Assistant Director, Student Programs

University of Akron • Akron, OH

17h

About The Position

25% Plan, organize and implement regular and ongoing campus wide initiatives and student programming. Assist in the execution of major programs including but not limited to: Weeks of Welcome, Homecoming, SpringFest, and Senior Week Enhance current programs and identify new opportunities aligned with the values of the institution. Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to provide programming & student engagement opportunities. Serve on University committees as appropriate. 20% Participate in the department student employment program to help develop, mentor and retain student employees. Advise the undergraduate student staff working within the Zips Activities Board. Develop students through the planning, organizing marketing, implementing and evaluation of activities/programs. Implement and uphold all aspects of the student employment program. Responsible for hiring and evaluating employees. 25% Plan, organize, and implement programs housed under the area of Community Engagement including but not limited to: Make a Difference Day, National Volunteer Week, and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Provide supervision to two student assistants within serveAkron. 10% Develop and implement marketing strategies for campus wide initiatives and student programming 10% Manage budget by planning, directing and controlling the financial functions and approve expenditures. 10% Develop an ongoing assessment program (qualitative and quantitative) to monitor the satisfaction and learning within programming. Additional Position Information: Education: Requires a relevant Master’s Degree. Licenses/Certifications/Requirements: None. Experience: Requires a minimum of 1 year of experience in program planning and coordinating student activities. An articulate understanding of the mission, culture, climate and environment of a metropolitan university required. Experience working with faculty, staff, students, and community members of diverse educational, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds required. Excellent written and oral communications skills required. Demonstrated leadership ability required. Working knowledge of basic office equipment and computer applications including word processing, spreadsheet and database software packages required. Application Instructions: To be considered for this position, please complete the online application and attach your resume. Compensation: The compensation for this position is commensurate with experience. Application Deadline: Review of applicants will begin on April 17, 2026. FLSA Status (exempt/nonexempt): United States of America (Exempt) Union Affiliation (if applicable): For assistance with your application or attachments, please contact the Human Resources representative listed: Madilyn Otterbacher Email: [email protected] ________________________________________________________________________ Background Check Statement The University of Akron is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and employees. The University endeavors to protect the health, welfare and safety of all students, employees and visitors on our campus. As such, all offers of employment with The University of Akron are contingent upon verification of credentials, and satisfactory completion of a criminal background check. Some positions may require additional credit investigation and a pre-employment driving record search. Non-Discrimination Statement The University of Akron is an Equal Education and Employment Institution. View our Non-Discrimination Statement for more information. Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. State of Residence Statement It is the expectation of the University of Akron that all work performed as an employee of the University will be performed in Ohio. The University of Akron empowers our people to flourish by delivering an applied and community-connected educational experience and cultivating research excellence. Leveraging our passion and expertise, we create innovative academic opportunities, support the well-being of our students and employees, and prioritize community embeddedness and engagement to impact lives through transformative experience. Through this focus, UA aspires to be the leader in community-focused higher education. The University of Akron is a lifelong learning partner, recognizing and valuing diverse learning experiences and combining traditional classroom experiences with innovative and robust approaches. As Zips, we prioritize the well-being of our students and employees, cultivate a culture and community where all can flourish, and act as responsible stewards of our resources and infrastructure by leveraging data to differentiate our processes and systems. We leverage our urban campus as a responsive and reliable partner to identify and meet the needs of the region. We intentionally contribute to economic and workforce development and civic life through research, innovation and engagement to provide community-embedded experiential learning opportunities that will enhance the UA experience for all students. We welcome candidates who are passionate about shaping and inspiring the next generation of thinkers, experts, artists and leaders. For more information about The University of Akron or the Akron community please visit our About UA page. The University of Akron offers a competitive total compensation package comprised of a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid leave of absences including time off for illness, vacation, and maternity or paternity leave. In addition, eligible employees and their dependents are provided tuition remission. All staff and eligible non-bargaining unit faculty have the option to request a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA). The University of Akron participates in state retirement systems and offers alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions. Optional investment opportunities are available including deferred compensation programs (403(b) and 457(b)). Please visit our benefits home page for more information.

Requirements

• Requires a relevant Master’s Degree.
• Requires a minimum of 1 year of experience in program planning and coordinating student activities.
• An articulate understanding of the mission, culture, climate and environment of a metropolitan university required.
• Experience working with faculty, staff, students, and community members of diverse educational, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds required.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills required.
• Demonstrated leadership ability required.
• Working knowledge of basic office equipment and computer applications including word processing, spreadsheet and database software packages required.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize and implement regular and ongoing campus wide initiatives and student programming.
• Assist in the execution of major programs including but not limited to: Weeks of Welcome, Homecoming, SpringFest, and Senior Week
• Enhance current programs and identify new opportunities aligned with the values of the institution.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to provide programming & student engagement opportunities.
• Serve on University committees as appropriate.
• Participate in the department student employment program to help develop, mentor and retain student employees.
• Advise the undergraduate student staff working within the Zips Activities Board.
• Develop students through the planning, organizing marketing, implementing and evaluation of activities/programs.
• Implement and uphold all aspects of the student employment program.
• Responsible for hiring and evaluating employees.
• Plan, organize, and implement programs housed under the area of Community Engagement including but not limited to: Make a Difference Day, National Volunteer Week, and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
• Provide supervision to two student assistants within serveAkron.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies for campus wide initiatives and student programming
• Manage budget by planning, directing and controlling the financial functions and approve expenditures.
• Develop an ongoing assessment program (qualitative and quantitative) to monitor the satisfaction and learning within programming.

Benefits

• competitive salary
• comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and paid leave of absences including time off for illness, vacation, and maternity or paternity leave
• eligible employees and their dependents are provided tuition remission
• All staff and eligible non-bargaining unit faculty have the option to request a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA)
• The University of Akron participates in state retirement systems and offers alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions
• Optional investment opportunities are available including deferred compensation programs (403(b) and 457(b)).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees