Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs- Student Life - (497143 )

University of Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Houston seeks a senior leader to provide strategic direction for student programs and facilities across the Student Center, Center for Student Involvement, and related units. The role emphasizes vision, data-informed planning, and cross-department collaboration to advance student success and engagement.

You will oversee governance, risk, budgeting, and staff development while partnering with faculty, administration, and student organizations to create an inclusive campus

Qualifications

• Requires mastery of leadership, strategy and program oversight in higher education.
• Formal education: Master’s degree required; Doctorate preferred for senior leadership.
• Experience: 7+ years in higher education or student affairs with supervision and budgeting.
• Security: university-wide policies and compliance knowledge may be necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and coordination for student programs and services across multiple centers.
• Lead strategic planning, assessment, and data-driven decision making for student life units.
• Drive student engagement strategies to improve retention, belonging and career readiness.
• Promote a safe, inclusive campus environment and responsible risk management.
• Guide budget development and financial stewardship in collaboration with unit directors.
• Recruit and mentor directors and staff, fostering innovation and accountability.
• Represent the university on policy boards and committees as needed.
• Collaborate with academic affairs, finance, and student organizations.
• Oversee facilities management and capital projects within student life operations.
• Support university communities through cross-unit partnerships and communications.
• Ensure compliance with policies and university standards across all units.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budgeting

Assessment

Staff supervision

Education

Master's degree

Doctorate preferred

Job description

Department: Student Center Salary: Commensurate with Experience/Education

Description

Provides strategic direction, leadership, and coordination forstudent programs, services and facilities and contributes to theuniversity goal of creating an environment that fosters studentsuccess. Areas of oversight include Student Center, Center forStudent Involvement, Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life, A.D. Bruce Religion Center, Center for Student Media, Center forStudent Advocacy & Community, and University CareerServices.

• 1. Provides leadership, strategic vision, organization andadministrative oversight of campus-wide programs, services, andoperations designed to facilitate and support the personal,academic, and co-curricular development of a highly diverse studentpopulation in the areas of student life through the effectivemanagement and supervision of the following units: Student Center,Center for Student Involvement, Center for Fraternity &Sorority Life, A. D. Bruce Religion Center, Center for StudentMedia, Center for Student Advocacy & Community, and UniversityCareer Services.
• 2. Facilitates and oversees strategic planning, assessment, anddata-informed decision making for all units within the student lifeportfolio, utilizes quantitative and qualitative metrics toevaluate student learning, program effectiveness, studentengagement, and divisional impact on student success.
• 3. Leads the development and implementation of student engagementstrategies that contribute to student success, retention,persistence, sense of belonging, career readiness, andpost-graduation outcomes.
• 4. Promotes a campus environment that fosters student engagement,community building, belonging, leadership development, civicresponsibility, and holistic student growth.
• 5. Provides executive leadership regarding risk management,emergency preparedness, behavioral intervention, crisis response,and policy compliance affecting student life operation andprograms.
• 6. Champions innovation and organizational effectiveness byidentifying emerging trends, technologies, and best practices thatenhance student engagement, operation efficiency, studentcommunications, and service delivery.
• 7. Establishes collaborative relationships and partnerships withacademic affairs, administration and finance, universitydepartments, student organizations, community members, and otherstakeholders regarding student life initiatives for students,faculty, and staff.
• 8. Demonstrates a keen understanding of business operations andorganizational systems, processes, departments, and functions thatenhance desired outcomes. Coordinates and collaborates with theunit directors and the Business Services Division Administrator todevelop budgets, monitor expenditures, and ensure effectivestewardship of finances and resources.
• 9. Provides managementsupport to unit directors and other staff regarding facilitiesmanagement and facilities construction.
• 10. Recruits, develops,mentors, and evaluates directors and professional staff whilefostering a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration,and continuous improvement.
• 11. Serves as an ex-officio member of the University Center PolicyBoard, A.D. Bruce Religion Center Policy Board and the StudentPublications Committee. Serves as the advisor to the StudentGovernment Association, Executive Branch. Serves as a member ofother university committees as assigned.
• 12. Performs other job-related duties as required.

MQ: Education: Requires a thorough understanding of boththeoretical and practical aspects of an analytical, technical orprofessional discipline; or the basic knowledge of more than oneprofessional discipline. Knowledge of the discipline is generallyobtained through a formal, directly job-related Masters degree froman accredited university or college, or an equivalent in-depthspecialized training program that is directly related to the typeof work being performed. Preferred: Doctorate degree fromaccredited university or college. Experience: Requires a minimum ofseven (7) years of directly job-related experience. Preferred:Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadershipexperience in higher education or student affairs, includingsupervision of professional staff, strategic planning, budgetadministration, assessment, and management of complexstudent-facing operations. Certification/licensing: None

All positions at the University of Houston-System are securitysensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are EqualOpportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.