Assistant Vice President, Leadership and Involvement

Southern Methodist University; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Methodist University seeks a creative, collaborative leader to serve as Assistant Vice President for Leadership & Involvement. AVP-LI will provide leadership for a portfolio including Hunt Leadership Scholars, Principled Leadership, Parent & Family Programs, Student Center & Activities, Fraternity & Sorority Life, and Orientation & Transitions.

The successful candidate will help students connect, lead, and thrive in a high‑energy environment, shaping a vision for engagement, equity, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education administration or related field.
• At least 10 years in progressive student affairs leadership.
• Experience leading major student engagement initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead for Hunt Leadership Scholars, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Orientation & Transitions, and related programs.
• Shape vision for student engagement and leadership development.
• Collaborate with faculty and campus leaders across divisions.
• Support staff development and foster inclusive, high-performing teams.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic initiatives

Student affairs

Stakeholder engagement

Interpersonal skills

Data-driven assessment

Staff development

Cross-functional collaboration

Alumni relations

Trust building

Education

Master's degree in higher education administration

Job description

Job Description - Assistant Vice President, Leadership and Involvement (STU00000150)

Job Description

Assistant Vice President, Leadership and Involvement - ( STU00000150 )

Description

Southern Methodist University (SMU) seeks a creative, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as its Assistant Vice President for Leadership & Involvement (AVP-LI). Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs, the AVP-LI will provide leadership for a portfolio that includes the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program, Principled Leadership, Parent & Family Programs, Student Center & Activities, Fraternity & Sorority Life, and Orientation & Transitions. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of student engagement at a university experiencing significant momentum, where institutional leaders are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience and advancing a culture of leadership and engagement. The successful candidate will join a talented team and play a central role in helping students connect, lead, and thrive in one of higher education's most dynamic environments.

Founded in 1911, SMU is a private research university with a focus on global impact, educating more than 12,500 students (approximately 7,500 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate) studying across seven degree-granting schools. Now in its second century, SMU is broadly recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty, staff, and alumni to be ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. Over the last three decades, SMU has expanded its reach and reputation both nationally and globally, enrolling increasingly high-achieving students from all 50 states and 90 countries.

The Division of Student Affairs at SMU plays a central role in shaping a transformative student experience, fostering an environment where students are empowered to thrive academically, socially, personally, and professionally. Guided by a mission to create purposeful learning and leadership opportunities, the division partners across the university to support student success, wellbeing, engagement, and belonging. The collective work of student affairs cultivates the skills students need to become impactful leaders and “world changers.”

The AVP-LI will have the opportunity to shape a vision for student engagement, leadership development, and community building while elevating some of the university's most visible and influential programs in a high-touch environment. The successful candidate will be an innovative and collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced, relationship-driven environment, is adept at navigating multiple stakeholders and competing interests, and brings the vision and courage to lead thoughtful innovation. Equally comfortable engaging students, partnering with faculty and campus leaders, and supporting talented staff, this leader will leverage SMU's extraordinary momentum to create meaningful opportunities for students to connect, belong, lead, and flourish. Above all, the AVP-LI will be deeply student-centered, embracing regular and meaningful engagement with students and ensuring that the student perspective remains at the forefront of planning, decision-making, and program development.

The minimum educational qualifications include a master's degree in higher education administration, student affairs, counseling, or a related field. A terminal degree is strongly preferred. While no one person will embody all of the following, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications, skills, experiences, and personal qualities:

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs in the areas directly related to the portfolio of the AVP-LI, including: fraternity and sorority life, student activities, orientation and family programs, or closely related areas.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic initiatives that advance student engagement, leadership development, belonging, retention, and student success.
• Knowledge of student organization administration, campus event management, risk management practices, and fraternity and sorority life programs and policies.
• Demonstrated success leading complex organizations, supervising professional staff, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and employee development.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, families, alumni, donors, trustees, faculty, staff, and senior leaders.
• Experience navigating complex institutional environments and managing relationships with multiple stakeholders while balancing competing priorities and perspectives.
• Facility in analyzing data to develop and assess programs to drive change and innovation.
• High degree of accessibility and openness to students and demonstrated record of earning and maintaining the trust of the student body.
• Strong interpersonal skills, alongside strong communication and empathy skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to direct student engagement and a track record of building authentic, trust-based relationships with students and student leaders.
• Experience fostering cross-functional collaboration and creating alignment across complex organizations with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Evidence of success developing staff talent, leading professional development initiatives, and cultivating inclusive, high-performing teams.
• Experience partnering with alumni, donors, volunteers, families, and external stakeholders in support of student success initiatives and organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with academic leaders and faculty to integrate co curricular engagement and student learning outcomes.

SMU will not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, education activity, or admissions on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. SMU’s commitment to equal opportunity includes nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The Assistant Vice President for Access and Equity/Title IX Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, including the prohibition of sex discrimination under Title IX. The Assistant Vice President/Title IX Coordinator may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, [e-mail].