Director of Student Engagement

Overview:
Who We Are:

 

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and asks how do we become more “student ready” so that we may better serve our students. We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our community works hard in the service of students and supports one another like a family. 

 

What We Offer:

 

At National Louis University we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Benefits.

 

What You Will Do:

 

The Director of Student Engagement plays a pivotal role in fostering a vibrant and engaging campus life at the university. This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing a wide range of student activities and organizations, helping to facilitate each individual student’s personal and professional growth. The incumbent serves as the advisor to the NLU Student Assembly and Campus Activities Boards, the programming lead for remote students and provides direction for all registered student organizations. The Director for Student Engagement provides collaborative leadership for campus annual traditions such as welcome weeks and new student orientations. The incumbent also contributes to campus committees such as commencement, student awards and recognition, and student leadership.  The role involves supervising and mentoring staff, managing budgets, and collaborating with various campus departments.  A significant aspect of this role is also to strategically increase student participation rates in student affairs activities and programs, thereby fostering greater student involvement, leadership, and community engagement. 

Essential Responsibilities:
Leadership and Organizational Management

Provides leadership, strategic vision, organization and administrative oversight of the following functional/program areas: student clubs and organizations, student activities, mentoring programs, greek life, mascot activities, spirit & annual traditions, & honor societies..

Oversee the hiring, training, evaluating and supervising of staff, including the Assistant Director of New Student Programs, Student Engagement Manager, and student engagement assistants. Focus on building a team skilled in enhancing student involvement and interaction.

Oversee all aspects of registered student organizations, including Greek Life, NLU Student Assembly and Campus Activities Boards. Ensure these organizations contribute effectively to the overall student experience.

Oversee the implementation of strategies to increase student participation rates in student affairs programming, organizations, and activities including managing the Eagle Bucks incentive program, student involvement related communications, holding involvement related information sessions, and coordinating communications through the division's social media accounts and campus bulletin boards.

Programming and Events

Lead the planning and coordination of student affairs major/signature student events such as Welcome Weeks, Homecoming Week, and New Student Orientations.

Provide guidance and oversight to boards, clubs and organizations engaged in programming.

Serve as the programming lead on the student affairs team for online/remote student engagement.

Design and implement an intramural sports program that leverages community partnerships.

Assist with planning and execution of commencement activities including providing leadership of the commencement fair and honors recognition. 

Budget and Resource Management

Oversee the operations of the student den and lounges on all campuses.

Oversee the implementation, maintenance, and further development of the division’s student engagement platforms, ensuring they serves as an effective tool for student communication, community building, activity tracking, and resource sharing.

Manage the budget for the Office of Student Engagement and Student Organizations.

Oversee the Eagle Bucks Program.

Oversee product sales in the student lounges.

Assist clubs and organizations with resource management.

Other Administrative

Develop and conduct assessment plans and reports.

Serve as a member of the student affairs leadership team.

Participate in college committees and campus-wide initiatives.

Contribute to university and divisional annual planning efforts.

Additional related tasks and responsibilities as assigned by university leadership, adapting to changing needs and strategic priorities.

 

Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Student Affairs, Higher Education, or related area required; Master’s degree preferred.

5-7 years of progressive, professional staff experience in one or more of the following areas: student engagement, student activities, student organizations, student leadership, experiential learning or event planning.

3-5 year of previous managerial/supervision experience required.

3-5 years of demonstrated experience in planning, coordinating, and executing large-scale events and programs, including cultural, recreational, and/or educational events.

Demonstrated experience in managing vendor relationships, particularly with technology or student engagement platforms.

Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, and assessing student programs and activities.

Demonstrated experience with various technology platforms, including but not limited to Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Team, social media, etc.

Detail Orientation/Quality Focus: Has established a track record of producing work that is highly accurate, demonstrates attention to detail and reflects well on the organization. Is personally committed to high quality work and encourages others to have similar standards.

Ethics, Integrity, and Values: Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to do what is ethically "right". Consistently tells the truth unless doing so would violate confidentiality or compromise the safety or privacy rights of students or others. Behaves in a manner fully consistent with stated intentions and commitments, even when there is no one to witness activities.

Team Orientation: Establishes an environment that creates incentives for, and eliminates barriers to, a team environment. For example, articulates common goals, communicates how individual roles contribute to team success, provides both clear direction and sufficient resources while removing or reducing obstacles to team success.

 

NLU Inclusion Statement:

 

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

 

Special Instructions:
Please Include the following along with your application:
- Resume (Required)
- Cover Letter (Required
NLU Employees please also submit an Internal Posting Form

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