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Job Purpose:
Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Students, the Director of Student Affairs (Durham) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Student Affairs at the Trent Durham campus. This role is responsible for a suite of student services and programs designed to foster self-discovery, community engagement, and lifelong learning.
The Director ensures that all initiatives align with institutional goals, strategic priorities, and the mission, vision, and values of Student Affairs. Their strategic areas of focus include academic advising, academic skills, student life, career services, student retention, equity and inclusion, spiritual affairs, student leadership development, orientation and transition, non-academic conduct adjudication, student event risk management.
The Director facilitates collaboration amongst different student service units across the Durham campus to promote a holistic and cohesive approach to student support.
The Director actively promotes the integration of evidence-based practices and theoretically grounded approaches to student development and well-being. By applying this lens, the Director strengthens student success, supports strategic enrolment, and drives improvements in student retention. Their leadership helps cultivate a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive campus environment where students can thrive both academically and personally.
Key Activities:
Strategic Leadership & Planning
- Provides strategic leadership in the development and execution of a multi-year strategic plan for the Student Affairs Durham, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, student success frameworks, and the broader vision of the Associate Vice-President, Students. This includes close collaboration and coordination with other Student Affairs departments and campus partners to ensure a holistic approach to student services/support.
- Provide evidence-informed leadership in the design, enhancement, and delivery of student services, policy creation and review, and program delivery, in collaboration with institutional stakeholders and campus counterparts. Lead the development and renewal of initiatives that reflect the evolving needs and diversity of the campus community.
- Define scope of practice and learning outcomes for each functional area, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, student development theory, and sector best-practices. Direct comprehensive assessment frameworks to evaluate impact and adapt to emerging priorities.
- Continuously analyze sector trends and institutional data to inform, design, and implement responsive policies, programming, and service models across Durham Student Affairs and the broader University.
- Establish strategic parameters and guiding principles for marketing departmental programs and events, and for ensuring effective, consistent communications that align with institutional branding and student engagement goals.
- Partner with senior leadership, academic units, and external organizations to advance student-centered priorities through strategic collaboration and the development of formal partnership agreements. This includes developing and negotiating partnership agreements with external service providers (i.e. gym memberships, external facilities and UPASS).
- Ensure consistent delivery of key functional areas across the Durham and Peterborough campuses through regular consultation with Student Affairs partners.
Operational Management & Supervision
- Directs professional and administrative staff of Durham Student Affairs.
- Foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture with clear roles, responsibilities, program goals, and performance expectations.
- Establish and implement staff and volunteer hiring, training, supervision, and performance management protocols consistent with institutional practices, culture, and legal requirements.
- Support staff well-being through trauma-informed leadership, including debriefing critical incidents and acknowledging the impact of vicarious trauma.
- Student Leadership, Transitions & Engagement
- In coordination with the Director, Student Affairs (Peterborough), provide strategic oversight to the curriculum development and learning assessments of key functional areas, including orientation; leadership development (inclusive of student event risk management); student rights and responsibilities; peer-led programming; and equity initiatives.
- Provide collaborative leadership in the development and implementation of university-wide, evidence-informed strategies that promote student engagement, safety, belonging, and persistence—contributing to improved retention and overall student success. Ensure these initiatives uphold the University's reputation and comply with relevant legislation and the insurance requirements outlined by CURIE.
- Lead strategic initiatives to optimize student recruitment and retention by driving targeted engagement strategies that mitigate pre-enrollment attrition and strengthen admitted-to-enrolled conversion rates, advancing institutional enrollment objectives.
- Provide strategic oversight for student employee training across Student Affairs using current educational theories and practices.
Student Support & Conduct
- Oversee and adjudicate complex and high-level student conduct cases, including those involving OPSEU members as complainants, ensuring fair process, institutional compliance, and sound judgment in decisions with significant legal, reputational, and community impact.
- Collaboratively lead the development and implementation of student conduct policies and procedures, grounded in restorative and educational approaches, and informed by legal requirements and institutional policies.
- Provide high-level oversight and tertiary intervention for students in crisis, coordinating care for complex conduct and non-clinical wellness concerns, and ensuring timely response to critical incidents with holistic support.
- Support the development and evaluations of a comprehensive crisis intervention and emergency management plan for at-risk students, including policies, protocols, communications, and decision-making aligned with institutional goals, values, legal parameters, and best practices.
Budget & Resource Management
- Develop and manage departmental budgets including multiple Operating, Trust, and Ancillary accounts.
- Ensure fiscal responsibility and compliance with institutional financial guidelines, while aligning resource allocation with strategic priorities and departmental goals.
- Establish internal budget planning guidelines to capture fiscal requirements and monitor financial performance.
- Provide strategic leadership in securing and managing grants that advance institutional priorities and enhance the student experience.
- Drive initiatives that strengthen the University’s reputation, address emerging needs, and improve retention among high-risk student populations.
- Manage student service related ancillary fees.
Assessment & Continuous Improvement
- Lead assessment and evaluation efforts to measure program effectiveness, student satisfaction, and learning outcomes.
- Utilizes industry best practices and standards to evaluate and adapt services and programs to inform decision-making and enhance service delivery (i.e., CAS Standards).
- Collaborate with Institutional Research to share assessment findings with stakeholders and support evidence-based planning. Leverage data to enhance learning outcomes, service delivery, and program effectiveness, with the goal of improving student retention.
- Contribute to emerging priorities and initiatives that support continuous improvement and institutional effectiveness.
Education Required:
- Master’s degree in Education, Student Affairs, Higher Education Administration, or a related field.
- Additional certifications in counselling, coaching, student conduct, or equity-related areas are considered assets.
Experience & Qualifications Required:
- Seven (7) years of progressive leadership experience in student affairs or related fields within a post-secondary institution.
- Demonstrated experience supervising staff in unionized environments and managing student employee teams.
- Proven ability to lead complex initiatives, manage crises, and navigate institutional systems.
- Experience with strategic planning, budget management, and program assessment.
- Demonstrated ability to support students in difficulty, with empathy and with understanding of community impacts.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse student body in a cross-cultural environment
- Experience developing and managing budgets, experience in financial planning and financial management
- Experience with research and assessment of student programming, retention and success.
- Deep understanding of student development theory, equity and inclusion, and community building.
- Strong leadership, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation (e.g., OHSA, AODA, FIPPA, Human Rights Code, Bill 26, Bill 166).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, virtual communication tools, and digital resource development.
- A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check (“Police Record Check”), dated within the past six (6) months is required as a condition of employment.
- Availability for occasional evening and weekend work.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $128,095.00-$142,327.00 per year
Work Location: In person
