Associate Director, Student Affairs

Duke Careers • Durham, NC

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About The Position

Duke University: Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.  
Be You.
At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique perspectives that each member of our community brings. As the Associate Director, QuadEx, you’ll join a dynamic team dedicated to supporting prospective students, new-to-Duke students, and their families. Your work will help strengthen belonging, connection, and student success across the Duke journey.
In this role, you will lead high-impact initiatives that shape the earliest and most transformative experiences students and families have with Duke—from admitted-student engagement to family programming to orientation leadership.

Requirements

• Master’s degree with strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills.
• Minimum four years of related experience in higher education, supervising student organizations, event design, or comparable roles.
• Demonstrated experience advancing belonging, student wellness, and community-building initiatives.
• Strong communication, assessment, partnership-building, and judgment skills.
• Knowledge of recruitment practices, admissions processes, and federal compliance expectations.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated success in advising and developing student leaders and student organizations.
• Experience with large-scale program development, event planning, assessment, and data-driven improvement.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders with clarity and empathy.
• Experience or strong interest in student recruitment, yield programming, or enrollment management initiatives.
• Understanding of admissions processes and current federal regulations related to recruitment practices.
• Commitment to fostering inclusive, welcoming environments for students and families from diverse backgrounds.
• High attention to detail with strong time‑management and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with students, families, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and critical-thinking skills, particularly in financial and HR‑related matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, vision, and implementation of Duke’s annual Family Weekend, including budget oversight, campus partnerships, and on-site execution.
• Coordinate Duke’s family orientation programming through a series of summer webinars in collaboration with campus partners.
• Oversee a comprehensive communications strategy for families of new-to-Duke students, ensuring clear, timely, and supportive messaging.
• Serve as the primary liaison to university partners who contribute to family-facing programs and communications.
• Design and execute major recruitment and yield events that introduce hundreds of admitted students and their families to life at Duke.
• Create programming that highlights Duke’s vibrant community, leadership opportunities, and student involvement pathways.
• Partner across Admissions, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, academic departments, and student organizations to deliver a holistic admitted-student experience.
• Ensure all programming and communications comply with federal regulations and university policies.
• Train and supervise student volunteers who support recruitment events.
• Evaluate event effectiveness in collaboration with Admissions leadership.
• Provide strategic advising to student leaders responsible for the design and execution of Experiential Orientation (ExO) projects.
• Support leaders in goal setting, budget planning, logistics management, risk mitigation, and partnership development.
• Help student leaders cultivate high-performing, inclusive team environments.
• Establish clear expectations, timelines, and accountability measures for ExO program success.
• Collaborate closely with other ExO advisors and campus partners to align the vision and quality of all orientation projects.
• Collect data and feedback to assess program outcomes and recommend enhancements.
• Lead communication timelines and editorial standards to ensure high-quality outreach to new students and families.
• Oversee timely, accurate, and student-centered messaging for incoming students.
• Partner with stakeholders across Duke to produce the Blue Book, the university’s online platform for new students.
• Supervise staff and student team members who manage newsletters, webinars, and social media outreach.
• Support the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training of professional staff members.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management to assigned staff.
• Assist with department-wide programming, including evening and weekend events.
• Manage budgets and ensure fiscal practices align with university guidelines.
• Contribute to administrative projects, committees, and campus initiatives as assigned.

Benefits

• Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director