Associate Director, Student Support & Advocacy

The Associate Director for Student Support and Advocacy provides operational leadership for the University's Behavioral Intervention Team and associated student support initiatives. Reporting to the Associate Dean of Students for Student Support and Advocacy, this position oversees the day-to-day coordination of BIT operations, student-of-concern processes, and case management functions to ensure timely, consistent, and collaborative responses to students experiencing behavioral, personal, or academic challenges.

The Associate Director supervises the Senior Coordinator of Student Support and Advocacy and is responsible for implementing best practices in behavioral intervention, threat assessment, and non-clinical case management while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, university policies, and national standards. This position also provides operational oversight for Basic Needs initiatives, including SNAP outreach, Foster Care Success programming, and other student resource coordination efforts, while fostering collaborative partnerships that promote student well-being, safety, retention, and success.

Responsibilities

Behavioral Intervention Team Coordination
• Coordinate the day-to-day operations of the Behavioral Intervention Team.
• Facilitate weekly BIT meetings and ensure follow-up on assigned interventions.
• Oversee case intake, triage, documentation, and timely resolution.
• Monitor compliance with NaBITA standards and university protocols.
• Provide consultation on moderate and elevated risk student cases.
• Coordinate communication among campus partners regarding students of concern.
Supervision and Case Management
• Supervise the BIT Senior Coordinator and assigned staff.
• Review case documentation for quality and consistency.
• Ensure appropriate case assignment and follow-through.
• Monitor workload distribution and service timelines.
• Coach staff on intervention planning and best practices.
Basic Needs and Student Support Programs
• Serve as the primary liaison for students participating in Foster Care Success initiatives and coordinate services with campus and external partners.
• Supervise or delegate operational responsibilities related to the Tiger Pantry, SNAP benefits education, emergency resource referrals, and other basic needs programs.
• Collaborate with campus partners and community organizations to improve access to essential resources.
Training, Assessment, and Outreach
• Coordinate BIT training for faculty and staff.
• Develop educational materials regarding student concern reporting.
• Monitor referral trends and prepare reports.
• Assist with annual assessment and accreditation efforts.
Other Duties
• Serve on University committees.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

A Master’s degree in higher education, counseling, social work, or a related field and six (6) years of experience in student affairs, case management, or behavioral intervention. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

• Knowledge of threat assessment, crisis response, and student support frameworks
• Experience working with a Behavioral Intervention Team or similar multidisciplinary team
• Familiarity with NaBITA practices or certification
• Experience supervising professional staff
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The University of Memphis is a leading, student-centered, urban public R1 research institution. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, on 1,160 acres. The University serves a population of nearly 20,000 students and 2,500 employees, including more than 1,000 full-time faculty members. The University offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 230 areas of study, master’s degrees in more than 50 subjects and doctoral degrees in 26 disciplines; supported an institutional record of more than $100 million in research awards for FY24; and has an operating budget of close to $500 million.