Assistant Director, College Events and Family Engagement
The University of Chicago

Job Info

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Department

College Dean of Students in the College

About the Department

The College Dean of Students

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of College Events and Family Engagement helps to create a stronger sense of community and affinity to the College and the University throughout the students' college experience and serves as the primary contact and resource for parents and families of students in the College. Working closely with College Programming and Orientation leadership, other campus offices, and student planning committees, the Assistant Director of College Events and Family Engagement leads the development and implementation of parts of various programs and events such as College Kick Off/Academic Opportunities Fair, Senior and graduation related programs, and other signature College programs.

In addition, this position will serve as the lead for all Family Weekend programming, work collaboratively to support parent and family initiatives taking place within the University of Chicago Orientation umbrella, and be the point of contact for parent and family communications and engagement platforms. The Assistant Director of College Events and Family Engagement will be responsible for serving on campus-wide committees and additional projects as assigned.

Responsibilities

• Champions the voice of parents and family members of UChicago students through strategic partnerships with campus leaders, which includes identifying needs, researching and analyzing trends and external benchmarks, and developing feedback mechanisms to administer a vision for the College parent and family experience.
• Oversees the implementation of the University of Chicago Family Weekend and parts of one or more of the following: Senior Week and Convocation programs, College Kick Off/Academic Opportunities Fair, College Signature Events, and other relevant College committees and events.
• Serves as the College Programming and Orientation liaison to CampusESP, the parent and family portal vendor, which involves maintaining the ongoing vendor contract, serving as contact for platform usage, development of portal content, posting approval, management of communications, membership recruitment, assessment of usage, data retrieval and application, and planning for improvements and future usage opportunities.
• Coordinates event logistics for assigned programs including registration, travel arrangements, ordering buses, reserving space, catering, negotiating contracts and purchasing, budget management, and event website
• Manages marketing materials for events within portfolio; includes writing, editing, and overseeing the production and distribution of event publications; works with students and designers to develop and maintain information flow.
• Completes project evaluation, program assessment, and data tracking.
• Works closely with various offices on campus; including Alumni Relations and Development, Campus and Student Life, Career Advancement, Center for Leadership and Involvement, College Academic Advising Office, College Admissions, College Center for Scholarly Advancement, College Dean's Office, Housing and Residence Life, University Community Service Center, Study Abroad, Center for Identity and Inclusion, and others, to plan and execute programs, communications, and information distribution relative to the parent and family experience.
• Serves as a member of the College Programming and Orientation staff for the planning and development of various office programs and assist with other projects and duties as assigned.
• Provides guidance and direction to student staff members' project work and evaluates staff members' performance/provides constructive feedback.
• Coordinates with the students and staff to develop activities, programs, and initiatives related to student life, and/or community involvement. Develops and implements straightforward programming.
• Advises, supports, and recommends concepts for programming to leaders of various organizations and programs.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in higher education/college student personnel or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years professional work experience in higher education.
• Event planning and facilitation.
• Background working with the parents and families of college students.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency in Mac and PC environments.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, and online organizational tools.
• Familiarity with Adobe graphic design/web development environments.
• Specialized knowledge of college student development and event planning.

Preferred Competencies

• Oversee and direct highly detailed concurrent projects with competing priorities, in a time sensitive, efficient manner.
• Works independently exercising sound judgement, reasoning, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Takes initiative, thinks creatively, and produces outcomes on own drive without detailed oversight.
• Maintains confidentiality/discretion at all times related to students, faculty, and staff and responds effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Manages stressful situations with diplomacy, tact, and good humor; possesses conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
• Commands strong interpersonal, analytical, management, and organization skills.
• Demonstrates creation and implementation of results-oriented programs and initiatives for student success and retention.
• Create and implement program/initiative assessment.
• Demonstrates experience in collaboration among colleagues and/or departments.

Working Conditions

• Some evening and weekend work.
• Fast-paced environment.
• Lift up to 30 lbs.
• Push carts with up to 40 lbs. of material.
• Sit at a computer for 4-6 hours.
• Periodic walking to other campus locations.
• Climbing up to 5 flights of stairs.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, which is to include your interest in this position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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