Associate Director, Center for Leadership & Community Engagement

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University

Department:

Center for Leadership and Community Engagement

Time Type:

Full time

Job Type:

Regular

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Work Modality:

Hybrid 01 (On Campus 3-4 Days/Week)

Union:

Excluded

Job Description:

Summary:

The Associate Director, Center for Leadership & Community Engagement advances the mission of the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement by providing strategic leadership in community engagement programs. In collaboration with the Director Center for Leadership & Community Engagement, this role ensures students gain meaningful leadership experiences while fostering mutually beneficial community partnerships. In the Director’s absence, the Associate Director oversees all program operations.

As a student-centered leadership educator, this role cultivates an inclusive campus environment through leadership development, global engagement, service, and community involvement. Key responsibilities include implementing a comprehensive leadership program, coordinating initiatives such as the Emerging Eagles Program, Sophomore Leadership Program, and Alternative Break Programs, and facilitating leadership training sessions.

Reporting to the Director Center for Leadership & Community Engagement, the Associate Director contributes to Student Affairs, serving on university-wide committees and collaborating with campus partners to enhance leadership development and community engagement. Through programming, presentations, and advising, this role empowers students to become ethical, engaged, and socially responsible leaders.

Supervising the Coordinator for Community Programs, student staff, and graduate assistants, this position provides mentorship and professional development to strengthen leadership initiatives. A passion for student development, inclusive excellence is essential to inspiring students to lead with purpose and impact.

Essential Functions:

1.)Leadership Development

• Develop and implement leadership development cohort programs in line with inclusive leadership development theories and Engagement leadership competencies, including, but not limited to Emerging Eagles programming, Sophomore Leadership Program, Leadership Development Workshops, and others. Assess student leader learning outcomes and measure student efficacy, skill development, and knowledge acquisition. Support student ongoing personal reflection and leadership competency development. Coordinate with campus partners in supporting students in leveraging student experiences for beyond American University.

2.) Training and Advising

• Advises students, staff, and faculty on Alternative Breaks trip planning, providing guidance on program themes, location selection, participant recruitment, and orientation activities. Facilitates training for student leaders in areas such as group facilitation, cross-cultural communication, inclusive excellence, conflict resolution, crisis management, and reflection. Supports student leaders in post-trip activism and event planning. Promotes leadership and professional development for program participants and student leaders of the Alternative Breaks program. Support the planning of Experiential Learning Program.

3.) Alternative Breaks

• The Associate Director, Center for Leadership & Community Engagement oversees the design, development, and evaluation of Alternative Breaks, ensuring compliance with university policies and risk management regulations for students, faculty, and staff. They monitor updates from the State Department, iJet Security Briefings, CDC, and country-specific requirements. The role involves creating and revising policies and procedures for global community-based learning initiatives, coordinating academic credit options with the School for International Service and other schools, and engaging in outreach efforts.

• The Associate Director works with staff and faculty to identify those for travel and pre-trip learning, implements evaluative processes, and prepares monthly and annual reports. They handle emergency and crisis management, develop policies to prevent future issues, and stay updated on best practices through partnering associations. The Associate Director also fosters partnerships with universities, service providers, and community organizations. Collaboration with offices such as Student Affairs Finance, Global Safety, Development, University Communications, and AU Abroad ensures the development of high-quality experiences that adhere to university regulations.

4.) Administration and Support

• Assumes Director responsibilities and represents CLCE to external parties as needed and in the absence of the Director. Provides budget and financial support for CLCE programs, including payment collection, travel grant disbursement, purchase orders, vendor agreements, and trip reconciliations. Manages the E-Payment system in coordination with OIT, Student Accounts, and Student Affairs Finance. Oversee the Alternative Breaks budget, managing both operating expenses and trip budgets.

• Advises students and staff/faculty to ensure compliance with financial procedures for CLCE funding. Works to keep trip costs manageable and affordable for an increasing number of participants through various strategies and evaluations. Serves as the CLCE liaison to Human Resources, ensuring compliance with Federal Work-Study regulations. Support major division and university-wide programs, including but not limited to, Commencement, Family Weekend, Move-In, New Student Orientation, Family and Supporters Orientation, Student Achievement Awards, and Eagles at Night. As a member of the Division of Student Affairs, this position may advise recognized student organizations as needed.

5.) Assessment and Evaluation

• Oversees program assessment and evaluation within the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement. Conducts needs assessments to identify new opportunities for department programs. Collaborates with the Director to evaluate the program’s impact on student retention, academic success, career development, and other key indicators. Analyzes data using qualitative and quantitative tools (e.g., surveys, focus groups) and develops benchmarks to track progress toward goals. Communicates assessment results and provides recommendations for improvement.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• This position will supervise Coordinator, Programs, Operations, and Finance, graduate, and student staff.

Competencies:

• Developing Plans

• Evaluating and Implementing Ideas

• Making Accurate Judgments and Decisions

• Championing Customer Needs

• Building and Supporting Teams

• Managing Talent

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• Full-time.

• 35 hours week.

• Some evenings, and weekends are required.

Salary Range:

• $70,450.00 - $72,500.00 annually.

Required Education and Experience:

• Master's degree or equivalent.

• 4 - 6 years of relevant experience.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master's degree.

• 5 - 8 years of relevant experience.

Travel Required:

• Occasional local and international travel is required.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

• Inclusive Excellence: An ability to welcome, value, and affirm individuals of all identities and experiences, and a commitment to ensure they are understood, appreciated, and fully included in the university community.

• Service Learning: Possess deep understanding of theory and practice of service-learning pedagogy; theory and practice of student development in higher education; leadership development theory, program development and implementation experience; curriculum development; and, teaching experience at the higher education level.

• Volunteer Experience: Professional or volunteer experience in the community and demonstrated use of innovative approaches and sensitivity to community needs.

• GivePulse: Experience with the GivePulse software.

• Discretion, Tact and Diplomacy: Ability to exercise discretion, tact and diplomacy while interacting with students, faculty, university staff, management, internship employers and other stakeholders on confidential and/or sensitive matters.

• Advanced Communication:Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, using language with precision; constructing logical arguments; accurate note taking, editing and summarizing; and writing reports or correspondence free of spelling and grammatical errors. Ability to engage in active and empathetic listening and communicate with a service minded orientation.

• Thoroughness in Reviewing Work:Ability to review one’s own and others work and information to ensure completeness and accuracy; carefully prepare for meetings and presentations; organize information or materials for others; follow up with others to ensure that agreements and commitments have been fulfilled; and set up procedures to ensure high quality of work.

• Student Services Skills: Ability to serve as bridge to services, intervene and/or advocate on students’ behalf with offices across campus to support needs, drive engagement and empower students to achieve their goals.

• Diagnostic Information Gathering: Ability to seek out relevant people to obtain information; probe skillfully to get at the facts when others are reluctant to disclose the full details; ask clarifying questions; and gain a complete and accurate picture by checking multiple sources.

• Standard Office Software: Skill using email, word processing, spreadsheet/ data analysis and presentation development software applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint while preparing briefings, reports, and presentations.

Other Duties:

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits

AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.

Other Details

• Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.

• Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.

• Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• American University is an E-Verify employer.

Current American University Employees

American University current employees must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings.

Contact Us

For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email View email address on aiapply.co.

American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.