Assistant Director, Parent and Family Programs

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

4d•$82,008 - $92,004•Hybrid

About The Position

The Academic and Student Affairs Team has an exciting opening for an Assistant Director for Parent & Family Programs. This is a full-time permanent position. The Assistant Director for Parent & Family Programs (PFP) advances the University of Washington’s mission by designing and executing a comprehensive parent and family engagement strategy that strengthens student success, builds lifelong institutional affinity and expands philanthropic participation. This role integrates engagement, communications and data-informed outreach to move families from initial connection to sustained involvement as advocates, volunteers and donors. This position reports to the Director of Parent & Family Programs and works to strategically integrate broad-based advancement and engagement programs as a member of the Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) and Student Life teams. The Assistant Director is a key operational partner to the Director, leading the day-to-day delivery of PFP's family engagement, communications and donor stewardship work. They drive execution of UW's signature family engagement moments — including UW Family Weekend, Family Orientation, Sendoffs, Bid Day, Student Previews and Husky Giving Day — and translate engagement into measurable advocacy, volunteerism and philanthropic participation across the student lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree AND three years of experience in engagement within higher education, non-profit, external relations, public affairs or related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing, implementing and scaling programs aligned with organizational priorities.
Strong relationship-building skills with a track record of cultivating, stewarding and sustaining effective partnerships across diverse constituencies.
Proven ability to succeed in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and navigate ambiguity with sound judgment.
Excellent interpersonal, communication and customer service skills; able to engage stakeholders and resolve differences constructively.
Experience supporting families or stakeholders in emotionally complex, time-pressured, or sensitive situations with discretion and care.
Familiarity with Workday and university procurement processes, or comparable systems.
Experience working in cross-functional teams and contributing to shared goals.
Strong organizational, administrative and budget management skills, with the ability to manage high volume of work with attention to detail and adaptability.
Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for all, aligned with UW Values.
High degree of integrity and professionalism, including the ability to maintain confidentiality and model ethical standards.
Knowledge of family engagement, development and advancement principles.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and execute events such as UW Family Weekend, Bid Day, Washington Warmup, Sendoffs and Student Previews in partnership with campus colleagues.
Lead operational execution of annual giving initiatives for Parent & Family Programs in collaboration with ASA Advancement.
Develop and deliver broad-based engagement for parents and families.
Lead family communications and digital content including the Parent Insider newsletter, welcome and onboarding email series, blog content and uw.edu/parents pages (including seasonal visiting guides and event landing pages for Admitted Families, Family Weekend and Commencement).
Collaborate with the Director to ensure content aligns with UW brand and accessibility standards.
Serve as the internal Constituent Relations Office (CRO) and attend related meetings and other engagement opportunities, such as the Engagement Summer Session.
Build scalable engagement models that increase participation across the student lifecycle.
Partner with Advancement colleagues to align family engagement strategy with annual philanthropy goals and campaign priorities.
Own day-to-day donor stewardship operations on behalf of the Director — including acknowledgment, donor segmentation, data integrity and reporting.
Manage vendor, facility and supplier agreements, contracts, invoicing and fulfillment, ensuring compliance.
Oversee registration processes and logistics for PFP-sponsored programs that support unit-based partners, including occasional evening and weekend event management.
Manage and report on all PFP-related budgets.
Evaluate program effectiveness using both qualitative and quantitative data and develop actionable recommendations for improvement.
Analyze constituency and parent/family data to develop segmentation reports that inform targeted engagement strategies.
Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve operational efficiency across engagement initiatives.
Troubleshoot registration systems, event logistics and vendor relationships to ensure a seamless participant experience.
Identify and resolve operational and programmatic challenges related to large-scale events, communications and stakeholder coordination.
Navigate competing priorities across units, resolving conflicts to maintain alignment, ensure timely execution and support successful outcomes.
Lead the recruitment, selection, training, supervision and evaluation of student employees, staff and volunteers, as appropriate.
Partner closely with the UW Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program to align efforts, coordinate participation, and enhance collaboration opportunities.