Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

We invite applications for an exciting opportunity in the University of Virginia's Division of Student Affairs. The Division of Student Affairs is guided by a three-pronged mission: to help students build community, pursue wellness, and grow as citizen-leaders. We help students develop in these three essential areas by upholding policies and providing resources that: 

• Foster a University environment that promotes students' intellectual inquiry and responsible decision-making; 
• Support students as they clarify personal values, develop personal identity, build sound interpersonal relationships, and explore career directions; 
• Promote diversity, cultural richness, and full participation of all students in the University community; 
• Respond to students' changing needs at varying stages of intellectual, social, personal, and career development; 
• Attend to students impacted by a unique status, including minority, disability, health, financial resources, and nontraditional, among others; and
• Equip students to be informed and active citizens within our society. 

The Division consists of over 300 employees within five units – the Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer and the Dean of Students, Student Health and Wellness, University Career Center, Office of African-American Affairs, and Housing & Residence Life – all working together, for and alongside students, to create the distinctive student experience for which UVA is known. Care and Support Services (CASS) at Student Health and Wellness provides free inclusive support for all students with unmet needs to increase students’ ability to identify, reduce, and navigate barriers to their growth and well-being; we do this by providing direct student services and programming, and by creating and expanding support infrastructures. The Division is recruiting a generalist Assistant Dean of Student Affairs who will report to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and director of Care and Support Services.

The Assistant Dean will have student support responsibilities including triaging student concerns, and helping them access appropriate resources, solve problems, and respond appropriately to challenges and/or crises. Through formal and informal interaction, Student Affairs professionals assist students to achieve their goals and address systemic challenges. These interactions may include responding to student calls and walk-ins; responding to questions from or consulting with parents, faculty, or staff; or meeting with students who have interpersonal, behavioral, health and wellness, or other concerns. They will also collaborate with and make referrals to University offices/organizations to provide ongoing broad-based student support while implementing appropriate administrative processes, as needed. 

The Assistant Dean will also have incident response and crisis management responsibilities. The Assistant Dean will serve in the after-hours on-call rotation and will be expected to respond appropriately to student incidents and crises; coordinate and utilize emergency protocols; and provide crisis management support.

As time permits, Assistant Deans may have programmatic leadership responsibilities, which may include leadership over or assistance with program design, implementation, and/or support services related to an assigned program or focused community need. At times, UVA Student Affairs professionals do not manage programs themselves, but support students in designing and implementing the programs.  Programmatic activities currently managed in Care and Support Services include food or basic need insecurity, emergency aid, case or care management, outreach or education initiatives, data management, and other programs supporting historically underserved or high-risk students. 

Qualifications 

Candidates must have the following required knowledge areas, skills and abilities: 

• Excellent judgement, ability to “think on their feet” and be nimble and flexible in high-stress situations/environments; 
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively and interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, team members, and community/government agencies;  
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and initiative - ability to proactively and independently problem-solve and marshal resources across the institution;  
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills; 
• A demonstrated commitment t