Assistant Dean, Graduate Student Life

Santa Clara University•Santa Clara, CA

1d•$115,200 - $143,987

About The Position

The Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life is a leader within Santa Clara University’s Dean of Students Office and the primary campus leader responsible for identifying and implementing enhancements to graduate student life. The role provides strategic oversight and day-to-day leadership in collaboration with the schools and colleges and the Provost’s Office. The Assistant Dean leads short- and long-term planning, establishes goals and assessment efforts, advises and supports the Graduate Student Association, and collaborates on implementing recommendations from the Fall 2025 Graduate Student Working Group. The position reports directly to the Dean of Students, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice Provost for Graduate Programs. The Assistant Dean provides university-wide leadership and advocacy for graduate and professional students, coordinates their access to campus support services, and responds to student well-being and conduct concerns. The role oversees graduate student organizations, the Graduate Student Association’s operations and finances, and the Graduate Student Hub. It also supervises graduate student life programs, supports collaborative communications, represents graduate student needs to university leadership, participates in an on-call rotation for critical incidents, and contributes to assessment, reporting, policy development, and other Dean of Students Office work. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 8–10 years of progressively responsible work in an academic setting, including experience developing, implementing, and evaluating programs focused on graduate student success. A master’s degree and supervisory, crisis response, risk assessment, and Title IX-related experience are preferred. The role is based in a typical indoor office environment, with regular computer use and possible travel around campus or to conferences and training sessions. Evening and weekend work may be necessary, and on-call coverage provides 24/7/365 response availability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in higher education administration, college student services, education, counseling, or a related field.
8–10 years of progressively responsible work in an academic setting.
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and evaluating programs, specifically those focused on graduate student success.
Knowledge of the Jesuit mission of the University, its strategic initiatives, and major developmental issues of graduate students.
Understanding and support of Jesuit education and its values of service, community, and diversity, together with the ability to serve the needs of a diverse campus community.
Organizational skills, including time management and project completion.
Oral and written communication skills, including experience delivering workshops and speaking to groups of various sizes.
Commitment to internal and external customer service.
Competence working with students from different cultural, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Experience with technology, database management, social media, and digital communication.
Ability to cultivate collaborative relationships with internal and external constituencies.
Ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and promptly with diverse stakeholders.
Sound judgment and professional discretion and integrity when handling confidential and sensitive information.
Ability to manage projects of varying complexity from inception through implementation and assessment with minimal supervision.
Ability to work independently, prioritize, and remain flexible.
Flexibility to work beyond conventional business hours, including evenings and weekends when necessary.
Ability to meet the position’s essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Prior supervisory experience.
Master’s degree in higher education administration, college student services, education, counseling, or a related field.
Experience serving as on-call staff providing 24/7 crisis response.
Experience building community and addressing student safety and well-being in graduate student settings.
Experience assessing risk of harm to self or others, with training from the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment or a similar professional organization.
Experience responding to sexual violence and working with Title IX compliance.

Responsibilities

Provide university-wide leadership in assessing and addressing graduate and professional student issues and needs.
Advocate for and conduct outreach to graduate students across the University’s graduate programs.
Serve as the primary university liaison for graduate and professional student support services and collaborate with relevant university units.
Provide advice, support, referrals, and conduct-hearing services for graduate student well-being and conduct matters.
Support and oversee graduate student organizations, including compliance with University policies and community standards.
Create, launch, and advise the Graduate Student Association.
Supervise operations of the Graduate Student Hub, including staffing, protocols, supplies, and event scheduling.
Supervise the Graduate Student Association’s financial processes, monitor budgets, advise its Financial Director, and authorize expenditures.
Collaborate with school and department program directors on graduate student programs and student needs.
Supervise Graduate Student Life programs, including orientation and student formation programs as requested by graduate programs.
Identify collaborative communications opportunities across graduate programs and promote consistency in student handbook policy notices.
Represent graduate student needs to the Provost’s Office through the Vice Provost for Student Life and the Vice Provost for Graduate Programs.
Connect Graduate Student Life programs, initiatives, and services to the institutional strategic plan.
Collaborate with the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of the Provost to track and implement recommendations from the Fall 2025 Graduate Student Working Group.
Participate in the Dean of Students Office on-call team, providing response, support, direction, and communication during critical incidents, and help review and update on-call protocols and policies.
Develop and participate in initiatives, services, programs, working groups, task forces, committees, and the annual Graduate Student Services Bootcamp.
Assess graduate student needs and satisfaction, including administering a Graduate Student Experience Survey.
Represent Graduate Student Life on University committees and working groups, including behavioral evaluation and academic liaison teams as requested.
Assist Dean of Students Office colleagues with student conduct and CARE Referral caseloads when needed.
Supervise student assistants, including recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance oversight, and task assignment.
Recommend and implement improvements to services and processes, maintain contact with graduate students and solicit feedback, prepare annual and requested reports, and develop guidelines supporting graduate student life.