Director, Zip Assist

100 The University of Akron; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Akron seeks a Director of ZipAssist to lead student advocacy and support services, overseeing case management, outreach, and partnerships that promote student persistence and success. You will supervise full-time staff, interns, and student workers while guiding programming and grant-funded initiatives such as emergency aid.

You will work with campus partners to triage and intervene for students facing financial hardship, mental health concerns, and academic challenges,

Qualifications

• Requires a relevant master’s degree in higher education or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years progressively responsible post-graduate experience in student services or related fields.
• Experience supervising staff and managing programs are required.

Responsibilities

• Lead ZipAssist staff and oversee full-time staff, interns, and student employees.
• Oversee case management, outreach, partnerships and program development to advance student success.
• Manage budgets, training, documentation, and compliance with university policies.
• Collaborate with campus partners to provide triage, intervention, and ongoing support for students.

Skills

Empathy

Active listening

Public speaking

Project management

Collaboration

Personnel management

Critical thinking

Decisiveness

Consistency

Initiative

Detail-oriented

Innovation

Education

Master’s degree in higher education

Master’s degree in education/leadership

Job description

Job Summary

ZipAssist serves as a student advocacy and support office, intentionally designed to aid students in persistence through intervention, education, and resources. The Director provides leadership of the ZipAssist office and has direct oversight of full-time staff and will assist in the management of office responsibilities. The Director will provide support and guidance to students, parents, faculty, staff, and colleagues related to the holistic wellness of students, policies/procedures, ZipAssist programs, and partnerships with campus or community resources. This position will have administrative oversight of the early alert referral program, Help-A-Zip. This position will guide the vision of the unit while also monitoring case management to ensure student progress toward degree completion and student success. This position will focus on leveraging campus relationships to help students navigate financial hardships, mental health concerns, and academic matters. As part of the ZipAssist portfolio, this person will be responsible for oversight of related programming, services, and partnerships – including Cupboard, Parent & Family Relations, Off-Campus Living & Commuter Resources, Help-A-Zip Referral Program, and related specialized programs such as textbook assistance, OhioReach, childcare assistance, financial literacy education, and the Simmons Hall welcome desk. This position will work directly and alongside several colleagues on campus [Dean of Students, Title IX, Counseling, CARE Team, UAPD, Student Conduct, Residence Life and Housing] to provide triage, immediate intervention and ongoing support of students. This position will be responsible for the hiring, training, and ongoing supervision of full-time staff, interns, and student employees. As the leader of the ZipAssist team, this position will manage grant and donor-funded programs, such as emergency financial assistance/aid [SEFA]. They will ensure detailed records related to case management and financial support grants are maintained by the team and in compliance with University policies. Skills needed to be successful in this role include empathy, active listening, public speaking, project management, collaboration, personnel management, critical thinking, decisiveness, consistency, initiative, detail-oriented, and innovation.

Essential Functions

Case Management & Ongoing Care: 25% This leader will manage a small case load while also being responsible for Help-A-Zip case management, with direct duties connected to mental health, basic needs, financial hardship, and academic concerns. This position will assign, delegate, and manage student concerns and will lead ZipAssist staff to provide remedies and guidance. Outreach/Programming: 35% Ensure quality and effectiveness in all ZipAssist education, outreach, referral, partnership building, strategic development and student success programming. Monitor activities and mitigate problematic scenarios. Develop innovative programming to maximize the availability of ZipAssist services, and is in partnership with campus and community contacts. Deliver high-impact and relevant materials related to the various aspects of the office and must be a skilled facilitator for trainings and information presentations. Deploy highly reliable assessment tools and data analysis methods to evaluate outcomes and achieve unit goals/objectives. Supervision & Leadership: 40% Lead office, including but not limited to full-time staff supervision, budget, project management, program development, office oversight, and training. Review ZipAssist business processes on a regular basis to guarantee consistency and regulatory compliance. Responsible for hiring, training, and daily supervision of unit professional staff, interns, and student assistants. Responsible for directing and monitoring the work of full-time staff, student employees, interns and/or temporary workers. Create or revise associated unit documentation, when necessary. Support students, faculty, administrators and staff with the navigating campus processes. Maintain a thorough and clear understanding of campus policies and federal laws such as FERPA, Clery, Title IX, and Colin’s Law. Respond to inquiries and appeals professionally, judiciously and prudently. Recommend updates, as necessary, to academic policies and University rules that may interfere with student well-being or academic progress and completion. Execute other assigned duties.

