Associate Director, Collegiate Veterans Success Center

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Collegiate Veterans Success Center (CVSC) is responsible for the management, oversight, and day-to-day leadership of the CVSC, serving as the University’s engagement and connection hub for veterans and military-connected students. This role involves assisting in the design of strategies aligned with university priorities, supervising and developing staff, overseeing operations, managing resources, and ensuring compliance with policies and regulations. The position provides individualized support, resource navigation, and advocacy for students, identifies barriers to student success, and convenes partners to recommend improvements. The Associate Director maintains awareness of national trends, creates operating procedures, and leads continuity planning. Additionally, the role focuses on military-connected student engagement, experiential learning, leadership and career-readiness initiatives, community building, and outreach. It also involves developing and maintaining partnerships with campus and community stakeholders, educating faculty and staff on military culture, and representing the CVSC on various committees. The position provides administrative and operational support, advises students and organizations, and conducts research and assessment to improve programs. The Associate Director contributes to the Division of Student Life through active participation in committees and division-wide initiatives.

Requirements

Master’s degree in appropriate area of specialization and four years of relevant experience or a bachelor’s degree in appropriate areas of specialization and six years of relevant experience.
Experience leading staff, projects, programs, partnerships, or operations with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.
Knowledge of military culture, transition from military to college and career, veteran and dependent education benefits ecosystems, and common campus and community resources.
Experience with supervision, budget management, facilities, grants or external funding, partnership development, assessment, and program evaluation.
Experience developing and facilitating education for faculty, staff, students, or community partners.
Experience advising student organizations and mentoring student leaders; designing co-curricular or experiential learning; and integrating career-readiness competencies and reflection.
Familiarity with FERPA, ADA/accessibility, Title IX, Clery, public records, fiscal, and risk-management expectations in higher education.
Demonstrated knowledge of budget development and oversight.
Demonstrated communication skills (verbal and written).
Demonstrated planning and organizational skills.
Demonstrated proficiency with computers and basic software applications.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects or tasks simultaneously.
Demonstrated ability to interact with and relate to varied student populations.
Ability to work as part of a team in a multi-cultural environment.
Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education/student affairs, counseling, social work, public administration, business administration, education, leadership, or a related field.
Progressive leadership experience in a college or university veterans or military-connected student center, student engagement office, student success program, or comparable setting.
Veteran or military-connected lived experience is valued but not required.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the management, oversight, and day-to-day leadership for the CVSC as the University’s engagement and connection hub for veterans and military-connected students.
Assists in designing strategy aligned with Student Engagement, the Office of Community & Belonging, the Division of Student Life, and applicable University and state priorities for CVSC and shared departmental priorities.
Supervise, develop, and evaluate assigned professional, graduate, student, volunteer, or internship staff; establish clear roles, learning goals, training, accountability, and professional development.
Oversee CVSC operations, including facility use, hours, service standards, technology, records, safety, accessibility, purchasing, budgets, assessment, communications, and continuity of operations.
Steward University resources responsibly and pursue appropriate grants, sponsorships, donations, and partnership resources in coordination with University requirements as approved by leadership.
Ensure programs, services, facilities, and communications comply with applicable University policies and federal and state requirements, including accessibility, privacy, public records, fiscal stewardship, and risk management.
Provide individualized support, resource navigation, advocacy, and warm referrals for military-connected students with academic, financial, wellbeing, transition, family, accessibility, career, or campus engagement needs.
Identify barriers affecting student transition, engagement, persistence, and post-graduate success; convene partners and recommend student-centered improvements to policies, communications, referrals, and services.
Engage with students through advisory structures, listening sessions, needs assessments, and regular consultation with veterans and military-connected students.
Maintain awareness of national trends, research, and professional standards related to student veterans, military-connected students, adult learners, and veteran-supportive campuses; translate relevant practices to the UF context.
Create and maintain operating procedures, referral protocols, data practices, program calendars, risk-management practices, and succession documentation.
Lead continuity planning and the transition of successful grant-funded activities into sustainable operating models, partnerships, and documented practices.
Lead accessible, coordinated communications and outreach that increase awareness of CVSC services, programs, events, and student success opportunities.
Embed experiential learning into CVSC programs and student employment by using intentional preparation, authentic responsibility, reflection, feedback, and demonstration of learning.
Develop leadership and career-readiness initiatives that recognize prior military experience while expanding competencies such as communication, teamwork, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, adaptability, technology fluency, and project management.
Establish proactive outreach and coordinated follow-up practices at key transition points, including entry, return from deployment or leave, academic milestones, graduation, and career transition.
Design and lead community-building programs, peer connection opportunities, mentoring, leadership development, recognition, and signature events that strengthen belonging and resilience.
Create meaningful opportunities for students to lead, mentor peers, educate the campus, engage alumni and employers, and contribute to the design and delivery of CVSC initiatives.
Maintain appropriate records and protect confidential student information in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state requirements.
Partner with career, alumni, employer, faculty, and community stakeholders to help students translate military experience and campus involvement into transferable competencies, professional narratives, networks, internships, employment, graduate education, and other post-graduate pathways.
Develop and connect regularly with Veteran Affairs, other State and Federal contacts, and other community partners to support the coordination, education, and benefit accessibility for students.
Build and sustain a coordinated network of campus and community partners, including offices responsible for admissions, financial aid, veterans education benefits, academic advising, disability access, counseling and wellbeing, career services, housing, legal support, alumni engagement, and community resources.
Develop and facilitate education for faculty, staff, students, and partners on military culture, transition experiences, strengths, needs, campus resources, and effective referral and support practices.
Clarify roles, referral pathways, and shared communication practices so students can navigate services efficiently; the Associate Director coordinates and refers benefits-related matters unless separately designated and trained as a School Certifying Official.
Represent the CVSC and Student Engagement on University committees, advisory groups, community coalitions, professional associations, and appropriate military- and veteran-serving networks.
Provide administrative and operational support for departmental priorities and initiatives.
Advise students, organizations, and advisors on organization management, university policies, risk management, event planning, leadership transitions, and best practices as assigned.
Interpret, communicate, and ensure compliance with university policies related to student organizations, events, safety, and risk management.
Develop tools and assessment strategies to measure student learning, engagement, and experiential outcomes, using findings to improve programs and reporting.
Conduct research and assessment of and on relevant programs and services, including needs assessments, outcomes, and satisfaction.
Support strategic planning, budget development, financial oversight, and reporting for the department.
Supervise, train, and support Student Engagement staff, and activities/initiatives as assigned.
Collaborate with campus partners, including Risk Management, to strengthen student organization operations and mitigate risk.
Serve on university committees and support evening, weekend, and campus-wide events as needed.
Contributes to the Division and University through active participation on committees and division-wide initiatives (example opportunities): Emergency dean on call, event support team, conduct committee, screening committees, student welcome events, etc); and other duties as assigned.