Assistant Director, Student Engagement, Events & Experiences

PACIFIC UNIVERSITY • Forest Grove, OR

1d • $48,000 - $55,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Events & Experiences provides leadership for signature campus programs, traditions, and experiential opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. This position oversees major campus events, orientation programs, equipment rental services, and transfer student engagement initiatives. The Assistant Director ensures students have access to meaningful experiences, supports collaboration across departments and community partners, and delivers high-quality, engaging programs that enhance student life and foster a connected campus community.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 3 years of experience with event planning, orientation planning, and/or student activities
• Excellent customer service and successful written and verbal communication with a broad and diverse audience in a culturally responsive manner.
• Ability to maintain confidential, detailed records.
• Proficient in the use of common office software, spreadsheets, email, databases, and electronic platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with people in a wide range of roles.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills in problem solving and decision-making.
• Ability to build and sustain rich collaborative relationships with university staff, students, and university partners of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to prioritize and perform multiple projects, track data, meet timelines, respond to others in a timely manner, and work both independently and as a collaborative member of the University with a high standard of integrity and ethics, in support of the University’s strategic vision and the division’s annual goals.
• Able to make independent decisions and recommendations that align with policies, rules, and procedures; ability to ask questions and seek assistance when needed.
• Able to handle a variety of tasks in a fast-paced environment, working independently and/or as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in related field (e.g. higher education, student affairs, recreation management, event management, or similar).
• 4 or more years of experience with event planning, orientation planning, and/or student activities
• Experience facilitating educational workshops about student leadership and/or inclusion-related topics
• Supervision experience
• Spanish language skills/abilities.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate and oversee signature departmental events, including orientations, annual traditions, and other major campus engagement initiatives.
• Lead logistics, budgeting, vendor coordination, and execution of events and experiential programs, including orientation, outdoor adventures, and campus-wide engagement initiatives.
• Partner with campus and community organizations to expand experiential learning and co-curricular opportunities for students.
• Evaluate and assess events and programs to improve quality, student learning and satisfaction, and impact
• Lead undergraduate orientation programs, collaborating with faculty, staff, and student leaders to provide engaging, informative, and student-centered experiences.
• Serve on graduate orientation planning committees, contributing expertise on programming, student engagement, and event coordination.
• Coordinate transfer student programs and engagement opportunities, ensuring connection, access, and community-building for these populations.
• Plan, coordinate, and expand experiential learning opportunities that connect students with the Pacific Northwest’s natural, cultural, and community resources, including local outdoor adventures, cultural outings, and place-based experiences that foster wellness, leadership development, and community-building.
• Manage outdoor adventure equipment rentals, providing students with safe and accessible resources for recreational and experiential activities.
• Provide guidance and training to faculty and staff on best practices in event planning, experiential learning, and student engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with campus partners to support effective co-curricular programming, student leadership involvement, and high-quality event delivery.
• Mentor staff in developing, implementing, and assessing programs that create meaningful student experiences.
• Actively promote and participate in cross-unit collaboration and cross-training among department and division staff, ensuring coordinated service delivery and shared expertise for campus-wide programs.
• Lead or support task forces, committees, and cross-campus working groups focused on student engagement, event planning, leadership development, and experiential learning, ensuring integration and alignment across the division and university.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to develop innovative programming and create collaborative engagement opportunities.
• Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and operational guidelines for events, traditions, orientation, and experiential programs, ensuring consistency, continuity, and risk management.
• Oversee budgets, contracts, and resources for signature events and programs, ensuring sustainability, efficiency, and compliance.
• Assess program outcomes and provide reporting and recommendations to leadership to inform improvements and long-term planning.
• Participate in Student Affairs after-hours on-call rotation as scheduled.
• Provide ongoing guidance or intervention to students in specific cases as directed by supervisor, or through the Care Team (the university’s behavioral intervention team) or campus climate processes.
• Serve on university and divisional committees, task forces, and hiring committees as needed.
• Provide timely and accurate reports and information as requested.
• Contribute to divisional strategic planning, staff training, and professional development initiatives.
• Provide backup support to Student Affairs colleagues as needed.
• Identify and implement innovative practices to enhance the student experience.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off (for vacation, holidays—including winter break—and sick leave)
• Medical coverage with alternative care options (with in-network services covered at 100% after payroll deduction)
• Comprehensive dental and vision plans
• Generous retirement contribution after one year of service with no match required
• Free mental health appointments
• Tuition remission for employees and their dependent child(ren) who meet eligibility requirements
• On-campus benefits, including free access to our sports facility and library
• Discounts on campus food, bookstore purchases, clinic services, and outdoor program gear rentals (including kayaks, snowshoes, and bikes)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees