Director of Student Belonging

Fort Lewis College•Durango, CO

2d•$76,500 - $85,000

About The Position

The Director of Student Belonging provides college-wide leadership for strategies, programs, and services that build community, strengthen student engagement and belonging, support retention and student leadership development, and advance the educational value of co-curricular experiences. The Director provides strategic oversight for student and family orientation, supports student government, and leads the Department of Student Belonging. The Director leads a portfolio of student belonging and engagement centers and initiatives, including the Black Student Resource Center, El Centro de Muchos Colores, Environmental Center, Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Native American Center, and Student Involvement Center. The role supervises and develops professional staff and student employees; builds campus and community partnerships; oversees budgets, student fee allocation support, assessment, major campus events, training efforts, and institutional partnerships and contracts. The position reports to the Vice President of Diversity Affairs and supervises multiple assistant directors, a coordinator, an administrative assistant, and student employees. This is an exempt, full-time, permanent, full-year position. Typical work hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some evenings and weekends required for orientation, events, and programs. Travel is expected to be less than 5%. The salary range is $76,500 to $85,000, plus a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
At least three years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, student affairs, student engagement, diversity/belonging, or a related area.
At least three years of supervisory experience, including leadership of professional staff, performance management, coaching, and mentoring.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, and ability to work effectively with diverse communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, and first-generation students on a college campus.
At least two years of experience managing complex budgets and multiple funding streams, including budget development, resource allocation, expenditure monitoring, forecasting, and fiscal accountability.
Progressive supervisory and management experience, including hiring, supervising, developing, and evaluating professional staff, and supervising employees who oversee programs, functional areas, or student staff.
Knowledge of student engagement, student development, belonging, and high-impact practices.
Experience developing and implementing assessment processes and using data to evaluate outcomes, prepare reports, and guide continuous improvement.
Experience leading programs or initiatives requiring collaboration across multiple departments or organizational divisions.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Experience using Microsoft Office products, such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Excel.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, educational leadership, organizational leadership, or a related field.
Experience supervising professional staff who themselves supervise programs, staff, or functional areas.
Experience with institutional strategic planning or institutional assessment.
Experience managing student fees, auxiliary, restricted, grant, or other specialized funding streams, if applicable to the job.
Experience advising student government or other institutional student governance structures.
Ability to communicate in more than one language common to the student body, such as English, Spanish, or Navajo.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and vision for the College’s student belonging and engagement centers, programs, and initiatives, establishing shared priorities and collaboration opportunities.
Supervise, mentor, and support associate directors, assistant directors, professional staff, and student employees, fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture and supporting professional growth.
Build partnerships across campus and in the broader community to advance belonging, student engagement, and student success.
Provide institutional leadership for student and family orientation, including program strategy, cross-campus implementation, staffing and resources, and assessment of effectiveness.
Oversee administrative and programmatic support for Associated Students of Fort Lewis College (ASFLC), including organizational processes, resource management, budget administration, and collaboration with its selected advisor and campus partners.
Provide oversight and advisory support for student fee allocation processes in collaboration with appropriate staff.
Manage the Belonging portfolio’s finances, including complex budgets and multiple funding streams, spending priorities, resource allocation, expenditure monitoring, forecasting, and reconciliation.
Lead assessment, planning, and continuous improvement for the Student Belonging Team, using student feedback, participation data, and emerging practices to evaluate impact and guide decisions.
Provide strategic guidance for campuswide learning and training related to belonging and student success, partnering with campus departments and subject matter experts.
Oversee major annual campuswide events, including Welcome Week, heritage months, and cultural celebrations, ensuring coordination, accountability, and meaningful outcomes.
Align campuswide training with institutional priorities for belonging and inclusive practices, in partnership with campus departments, subject matter experts, and the Reconciliation Department.
Negotiate contracts and establish goals and assessment for key campus contracts and partnerships, including Durango Transit and Skyhub.
Maintain knowledge of digital accessibility requirements, including the ADA and Section 508, and produce and remediate digitally accessible materials in accordance with FLC standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.