ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Central Michigan University; Mount Pleasant, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI is seeking an Assistant Director of Student Engagement to advise and educate students and Registered Student Organizations, guiding identity development and active learning within MASS and the Division of University Engagement and Student Affairs.

This role supports campus collaboration on engagement, recruitment, retention, progress, and completion initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; fields such as education, psychology, social work/sociology, leadership, human development or related area preferred.
• Three years of professional experience in program development, advising/counseling, community engagement or equivalent.
• Experience advising undergraduates and guiding their participation and growth in learning.
• Commitment to inclusive excellence across the academic, personal, intellectual development of all students, faculty and staff.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to coordinate initiatives between units, offices, divisions, organizations, and communities.
• Ability to establish learning outcomes and assess program effectiveness.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team environment.
• Ability to work in a self-directed manner to meet due dates and manage multiple tasks.
• Willingness to work occasional nights and weekends.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, Adobe, Canva, Articulate, Teams/WebEx/Zoom.

Responsibilities

• Oversees planning, design, marketing, implementation, and assessment of campus-wide programs, events, cultural celebrations, and community service endeavors.
• Creates educational programs that foster learning around issues related to social location and identity.
• Serves as a resource person, advisor, advocate, and mentor for students.
• Fosters and maintains relationships with campus and community partners in providing services that support student retention, well-being, and academic/professional growth.
• Analyzes institutional data related to issues that impact the student experience.
• Provides data and assessment reports/presentations to divisional leadership.
• Maintains detailed project records including outcomes and recommendations.
• Evaluates programming and responds to evolving needs.
• Contributes to department/office operations and strategic planning.
• Serves on campus committees and attends events; some evening programs.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Advising undergraduates

Communication skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Cultural competence

Project management

Time management

Self-direction

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe

Canva

Articulate

Teams/WebEx/Zoom

Job description

Position Information

Posting Number S-3824

Position Number 78180

Type of Recruitment External

Position Title ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Position Summary Reporting to the Director for the Office of Multicultural Academic Student Services (MASS), the Assistant Director of Student Engagement contributes to the overall mission of the MASS Office by providing advisement and education to students and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs). This position supports students through the exploration of identity development and fosters an active learning environment that enhances their awareness on the ways culture informs community and personhood. The assistant director provides support for MASS and the Division of University Engagement and Student Affairs with cultural programming that aligns with divisional goals. The assistant director also collaborates with campus partners on student engagement, recruitment, retention, progress, and completion initiatives. Further, they are responsible for various levels of academic support, post‑secondary education preparation, student retention, and advocacy programs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in education, psychology, social work/sociology, leadership, human development or related area.
• Three years of professional experience focused on program development, advising/counseling, community engagement, or equivalent combination of education and experience in the areas listed above.
• Experience with advising undergraduates, including directing their participation and observing their growth in learning.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence as it relates to the academic, personal, intellectual development of all students, faculty and staff.
• Demonstrated experience with cultivating a culture of creativity, care, and concern.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage highly effective and engaging verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating initiatives between different units, offices, divisions, organizations, and/or communities.
• Ability to establish learning outcomes and assessing program effectiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a team environment.
• Ability to work in a self‑directed manner to meet due dates and to manage multiple tasks and activities.
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends.
• Experienced proficiency with software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe, Canva, Articulate, and Teams/WebEx/Zoom.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferably in Latin American studies, higher education, social work, leadership, student affairs/personnel, human development and family studies or a related area of study.
• Experience with program development and mentoring initiatives.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, student support and student development.
• Knowledge of graphic design and statistical software.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversees the planning, design, marketing, implementation, and assessment of campus‑wide programs, events, cultural celebrations, and community service endeavors.
• Creates educational programs that foster learning around issues related to social location and identity.
• Serves as a resource person, advisor, advocate, and mentor for students.
• Fosters and maintains relationships with campus and community partners in providing services that support student retention, benefit student health and well‑being, and provides opportunities for academic and professional growth.
• Analyzes institutional data related to issues that impact the student experience.
• Provides data and assessment reports and/or presentations that highlight relevant departmental accomplishments, challenges, opportunities and recommendations to divisional leadership.
• Maintains a detailed record of projects including workplans, student outcomes, and recommendations, where applicable.
• Evaluates programming and responds to evolving needs.
• Contributes to department/office operations and strategic planning and investigates/shares best practices to advance services, efficiencies, communication plans and initiatives.
• Serves on various campus committees, panels, and events. Performs related responsibilities as required.
• Conducts and attends some evening programs.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Supervision Exercised

None.

Employee Group

Professional & Administrative -Salary

Pay Range

$46,000 - $53,000

Division

University Engagement and Student Affairs

Department

Multicultural Academic Student Services

Employment Status

Full-Time

FTE

1.0

Position Type

12 month

Weekly Work Schedule

Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed

Location

Mount Pleasant, MI

About the Department

Multicultural Academic Student Services (MASS) supports the academic success, well‑being, and graduation of multicultural students by providing culturally responsive programs, mentoring, advocacy, and community‑building that promote persistence, engagement, and holistic development.

About CMU

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student‑athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid‑American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small‑town living with big‑city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

CMU Culture & Leadership

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

Equal Opportunity

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Posting Ends

Open Until Filled Yes

Supplemental Questions

• * How did you first learn of this job opportunity? Please list the specific advertising source or indicate if it was word of mouth.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Are you currently an internal employee of CMU according to the university's definition?
  • Yes
  • No
• * If yes, to which employee group do you belong? (If not applicable, select "Not Applicable").
  • Not Applicable
  • Dispatcher
  • Medical Faculty
  • Office Professional
  • P&A, SO or Faculty
  • Police
  • Public Broadcasting
  • Sergeant
  • Service Maintenance
  • Supervisory/Technical
• * Do you have at least a bachelor's degree, preferably in education, psychology, social work/sociology, leadership, human development, or a related area?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have at least three years of professional experience focused on program development, advising/counseling, community engagement, or equivalent combination of education and experience in the areas listed above?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have experience with advising undergraduates, including directing their participation and observing their growth in learning?
  • Yes
  • No

Optional & Required Documents

• Required Documents
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae
  • Cover Letter
• Optional Documents
  • Recommendation Letters
  • Other Document (1)
  • List of References

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