LEAD Assistant Director of Student Advocacy

Position Title: Assistant Director of Student Advocacy

Position Type: Fixed Term

Hiring Range: $33.94 – $40.72 per hour

Pay Frequency: Hourly

The Assistant Director of Student Advocacy assists in advocating for students participating in the LEAD Scholars Program, which supports first‑generation college students at Santa Clara University. This staff member will provide direct holistic support and services to LEAD Scholars, oversee the LEAD Peer Mentoring program, and coordinate wellness‑related programming.

• Provide holistic advising and support for students by addressing mental health, family relationships, and academic and financial concerns.
• Engage in proactive outreach to students, including early outreach to incoming students and to students facing academic and life challenges throughout the academic year.
• Provide tailored support and advising to special populations among LEAD Scholars, including BIPOC students, undocumented students, transfer students, veterans, foster youth, and other intersecting identities.
• Assist with the distribution of LEAD emergency funding to help address students' financial concerns.
• Help students access a network of support that includes on and off‑campus resources, ensuring effective advocacy, referral, and collaboration with units such as Counseling and Psychological Services, Office of Student Life, Office of Multicultural Learning, Wellness Center, Office of Accessible Education, the Drahmann Center, and Financial Aid.
• Uphold student welfare policies and practices in the LEAD Scholars Program that align with those of the university.
• Remain abreast of research, current trends, practices, and legal issues pertinent to the needs of first‑generation college students.

• Collaborate in the student staff hiring process with the Associate Director of Curricular and Co‑curricular Engagement and the Assistant Director of Marketing and Programming.
• Recruit LEAD Scholars to apply for student staff positions via classroom presentations, personalized outreach, and marketing.
• Coordinate LEAD Formation training for LEAD Peer Mentors and other student staff members.
• Provide ongoing training and supervision for Peer Mentors throughout the academic year.
• Manage timesheets, reimbursements, and other logistical processes for the Peer Mentoring program.

• Coordinate and collaborate to develop wellness‑related programming.
• Develop community partnerships with wellness organizations to advance programs and services.
• Develop content for wellness‑related marketing.

• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Student Advocacy on recruitment of new LEAD Scholars.
• Assist with LEAD Week and new student intensive orientation.

• Engage regularly in LEAD programming and activities to build connections with students.
• Support significant LEAD initiatives such as the National First‑generation College Celebration.
• Participate in assessment and reporting as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the Office of Student Life, Residence Life, Cowell Center, and other departments to support students as needed.
• Serve on university‑wide committees as a representative of the LEAD Scholars Program as appropriate to areas of responsibility.
• Collaborate with marketing and program coordinator to update the LEAD website.

• Recommend initiatives and implement changes to improve quality and services.
• Identify and determine causes of problems; develop and present recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices.
• Maintain contact with students and other constituents, and solicit feedback for improved services.
• Maximize productivity through use of appropriate tools; planned training and performance initiatives.
• Research and develop resources that create timely and efficient workflow.
• Prepare progress reports; inform supervisor of project status and deviation from goals.
• Ensure completeness, accuracy and timeliness of all operational functions.
• Prepare and submit reports as requested and…