Assistant Director of Outreach and Sexual Wellness

This position works with the Center for Awareness, Response, and Education (CARE) to support advocacy, outreach efforts, general prevention and peer education services for undergraduate and graduate/professional students across both campuses who have experienced sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, or other forms of sexual violence. Reporting to the Director of CARE, the Assistant Director is a member of the leadership team, providing strategic direction around advocacy and support services to the department. Some evening hours will be required.  

Please note: Frequent night work. This position does not have on-call responsibilities. 

Pay: The salary range for this Assistant Director position is $66,000 to $68,500 annually, depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Principal Accountabilities:

Communication, Outreach, Recruitment 25%

• Directs program/project marketing/branding efforts. 
  • Create and assist in the creation of resources for survivors, including website content and materials.
• Identifies opportunities and strategies for short- and long-term growth and expansion.
  • Serve as the advisor/coordinator to the student members of Sexual Health and Assault Peer Education (SHAPE) program and complete duties associated with continued development and maintenance of the program including the training of new peer educators and overseeing the program’s executive leadership board. Attend all SHAPE executive board and general member meetings and promote continuing education and community through ongoing trainings and retreats. 
  • Maintain relationships with and connect students to community partners providing counseling and group support or legal and medical advocacy services in the Evanston and Chicago area. Participate in community, state and national committees/task forces that address sexual violence and/or sexual wellness. Act as a liaison to local community agencies associated with response to sexual violence.
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders/leaders on campus to develop and maintain an innovative, coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to reducing sexual violence, increasing sexual health support and assisting survivors. This includes supporting the leadership of the Campus Coalition on Sexual Violence, leadership of the sexual health coalition and participating in other campus committees and task forces. Work closely with the Office of Equity to advocate for trauma-informed processes and policies at Northwestern and participating in campus task forces/committees as needed. 
  • Participate in drop-in hours and tabling on both the Chicago and Evanston campuses to informally reach students and familiarize them with CARE’s programs.
  • Research and development around initiatives and partnerships for increasing student access to sexual health services and resources (i.e., new menstrual products, free Plan B)
• Engages in outreach/field relations serving a number of goals, including recruitment, participation, sponsorship, relationship building, etc. to support continued program/project development and improvement. 
  • Lead marketing and branding efforts: social awareness campaigns, event and program marketing, brainstorming and designing tabling and giveaway items/themes, etc.
  • Lead resource creation: Handouts, brochures, etc. 
  • Lead website editing and updating 
  • Lead social media: Planning campaigns, creating content, managing and increasing engagement (all in conjunction with student worker) 
  • Oversee tabling and drop-ins: Planning, marketing, delivery

Program Development 15%

• Manages goals, objectives, outcome measurements and metrics, financial feasibility, marketing strategies and collaboration opportunities with other internal and external organizations.
• Develops and facilitates trainings and workshops on issues related to interpersonal violence, sexual health and trauma to the NU community through an intersectional lens.

Student Support 15%

• Creates a department strategy for structure, process, and staff support of students.
  • Provide students who are impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, or stalking with support services and advocacy with respect to processing trauma, building coping skills, safety planning, case management etc.
  • Provide confidential support and advising navigating the NU Title IX processes, and other formal or informal processes and resources on or off campus.
  • Support CARE staff in providing trauma-informed support and advocacy services to students by helping facilitate case management meetings and ongoing guidance. Assist with student cases as needed, as well as help manage CARE staff vicarious trauma.
    Organize and facilitate the trauma support groups with sexual health focus, including advertising and recruiting, screenings and intakes, and facilitating weekly sessions.
    Provides students with sexual health consultations helping navigate the understanding of resources, healthy sexuality, navigating sexual shame/stigma etc.

Events 15%

• Plans events that address interpersonal violence, intersectionality, trauma etc. (often in collaboration with campus or community partners) for the NU community.
  • Develop and execute all aspects of campus-wide events focused on sexual health and violence prevention/response
  • Lead and execute all programming and events connected to awareness months (Sexual Violence Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month) Includes: generating themes and identifying needs to be met with programming, finding speakers, budgeting, branding/marketing, logistics, facilitation/event support, liaising/negotiating with external speakers/artists, coordinating staff/student volunteer support

Evaluation 10%

• Manages evaluation processes; recommends and implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.
  • In partnership with the Associate Director and Director, helps lead evaluation projects regarding sexual health and peer education.
• Collaborates with internal/external partners to develop meaningful outcome measurements and methods of program/project evaluation that will lead to enhancement.   
  • Coordinate and facilitate the assessment of prevention and peer education programming and work with the Director to implement continuous quality improvement measures.

Administration 10%

• Oversees and ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective.
  • Coordinate tracking of advocacy services for annual reporting, including paperwork and database processes. 
  • Represent CARE on the Chicago campus as needed and act as a liaison for coalitions, advocacy, and training with the Chicago campus.
• Develops, maintains and reports on quantitative and qualitative performance measures.
• Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner organizations, ensuring that agreements are completed, appropriately reviewed, approved, and adhered to by all parties.

Strategic Planning 5%

• Creates and leads a coordinated program of activities designed to increase program/project objectives 
• Develops and executes strategies to involve internal/external constituents and cultivate new individual, corporate, institutional and/or foundation collaborations.
  • Provide input on strategic planning and vision and ensure objectives are met.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• A master's degree in public health, counseling, social work, student services, higher education administration, gender studies or related field OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience in sexual assault response or related field, preferably in a campus setting.
• 4 years program/project administration or other relevant experience
• Experience in facilitating anti-sexual violence trainings with all diverse populations on topics related to sexual health, rape culture, trauma, and other interpersonal violence issues.
• Completion of ICASA and ICDVP-recognized 40-hour sexual assault and domestic violence survivor advocacy trainings either prior to or within three months of employment.

Minimum Competencies:

• Ability to handle confidential information sensitively and with integrity.
• Ability to use sound judgment when responding to crises.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice, including demonstrated competency in gender identity. 
• Ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders on- and off- campus.
• Knowledge of systems of oppression as they relate to sexual violence.
• Knowledge of sex-positive perspectives as they relate to sexual violence.
• Ability to work with underserved populations, such as male survivors, LGBTQ survivors and international students.
• Awareness of personal boundaries and ability to provide self-care.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience providing sexual assault prevention and education to service providers or higher education professionals. 
• Experience with sexual health advocacy and facilitation of sexual health workshops.
• Experience providing crisis counseling and support or advocacy services to diverse populations of survivors of sexual violence. 

Preferred Competencies:

• Familiarity with Title IX as it relates to confidential advocacy.

Benefits:   At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more Visit us at  to   learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:   Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare, and senior/adult care. Visit us at  to learn more.

Professional Growth and Development:   Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at  to learn more.

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The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.