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Associate Director, Student Activities & Leadership
Job no: 495928
Work type: Full Time
Location: Swarthmore
Categories: Staff, Salary (Exempt), On Campus
Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation's finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425-acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.
Who We Are:
As a residential college with over 96% of its students living in campus-owned housing, the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) supports the mission of Swarthmore College by fostering co-curricular living environments that value shared responsibility, consensus decision making, and personal accountability. The Office of Student Engagement, a unit within Student Life, and the Division of Student Affairs (DoSA), aspires to create and support an engaged, evolving, and inclusive campus community by fostering holistic student development and success. Intentionally combining the Residential Communities office with the Student Activities & Leadership office in 2014, the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) aims to link learning inside the classroom with learning outside of the classroom. The OSE expects that students will actively participate in their co- curricular experience and will take ownership for creating communities in which they want to live.
The opportunity:
The Associate Director of Student Activities and Leadership (ADSAL) is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Director of Student Activities and Leadership. As a key member of the Office of Student Engagement and Department of Student Life, the ADSAL is a member of the Student Activities Office and works in partnership with the Associate Director of Student Life Operations, the OSE Administrative Coordinator, and two graduate assistants.
The Associate Director is a 12 month live-in position.
Essential Responsibilities
Student Programming and Event Management

• In partnership with the Director of Student Activities and Leadership, oversee student programming initiatives that promote and support student learning and development, academic success, community engagement, leadership development, first-year engagement, and inclusive excellence.
• Hire, train, and advise the OSE Programming Board. Meet with members of the programming board to plan and orchestrate campus-wide late night and weekend programming: support and mentor student leaders in the development, implementation, and assessment of late night/weekend, alternative, and substance-free programming.
• Be the primary point of contact and support person for large-scale campus events and Swarthmore traditions (i.e., Welcome Week, Midnight Breakfast, Worthstock, Crum Regatta, Winter Formal), including the oversight of safety, security, implementation, and venue related needs.
• Regularly attend student events and programs, serving as the primary advisor to night and weekend events.
• Research, recommend, and coordinate the implementation of new opportunities for students to become engaged and active on campus.
• Implement assessment tools to evaluate our programming reach and adjust models as needed.
• Supervise and train Swaudio student workers who support the audio needs of student lead and student focused events on campus, in coordination with the OSE Administrative Coordinator.
• Work with OSE staff, student leaders, and other College personnel to coordinate an annual primary calendar of programming for all clubs, organizations, Student Activities, OSE, DoSA, and other College events.
• Plan, support, and attend late night programming during New Student Orientation and Senior Week.

Student Organization Support and Administration

• Develop, organize, and orchestrate advisor training and support for registered student clubs/organizations, including but not limited to:
  • Ensure operations meet College and external reporting standards, and
  • Advisors attending all required College sanctioned training, including requirements through the Clery Act and Office of Civil Rights.
• Serve as a resource to student clubs/organizations by meeting with students throughout their event planning process, providing assistance with event details, budgeting, advertising, set-up requests, relevant College policies and serving as a liaison between College offices, including but not limited to:
• Serve as the primary general advisor for student clubs/organizations that do not have formal advisors,
  • Perform outreach to Swarthmore employees to solicit interest in becoming student club/organization advisors,
  • Assist both new and current registered student clubs/organizations with advisor identification and selection.
• Coordinate the annual registration process for student clubs/organizations, by maintaining officers' contact information, budgeting, and other materials including membership rosters, constitutions, and other organizational documents.
• Update policies and procedures for student clubs/organizations.
• Provide specific guidance on issues related to College policies and procedures, contract negotiation and management, and risk management.
• In collaboration with the Director of Student Activities and Leadership, develop and maintain the Student Club and Organization Resource Manual, Student Clubs and Organizations Faculty and Staff Advisor Manual, including policies for Student Club/Organizations as needed.
  • This includes keeping track of all policy requirements and advisor compliance, and
  • Coordinates club registration process for continuing and new clubs and organizations by maintaining a database and ensuring compliance with federal and College guidelines for registered clubs/organizations.
• Along with the Director of Student Activities and Leadership, assess and create new risk management processes for clubs/organizations to ensure students are safe and in alignment with College policies.
• Build a student development program to support student leadership on campus.
  • Meet individually with student leaders to discuss their leadership skill development, set goals, offer guidance, and facilitate reflection on their progress.
• Collaborate with the Student Activities team to provide leadership training and opportunities specifically for club/organization leadership.
• Lead the development, implementation, and assessment of all club/organization programs.
• Assist with the preparation of student club/organization budgets in accordance with College budget policies and regulations, and set standards for student club/organization financial management and purchasing.
• Develop and implement the fall and spring activities fairs.
• Serve as the primary advisor for the Halcyon, the College yearbook.
• Monitor student club/organization bulletin boards in Parrish Hall.
• Serve as support to the OSE Administrative Coordinator during high traffic times for club/organization purchasing.