Education

Requires a relevant master’s degree in higher education, education, organization leadership, communication, social work, or another relevant field. Preferred: proven success within higher education student support services role such as advocacy, basic needs, financial aid, academic advising, and/or mentorship programs.

Licenses/Certifications/Requirements

Mental Health First Aid Certified, or other relevant mental health certification[s], preferred.

Experience

Requires a minimum of 5 years progressively responsible post-graduate experience in college/university student services, higher education, social work, or other relevant education or case/client/service management environment. Exceptional customer service skills required. Strong communication skills, management skills and relational database capabilities required. Ability to maintain compliance with university, federal and state rules and regulations required. Project or program management experience required. Prior supervisory/leadership experience required. Experience in personnel resource management, training and/or professional coaching preferred.

Leadership

Proven work experience as a team leader or supervisor. Encourage creativity, new program development and risk-taking. Create an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture. Excellent interpersonal, communication, crisis response, and conflict management skills necessary.

Physical Requirements

Job is physically comfortable; the individual is normally seated and has discretion about walking, standing, etc. May occasionally lift very lightweight objects.

Working Conditions

No major sources of working conditions discomfort, standard working environment with possible minor inconveniences due to occasional noise, crowded working conditions, minor heating/cooling or ventilation problems, and/or up to 40% use of PC terminal.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $70,000-$75,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Application Deadline

November 15, 2026.

FLSA Status (exempt/nonexempt)

United States of America (Exempt)

Background Check Statement

The University of Akron is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and employees. The University endeavors to protect the health, welfare and safety of all students, employees and visitors on our campus. As such, all offers of employment with The University of Akron are contingent upon verification of credentials, and satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. Some positions may require additional credit investigation and a pre-employment driving record search.

Non-Discrimination Statement

The University of Akron is an Equal Education and Employment Institution. View our Non-Discrimination Statement for more information. Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

State of Residence Statement

It is the expectation of the University of Akron that all work performed as an employee of the University will be performed in Ohio.

About The University of Akron

The University of Akron empowers our people to flourish by delivering an applied and community-connected educational experience and cultivating research excellence. Leveraging our passion and expertise, we create innovative academic opportunities, support the well-being of our students and employees, and prioritize community embeddedness and engagement to impact lives through transformative experience. Through this focus, UA aspires to be the leader in community-focused higher education. The University of Akron is a lifelong learning partner, recognizing and valuing diverse learning experiences and combining traditional classroom experiences with innovative and robust approaches. We leverage our urban campus as a responsive and reliable partner to identify and meet the needs of the region. We intentionally contribute to economic and workforce development and civic life through research, innovation and engagement to provide community-embedded experiential learning opportunities that will enhance the UA experience for all students. We welcome candidates who are passionate about shaping and inspiring the next generation of thinkers, experts, artists and leaders. For more information about The University of Akron or the Akron community please visit our About UA page.

Benefits

The University of Akron offers a competitive total compensation package comprised of a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid leave of absences including time off for illness, vacation, and maternity or paternity leave. In addition, eligible employees and their dependents are provided tuition remission. All staff and eligible non-bargaining unit faculty have the option to request a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA). The University of Akron participates in state retirement systems and offers alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions. Optional investment opportunities are available including deferred compensation programs (403(b) and 457(b)). Please visit our benefits home page for more information.