Job Abstract

Stanford University has an immediate opening for a full-time Associate Director of Student Organizations and Leadership Development in the Office of Student Engagement (OSE), an energetic office that supports over 600 voluntary student organizations reporting to the Senior Director of Student Engagement. This position will be a hybrid role, with an expectation of being in the office at least 4 days per week.

Their primary responsibility is to oversee management of student organizations, leadership programs and includes directly advising and partnering with the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU). They will also advise student organizations and perform other duties that support the office.

This new position will provide direction for the strategy of supporting student organizations and student government. They will develop an advising model and execute programs, including leadership development opportunities, create learning experiences, as well as manage a team dedicated to ensuring a vibrant campus life and student-led programs. The Associate Director of Student Organizations and Leadership Development and their team will also work alongside the Operations team to provide operational support and infrastructure for departmental programming, while also serving as advisor to several student organizations.

Ideal candidates have an unshakable commitment to the student outcomes of a vibrant student life, including belonging, fun, and integrative learning. A successful candidate will be creative, have a positive attitude and energy towards Stanford University and its students and is a solutions oriented leader.

This is a 2 year fixed term position.

OSE Mission Statement

To educate and empower students to create unique co-curricular experiences, meaningful relationships, and lifelong memories. We strive to bring joy and enrichment to the social experience and provide opportunities for students to find what they need to grow.

OSE Values

Belonging: "We foster experiences, relationships and environments to ensure that every student feels a firm and abiding sense of belonging and contributes to the good of our community," in alignment with Our Most Important Work in Student Affairs.

Equity & Access: We advocate to reduce systemic barriers and create equitable access to opportunities for all students. We strive to create pathways to student engagement that are intentional and empowering.

Integrity: We aim to embody our values in manners that are consistent and reliable.

Learning: We cultivate a culture of curiosity and critical thinking.

Well-Being: We approach each student interaction holistically with a focus on relationships, self-care and care for others.

In addition to our above values we are guided by our commitment to the values of Student Affairs, driven by Our Most Important Work. We are situated within the Associate Vice Provost for Inclusion, Community and Integrative Learning along with the Centers for Equity, Community and Leadership, BEAM Career Education, First Generation and/or Low Income Office, Office of Military-Affiliated Communities and the Office for Inclusion, Belonging and Intergroup Communications (IBIC).

Inclusion and diversity are integral to Stanford’s commitment to excellence. We are interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience engaging with diversity through activities such as fostering an inclusive environment, working with students and staff from diverse backgrounds, or incorporating diverse perspectives in their work. We seek candidates who can support the vision of a new office, work to help establish a new outlook, mission and values, and support Our Most Important Work.

In this role, you will:

• Supervise the Student Organization Program Coordinator (SS01), set goals for the unit, manage performance, coach staff, and make hiring decisions. Hire, train and manage student staff as specific needs arise. Additional staff to supervise may become available in the future.
• Advise students with a deep understanding of an advising framework tied to student development theory and trainings student organizations/leaders
• Develop student organization advising models that support an efficient process for the Student Organization and Leadership Development advising team, as well as other partner offices that advise student organizations.
• Serve as a primary advisor to elected and appointed student government leaders and provide timely analysis, feedback and direction to University leadership and staff on how best to engage with student representatives and the issues they are prioritizing. This includes supporting the Undergraduate Senate and the Graduate Student Council.
• Develop a long range plan for management of evaluating the Core 10 policies annually, engaging with stakeholders. This includes any additional policy development and processes that supports student development, accountability, learning and efficiency.
• Be an integral leader and stakeholder in various student leadership development initiatives and programs, including the John Ralston initiative.
• Serve as the University advisor for identified student organizations. This includes creating leadership development opportunities/training on topics such as event management and financial planning to ensure that student-led events and organizations are successful.
• Provide regular analysis to university leadership on the opportunities and gaps in student development through the service-learning experiences of student government.
• Identify key areas of advocacy interest from student government leaders and provide advice and insight on how best to progress those in a university context.
• Advise and support the execution of large-scale student social events and student-body wide informational or community building events.
• Serve as the first line of advice and insight on existing University policy across a broad array of matters in which student leaders develop an advocacy interest. These may include student life and other sensitive public-facing issues.
• Develop and implement cross-functional training on historical context and due process for newly elected student government leadership including ASSU Executives, Undergraduate Senate, and Graduate Student Council.
• Work in partnership with existing student leaders (e.g. Elections Commission, Nominations Commission, Appropriations Committee) to develop training that engages representatives in student government and provide necessary context and skills to augment their experiential learning.
• Serve as an advisor when ASSU is building the Association’s student government budget and executing/modifying processes that fund student organizations using University-collected student fees.
• Primary functions day-to-day will include providing direct advice to students in ASSU leadership positions and student organization leaders.
• Advise ASSU on large-scale events and initiatives, which is dependent on rotating administration of student leaders.
• Be the point of contact in relation to any policies that apply to student government leadership (e.g. reduced course loads, academic standards to continued participation).
• Provide regular updates and reports to Student Affairs and University leadership on the health of the ASSU student government, their needs and interests, as well as matters of timeliness or sensitivity.
• Manage the staff that oversee the relationship with external vendors we utilize for our student organization management, including Campus Groups (CardinalEngage).
• Develop external relationships and consult with other university student government advisors and Student Affairs leaders in the field.
• Advice will span a broad array of matters including personal leadership development, University structure and policy, event planning, effective advocacy, career planning, Title IX, and community standards.
• Make appropriate recommendations about how to balance academic and non-academic responsibilities, how to balance the competing needs of students and other stakeholders, and how to implement change responsibly in the Stanford community, with the focus on student development and wellness.
• * - Other duties may also be assigned