, mentoring, or supervising students and/or staff.
• Can navigate risk management, policies, procedures, and compliance with sound judgment and a student-centered approach.
• Thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy working across departments and with community partners.
• Are comfortable managing multiple priorities, budgets, deadlines, and stakeholders.
• Bring creativity and a willingness to experiment with new approaches to student engagement.
• Have grant-writing experience or an interest in developing that skill. Grant-writing experience is preferred.
• Hold a valid driver's license and are eligible to be insured by the University.

A master's degree in higher education, student affairs, community engagement, or a related field is preferred.

Why This Role Matters

This is not simply a programming position.

It is an opportunity to help students discover what they care about, how they can contribute, and who they can become as leaders.

Whether you are helping a student find their first service opportunity, advising a student leader through a challenging moment, connecting a student organization with a community partner, or bringing hundreds of students together for a day of service, your work will help make the Brandeis experience more meaningful and advance a University deeply committed to social justice and positive change.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you believe that leadership is learned through experience, service can change communities, and students thrive when they are given meaningful opportunities to lead, we would love to hear from you.

Join Brandeis University and help turn student passion into purpose-and purpose into action.

This position requires some evening and weekend work to support student programs and events.

Pay Range Disclosure

The University's pay ranges represent a good faith estimate of what Brandeis reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience and education/training, internal peer equity, and applicable legal requirements.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability, caste, military or veteran status or any other category protected by law (also known as membership in a "protected class").