Director of Graduate Student Life

Salary Grade

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range available for this position at the time of its posting. The salary range is between $60,906 and $77,047, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

Job Description

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Director of Graduate Student Life reports directly to the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Student and Family Connections. The director provides strategic and operational leadership for programs, services, partnerships, and initiatives serving approximately 6,700 graduate and professional students across nine schools and colleges. The director is responsible for strategic planning, student engagement and advising, program development, budget management, assessment, staff supervision, risk management, communication, and university-wide graduate student engagement. The director establishes departmental priorities and measurable outcomes aligned with Case Western Reserve University, Division of Student Affairs, Student and Family Connections, and Spartan Connections Hub priorities. The director serves as a member of the spartan connections hub leadership team and collaborates with the Executive Director and hub directors on integrated student engagement initiatives and cross-functional priorities, programming, budget planning, risk management and support university-wide student engagement. The director serves as a primary institutional resource for graduate student engagement, leadership development, student organizations, graduate student governance, and connection to university resources. The director exercises sound professional judgment when advising students, and will mentor, challenge, redirect, refer, and appropriately escalate student concerns in accordance with university policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Lead strategic planning, goal setting, program development, and assessment for Graduate Student Life. Establish measurable departmental outcomes and use student feedback, assessment data, and emerging trends to inform priorities and resource allocation. Serve on the spartan connections hub leadership team and collaborate with the executive director and hub directors on strategic and cross-functional initiatives. Build effective partnerships with the School of Graduate Studies, academic schools and colleges, and student affairs departments to strengthen the graduate student experience. Communicate departmental priorities, accomplishments, outcomes, and needs to divisional and university leadership. (20%)
• Provide leadership and advising to the Graduate Student Council and approximately 90 graduate student organizations. Develop leadership, mentoring, engagement, and community-building opportunities for graduate and professional students. Advise student leaders and organizations regarding university policies, procedures, organizational responsibilities, events, and risk management. Assess student concerns and connect students with appropriate academic, health, counseling, financial, career, conduct, and other university resources. Participate in appropriate student support and behavioral intervention processes and determine when concerns require referral, consultation, or escalation. (20%)
• Develop, oversee, and assess graduate student programs that promote connection, leadership, professional development, community building, and engagement. Lead signature initiatives such as graduate student appreciation week, graduate student traditions and celebrations, orientation, leadership programs, awards, and mentoring. Increase graduate student participation and visibility in university traditions, major events, and campus-wide initiatives. Collaborate with the spartan connections hub and campus partners to develop coordinated, high-impact programs. Ensure programs and events are appropriately planned, staffed, communicated, assessed, and compliant with university policies. (20%)
• Develop and manage the graduate student life operating budget and provide timely fiscal information to the Associate Vice President. Pursue and manage appropriate grants, sponsorships, and external funding opportunities. Provide fiscal oversight of Student Activity Fee resources administered through graduate student governance. Monitor expenditures, forecasts, contracts, purchasing, and fiscal compliance. Identify and appropriately address student, organizational, event, and programmatic risks. Provide risk-management guidance to graduate student organizations and collaborate with Public Safety, General Counsel, Student Conduct, Risk Management, and other appropriate offices. Ensure departmental operations, programs, contracts, and activities comply with university policies and applicable requirements. (20%)
• Recruit, train, supervise graduate assistants and student employees. Assess programs and services and use results to improve effectiveness and demonstrate departmental impact. Develop communication and marketing strategies that increase awareness of graduate student life programs, services, and resources. Prepare reports, presentations, and other communications that demonstrate departmental accomplishments, outcomes, partnerships, and student impact. (10%)

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Represent, graduate student life on university committees, task forces, and initiatives. Develop productive relationships with faculty, staff, academic leaders, alumni, community partners, employers, and professional organizations. Serve as a university resource regarding graduate student engagement, student life, leadership development, and student support. Collaborate with hub directors and student affairs partners to strengthen student experiences, referral pathways, and institutional resources. (5%)
• Perform other duties as assigned. (5%)

CONTACTS

Department: Daily contact with student employees, graduate assistants, students, and student organizations.

University: Regular contact with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Student and Family Connections; Executive Director of the Spartan Connections Hub; Student Affairs leadership and staff; Housing and Residence Life; International Student Resources and Engagement; Student Activities and Leadership; Office of Multicultural Affairs; Greek Life; University Health and Counseling Services; Financial Aid; Public Safety; Human Resources; University Marketing and Communications; General Counsel; and other campus partners.

External: Regular or occasional contact with alumni, community organizations, corporate and foundation partners, vendors, contractors, local organizations, parents, and family members.

Students: Daily contact with students and student organizations through advising, mentoring, programming, leadership development, consultation, problem-solving, accountability conversations, and referrals.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position does not have employee supervision responsibilities. Supervise graduate assistants and student employees.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Masters degree required in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Education, Counseling, Social Work, Public Administration, or related field.

Experience: 6 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, student affairs, graduate student affairs, student engagement, or a related field. Demonstrated experience in supervision, budget management, student advising, program development, strategic planning, assessment, and organizational leadership required. Experience working with graduate and professional students, student organizations, student governance, or complex university environments preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Strategic planning and organizational leadership.

• Graduate student advising and student organization development.

• Leadership development and program management.

• Conflict resolution and difficult-conversation skills.

• Sound judgment and ability to assess and appropriately escalate risk.

• Budget and fiscal management.

• Staff supervision, coaching, and performance management.

• Assessment and data-informed decision-making.

• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to communicate departmental impact and outcomes to university leadership and campus partners.

• Ability to build effective partnerships across academic and administrative units.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.

• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.

• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.

• Ability to meet consistent attendance.

• Willingness to learn and work with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.

WORKING CONDITIONS

General office environment. Regular interaction with students, faculty, staff, university leadership, and external partners. The position requires regular movement throughout campus and occasional lifting or carrying of materials and equipment associated with programs and events.

Evening and weekend work is required periodically to support major programs, university traditions, student organization activities, and graduate student engagement initiatives. Occasional travel may be required for university business, professional development, or external partnership activities.

EEO Statement

Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

Reasonable Accommodations

Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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