Associate Director of Student Involvement and Orientation

University of California; New York (NY); On-site; USD 67,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-campus housing including utilities

Job summary

University of California is hiring an Associate Director of Student Involvement and Orientation in New York. This key role involves leading student engagement programs and orientation initiatives, providing critical support and advising for diverse student organizations.

The ideal candidate should have 3–5 years of relevant experience, exceptional organizational skills, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive campus. A competitive salary range of $67,000–$72,000 annually is offered, alongside housing arrangements.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in student affairs or related areas.
• Strong organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable campus community.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and assessment of orientation programs.
• Advise student organizations and leaders.
• Coordinate major campus events for student engagement.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Event management

Job description

Associate Director of Student Involvement and Orientation

Job Title Associate Director of Student Involvement and Orientation

Job Description

Position Overview

The Associate Director of Student Involvement & Orientation serves as a key operational and programmatic leader within the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership (OSIL). Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Student Involvement and Leadership, this position supports student engagement, orientation programs, leadership initiatives, and campus involvement efforts through the coordination and implementation of major campus programs, student organization advising, and OSIL operations.

The Associate Director leads the co‑curricular and operational components of orientation and new student transition initiatives while collaborating closely with the First‑Year Experience (FYE) team, Residential Life, and campus partners across Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. The role provides direct advising and supervision to Orientation Leaders, OSIL student employees, graduate assistants and/or student leadership advisors, and undergraduate student leaders connected to the Committee on Student Life (COSL) and the Sarah Lawrence Activities Council (SLAC). The position also helps ensure the smooth daily functioning of OSIL initiatives, student engagement efforts, and campus‑wide programming.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is anticipated to be approximately $67,000–$72,000 annually and is commensurate with experience.

A one‑bedroom on‑campus apartment, including utilities, is provided as part of the compensation package for this live‑in position. Live‑in staff members are required to sign a Housing Agreement outlining the terms of use and occupancy of Sarah Lawrence College housing accommodations.

Primary Responsibilities

Orientation & Transition Programs

The Associate Director leads the planning, implementation, and assessment of Pre‑Orientation, New Student Orientation, Transfer Orientation, Resource Fairs, and Welcome Week initiatives. The role coordinates orientation logistics and supports student onboarding and transition initiatives throughout the academic year while collaborating closely with campus partners to ensure a coordinated and student‑centered transition experience.

• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate Orientation Leaders and student transition staff connected to orientation and engagement initiatives.
• Coordinate orientation schedules, staffing, communication plans, event logistics, and implementation efforts across campus partners.
• Support ongoing first‑year and transfer student transition and belonging initiatives in collaboration with the First‑Year Experience (FYE) team and Student Life offices.
• Collaborate with campus partners across Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to support a seamless orientation and transition experience for new students.

Office of Student Involvement & Leadership (OSIL)

The Associate Director supports the day‑to‑day functioning of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership (OSIL) through student organization advising, campus engagement initiatives, orientation implementation support, and supervision of student leadership staffing structures connected to OSIL operations and programs.

• Advise undergraduate student leaders, organizations, and governance groups including Class Presidents, the Committee on Student Life (COSL), the Sarah Lawrence Activities Council (SLAC), and selected student organizations.
• Coordinate and support campus traditions and engagement initiatives including Welcome Week, Family & Friends Weekend, Winter Carnival, Senior Week, Late Night Breakfast programming, and other major campus‑wide events connected to student involvement and engagement.
• Supervise Orientation Leaders, OSIL student employees, Graduate Assistants, and/or Student Leadership Advisors connected to student engagement, leadership initiatives, and campus involvement operations.
• Support communication management, student‑facing operations, GryphonLink/Anthology Engage processes, student organization administration, and office‑wide engagement initiatives.
• Assist with budget tracking, purchasing processes, event logistics, and donor‑supported student engagement funds (including donor funds (Cora Kaye Wilson, Siegel Fund, Tovah Feldshuh) connected to OSIL initiatives and student programming.
• Maintain working knowledge of the Undergraduate Student Handbook, Student Organization Manual, and OSIL policies, procedures, and community standards while helping to ensure student organizations operate in compliance with College expectations.

Additional Responsibilities

• Co‑manage email inboxes and assist with inquiries from different stakeholders
• Serve on divisional committees, campus workgroups, and collaborative planning teams as assigned in support of Student Life and institutional initiatives.
• Assist with departmental assessment efforts, student engagement reporting, program evaluation, and data collection related to orientation, student involvement, and campus engagement initiatives.
• Support special projects connected to student involvement, orientation programs, leadership initiatives, student staff development, and campus‑wide engagement efforts.
• Participate in the Student Life secondary on‑call rotation, responding to student concerns, community needs, and campus emergencies during assigned coverage periods (typically 2–3 weeks per semester).
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Dean of Student Involvement and Leadership in support of OSIL operations, student engagement priorities, and divisional initiatives.

Physical and Cognitive Requirements

• Moderately sedentary, involving periods of sitting and computer use.
• Frequent verbal and written communication required.
• Capacity to organize and synthesize detailed information.
• Occasional standing/walking/lifting.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 3–5 years of experience in student affairs, student engagement, orientation, leadership development, residence life, campus programming, or related higher education areas required.
• Strong organizational, communication, relationship‑building, and event management skills, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities in fast‑paced student‑facing environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and student‑centered campus community.
• Availability for evening and weekend responsibilities throughout the academic year, including participation in the Student Life secondary on‑call rotation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising graduate assistants, orientation leaders, student employees, and/or student leadership staff in higher education or student engagement settings preferred.
• Familiarity with Anthology Engage/GryphonLink or similar student engagement platforms, along with experience supporting assessment efforts, communications, and operational planning preferred.
• Experience supporting student leadership development initiatives, leadership models, curriculum design, and emotionally intelligent leadership practices preferred.
• Familiarity with residential liberal arts college environments, live‑in Student Life operations, strong organizational and administrative skills, and possession of a valid driver’s license for occasional College‑related travel preferred.

EEO Statement

Sarah Lawrence seeks to recruit and retain a diverse administration, staff, and faculty. Every job opening is seen as an opportunity to increase diversity, and every effort will be made to expand the applicant pool in accordance with these goals. (Please see our Nondiscrimination Policy .). For information on Sarah Lawrence College, our curriculum, teaching methods, and philosophy of education, please see our website at: https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/ .