Social Space Facilities Management and Operations

• Responsible for oversight and management of student social spaces, including: Kitao Art Gallery, WSRN, Olde Club, Student Publications, and other similar locations.
• Conduct routine walk-throughs and inspections of all campus social spaces.
• Assist in monitoring and completing individual Facilities and Maintenance requests, regarding overall building management for all student social spaces.
• Oversees the inventory, upkeep, training on use, and management of all OSE programming equipment on campus, including sound systems, lights, projectors, and other event resources.
• In collaboration with the Director of Student Activities and Leadership, develop and provide host trainings and event support for Student Alcohol Registered Events (A.R.E) and other large student social events
• Represents OSE, Student Life, and Division of Student Affairs on assigned committees.
• Participate in collaborative campus committees and develop professional relationships with students, staff, faculty, and external campus partners.
• Attends departmental and divisional training, retreats, and planning sessions as designated.

Emergency Response and Case Management

• Participate in the Division of Student Life on-call crisis response rotation (typically Tier 1, approximately once every 4-6 weeks). Respond promptly and appropriately, often in-person, to security, behavioral, and crisis situations.
• The ADSAL will be considered essential personnel and may be required to help carry-out the College's emergency preparedness plans.
• Provide leadership and manage emergency and crisis situations involving students and/or residential facilities.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Student Conduct and the Director of Student Activities and Leadership to address violations of the Student Code of Conduct, including, violations of the College's A.R.E., event hosting, and postering/flyering policies.
• Deliver a student conduct process that is educational, fair and grounded in current practices, and results in high levels of consistency of accountability.
• Problem-solve interpersonal, operational, and other issues with students, in a professional and developmental approach, as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise Graduate Assistant(s) focused on building leadership programs for students across campus.

Who you are:

• Leadership.
• Communication Proficiency.
• Decision Making.
• Strategic Thinking.
• Flexibility.
• Take Initiative.
• Team Player.
• Organizational Skills.
• Strong oral/written Communication Skills.
• Independent Project Management Skills.

What you bring:
Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, College Student Affairs, or a related field, required.
• 2-5 years of progressive leadership experience in Student Affairs.
• Ability and willingness to work varied hours including evenings and weekends.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written, and listening skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with students, faculty, staff, and parents.
• Must be an enthusiastic, energetic, and organized self-starter who is capable of working independently and in a team environment, and prepared to work in a fast-paced environment where processes and needs are changing and developing regularly.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of inclusive excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working at a highly selective liberal arts institution.
• Experience with capital planning and long-term student club/organization planning.
• Experience with a student conduct process.
• Experience supervising graduate assistant(s) or administrative staff.
• Experience with Workday, Maxient, Adirondack, Banner, Acalog, and/or other student club/organization or budget software.
• Training in intergroup dialogue, conflict mediation, or related skills.
• Experience overseeing and managing student staff hiring, development, and performance management.

What You Will Get:
You'll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.
We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration and priority review, submit applications with pay expectations, including a resume and cover letter, and the application materials will be reviewed immediately and on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We expect the person starting this position to be selected by the end of July. However, the successful candidate may be able to start earlier, subject to the interview process and availability.
The market range for this position is $60,000-$70,000 per year, which represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
PA Criminal Clearance Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.
Education Verification Required by Position
An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.
Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee's salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
2026 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook
Retirement Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday Schedule
Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Sw