Assistant Director, LGBTQ+ Thriving

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants must attach one document in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format, to avoid any formatting issues. Please note that the applicant tracking system does not convert attachments in Word format successfully.

Candidates must submit one PDF in this order:

• a cover letter (maximum one page)
• a resume or curriculum vitae
• names with emails and phone numbers for the three most recent direct supervisors to serve as references

Located in an urban environment on a 300-acre tree-lined campus, Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of the dynamic Museum District in Houston, TX, the most diverse city in the country and home to vibrant Latinx, Asian-American, Black, LGBTQ+, and international communities.  Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the metro area is characterized by a robust civil society with top elected positions in the region held by a diverse group of officials—left, right, and center, and including Asian-American, Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ leaders. Rice offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 3,900 graduate students. The university’s undergraduate population has no racial majority.  Rice consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); its endowment ranks among the top 20 of US universities.

We welcome the fullness of diversity to Rice. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Also, in our candidate pools, we seek to attract greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented. We aim to attract applicants from a wide range backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a staff varied in thought and experience; and to maintain an environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our community.

Position Summary:
In addition to championing a robust, living-learning environment for LGBTQ+ students, this position plays a pivotal role in fostering awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in higher education throughout the university.
Collaborating closely with various campus stakeholders, including students, staff, and faculty, the Assistant Director takes a holistic approach to developing and implementing programs, policies, and initiatives that promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity and support. In addition to the critical focus on LGBTQ+ inclusivity, this role actively contributes to building a broader campus environment that encourages inquiry, facilitates meaningful conversations, and promotes a sense of belonging for everyone. By providing guidance, resources, and advocacy, the Assistant Director ensures a safe and affirming experience for all students while actively contributing to the development of a campus culture that values diversity and fosters mutual understanding.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate for the Assistant Director, LGBTQ+ Thriving position is a consummate professional dedicated to and passionate about advancing inclusion in higher education. Such work requires a deep commitment to social justice, high emotional intelligence, cultural competency, urgency as well as patience, and the practical skills necessary to create and manage transformative change within a residential college environment. We seek someone with proven experience developing, implementing, and assessing educational programs that address the wide-ranging needs of LGBTQ+ students. Strong crisis intervention and conflict resolution abilities are also essential, as is the capacity to respond thoughtfully to incidents of bias or discrimination. Our ideal candidate stays current with best practices, research, and emerging trends related to LGBTQ+ issues and student affairs. They excel as a collaborative leader who can mentor and sometimes supervise student staff while building effective partnerships with faculty, administrators, and community organizations to advance student thriving and excellence across campus.

Workplace Requirements:
● This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person on campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.
● Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one-hour meal break
● Frequent evening and weekend work
● This is an exempt position and is not el