Black Male Initiative Program Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Location : Berea
Job Type: Full-Time
Division: Student Life
Department: Black Male Ldrship
Opening Date: 08/14/2026
FLSA: Exempt
Salary Grade: 8
Labor Supervisor?: Yes
Please note that references provided at the time of application for staff positions will not be contacted until the applicant has been offered the position.
Description:
Reporting to the Director of the Black Cultural Center, the Assistant Director of the Black Cultural Center administers programs and services of the Center focusing on the social, personal, and leadership development of Black students to promote their retention and academic success. The Assistant Director provides primary support, particularly regarding the leadership initiatives designed for Black male and female students, to succeed with a holistic model promoting academic excellence, social belonging, cultural competency, and preparation to make positive contributions to society.
Following long-standing tradition and practice at Berea College, this position includes responsibility for supervising, mentoring, and developing students in the College's integrated Work College Program. This supports student learning, career readiness, and the program's learning goals and outcomes. The Work College Program provides a developmental framework that guides student learning while creating a structured mentorship opportunity, with role-specific training that equips faculty and staff mentors to support student development. Faculty and staff mentors play an essential part in helping students connect their work-learning-service experiences with broader academic, professional, and personal development. For faculty, this aligns with Berea's tenure and promotion criteria.
Your Key Responsibilities:
Leadership, Supervision, and WLS Management - (30%)

• Oversee the Black Male Leadership Initiative (BMLI) and Black Women's Leadership Initiative (BWLI) to ensure appropriate budgetary spending, term-based outcomes, academic curriculum, mentorship for students, as well as professional development opportunities and other duties as assigned.
• Assist the Director with leading onboarding and training for student leaders, including Work-Learning-Services (e.g., Labor) student team, Registered Student Organizations leaders, and others students, as assigned.

Budget & Resource Management - (10%)

• Budget, expend, and manage grant funding that supports the Center's operations and staffing.
• Identify, apply, and obtain additional grant funding to support the Center's strategic goals. Prepare and submit grant reporting as required by grantor to remain in good standing and receive opportunities for grant renewal.

Student Advising & Support - (20%)

• Provide support services and programs for Black students, including orientation, counseling, mentorship, coaching, advising, conflict resolution, advocacy, and leadership development.
• Provide program, services, and support for Black students to enhance the quality of their educational experience and promote their academic success.

Program Development & Oversight - (30%)

• Plan, implement, facilitate, and evaluate programs and events promoting cultural understanding and education, emphasizing the distinct contributions and experiences of people that identify as Black, African American, and/or of African descent.
• Collaborate with the Program Coordinator of the Black Cultural Center to create a year-round programming calendar, ensuring equitable access for students to engage with programs and initiatives.
• Partner with College Admissions in the recruitment and orientation of Black students.
• Assist the Director in management of Center budget, space, and resources.
• Assist the Director with operations for the Sankofa Scholars Program, along with other signature Center programs and events assigned.

Assessment, Reporting, and Compliance - (5%)

• Assess effectiveness of assigned programs and services through comprehensive data collection, reporting, and evaluation to track engagement, retention, and academic outcomes
• Deliver regular presentations to the college leadership, shared governance bodies, faculty, staff, students, parents/families, and community members.

Departmental & Divisional Projects - (5%)

• Serve on campus-wide committees as assigned by the Director to broaden the involvement and advocacy for the Black Cultural Center and the Black student experience.

What You'll Bring:
Education required to ensure success in this position:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, required.
• A Master's Degree in College Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, Education, Black or African American History/Studies, or other appropriate field with emphasis on student development, preferred.

Experience required to ensure success in this position:

• 3+ years of leadership experience in higher education working directly with students in a multicultural or diversity affairs-related position.
• Experience providing program and student development services, especially for students of color
• Experience supervising volunteers, student employees, and/or full- or part-time professional employees.

Special skills, knowledge and abilities:

• Alignment with Berea College's mission, values, and Eight Great Commitments.
• Alignment with the Black Cultural Center's mission, values, and strategic goals.
• Exemplary oral and written communication skills.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills.
• Thorough familiarity with theory, research, and practice in student engagement and success, and in multicultural understanding, especially as focused on race and interracial understanding.
• Ability to design and implement meaningful and high-quality co-curricular programs for students.
• Commitment to collaboration, community partnerships, and teamwork.
• Deep personal commitment to multicultural understanding.

License, certification, or registration necessary:

• Valid driver's license
• Required background checks

Physical requirements:

• Ability to navigate campus/public buildings and grounds
• Ability to travel independently by car and/or plane
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 20 lbs.

Environmental conditions:

• Professional office environment with interruptions and noise due to frequent visitors, students, staff and faculty
• Occasional travel is required for meetings, conferences, etc.

Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment:

• Standard office equipment: computer, fax, phone, etc.
• Media equipment
• Vehicle - college vans/cars

Founded in 1855, Berea College is nationally recognized as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls more than 1,500 students from 44 states and U.S. territories and more than 60 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides every enrolled student with a fully funded degree that covers 100% of tuition, housing, food, supplies, and fees without loans, for all four years. Berea's students excel in the College's supportive yet demanding academic environment, and most are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only 10 federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus, building professional skills in a real-world learning environment. Washington Monthly ranked Berea College the #1 Best College for your Tuition and Tax Dollars, 2025. Berea also ranks #1 in educational access by The New York Times, 2023 and #1 for lowest educational debt by U.S. News and World Report, 2025 and 2026. Berea College is also the only institution in Kentucky to receive the 5-Star Rating from Money Magazine, 2026.
Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 17,000) lies 40 miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at
Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.
Our Benefits:
Berea College offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees and their families including health care, dental, vision, retirement, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability and an Employee Assistance Program. The benefit package also includes access to the for children of College Staff, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, Membership, Staff Development Funds and Tuition Reimbursement.
Eligible staff employees also receive paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
Part-time employees who work an average of twenty-four hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.
To learn more details, visit our benefits page at
Our Unique Culture:
Berea College strives to be a place where people with various Christian interpretations, different religious traditions, and no religious traditions work together in support of
Over the past century, various leaders of the College have applied the College's inclusive scriptural foundation and spirit to their expanding world and welcomed those whose beliefs were consistent with the Christian gospel of impartial love. Therefore, Berea College today affirms its inclusive Christian tradition even as it respects the traditions of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus, as well as other faiths, and those holding no religious beliefs. We strive not to ignore our differences, but rather seek to understand each other honestly and respectfully, and together create a climate where anyone can openly discuss what they believe without fear of sanction. To that end, all persons who are willing to share in the spirit and the work of the Great Commitments as shaped by its preamble are welcome to study, to teach, and to work at Berea
Labor Supervision:
In support of Berea College's great commitments, staff and faculty serve as labor supervisors. Our fourth great commitment, The Dignity of Labor, promotes learning and serving in community through the student Labor Program, honoring the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual, and taking pride in work well done. Student Labor Supervision includes scheduling, assigning, and approving student work, developing students' workplace acumen, and providing tangible work experience. To learn more about the labor program office please see the following link