Director, Student Affairs, UNH Manchester

The Director of Student Affairs, reporting to the Assistant Dean of Student Success, manages the Office of Student and Community Engagement (OSCE). This position manages the UNH Manchester housing partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. Core responsibilities include serving as campus conduct officer, building community partnerships, supporting wellness and basic needs, coordinating crisis intervention and case management, and leading student engagement efforts. The Director supervises professional staff members in the Office of Student and Community Engagement and acts as a critical liaison between the university and the Greater Manchester community.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervise, mentor, and support the Office of Student and Community Engagement professional staff and team of peer leaders.

• Provide strategic leadership for student engagement initiatives, including new student orientation, peer leadership programs, student organizations and clubs, campus events and programs, and opportunities that foster student belonging, connection, and community.

• In collaboration with the Assistant Dean of Student Success, develop, implement, and assess strategic initiatives, programs, and services that advance student engagement, belonging, persistence, and well-being. Use student feedback, participation data, institutional data, and assessment findings to identify needs and continuously improve programs and services.

• Provide comprehensive oversight of the UNH Manchester residential housing partnership with Southern New Hampshire University, including contract and partnership administration, student communication and marketing, billing coordination, policy implementation, emergency response, problem resolution, and ongoing liaison with institutional partners and students.

• Serve as a Conduct Officer for UNH Manchester, adjudicating student conduct cases in consultation with the UNH Community Standards Office and applying University policies, procedures, and standards of due process. Participate in the UNH Community Standards Office Campus Partner Service Pool.

• Lead and coordinate student care, crisis intervention, and case management services, including responding to complex student concerns, coordinating institutional resources, assessing student needs, developing intervention and support plans, and facilitating referrals to appropriate campus and community resources. Maintain appropriate documentation and follow-up for student cases while ensuring compliance with University policies and applicable privacy requirements.

• Oversee the institutional partnership and MOU with the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, including coordination of on-site counseling services, service delivery, appointment processes, communication with providers, and partnership procedures. Evaluate service needs and collaborate with campus and community partners to promote accessible mental health support for students.

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships across academic and student affairs units to coordinate holistic student engagement and support and ensure effective referral pathways for students. Key partners include The SHARPP Center, Student Accessibility Services, Civil Rights and Equity Office, Office of Community Standards, Health and Wellness, UNH Chaplains Association, the Dean of Students Office, and community-based organizations.

• Lead and coordinate institutional and community partnerships addressing student basic needs and well-being, including partnerships with the UNH Basic Needs Office, UNH Health and Wellness, Granite YMCA, and the New Hampshire Food Bank. Identify emerging student needs and develop or strengthen resources and referral pathways to support student persistence and success.

• Member of the Behavioral Intervention Team.

Requirements

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in student affairs, student support services, or related fields.

• Demonstrated progressively responsible experience in student affairs, student success, or related fields, including experience with crisis response, case management, student conduct, program development and assessment, community partnership development, and professional staff supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex student situations with sound judgment, discretion, empathy, and an understanding of institutional policies and procedures.

• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective relationships across institutional and community partners.

• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and leadership skills with a student-centered approach.

 Knowledge:

• Student Development & Higher Education Practices: Deep understanding of student development theory, commuter and international student needs, and best practices in co-curricular engagement, wellness, and support services.

• Crisis Management: Knowledge of crisis intervention strategies, behavioral assessment protocols (e.g., CARE teams), and mental health referral processes.

• Community Resource Navigation: Understanding of local community services, particularly those related to health, mental health, food security, housing, and professional development.

• FERPA and Legal Compliance: Knowledge of student privacy laws, risk management, and ethical standards in student affairs.

Skills

• Leadership & Supervision: Proven ability to lead teams, supervise professional staff, and foster a collaborative and inclusive workplace culture.

• Program Development & Assessment: Strong skills in designing, implementing, and evaluating student engagement and well-being programs.

• Event Planning: Proficiency in planning, promoting, and executing student-focused events, workshops, and orientation sessions.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage with students, colleagues, and external partners effectively.

• Relationship Building: Skilled at developing and sustaining partnerships with community organizations and cross-campus stakeholders.

• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate logistics for complex programs and initiatives.

Abilities

• Empathy & Student-Centered Approach: Ability to listen actively, respond with empathy, and center the holistic needs of students in all decision-making.

• Crisis Response & De-escalation: Ability to remain calm under pressure, assess urgent situations, and respond appropriately using established protocols.

• Strategic Thinking: Capacity to align departmental initiatives with institutional priorities and student success outcomes.

• Flexibility & Adaptability: Comfort working in a dynamic, student-driven environment with changing demands.

• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively across departments and with external agencies to achieve shared goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with commuter, transfer, graduate, international, or other diverse student populations.

• Experience managing community partnerships, contracts, or memoranda of understanding.

• Experience with student engagement, belonging, wellness, or basic needs initiatives.

• Experience with program assessment and use of data to inform student affairs practice.

• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in student affairs and student success.

Applicant Instructions: 

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents)

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.

Anticipated annual salary is $70-75k annually, in consideration of internal equity.

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation Pay Range:

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

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