Associate Director, Community & Belonging

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is looking for a qualified, motivated, and supportive candidate to serve as the Associate Director for Community & Belonging. We invite you to apply to this position if you are interested in supporting Indigenous, Alaska Native, and rural students. Make an impact through innovative programs, mentorship, and collaborative partnerships, helping students achieve their full potential both academically and personally.

This position operates under the Department of Student Affairs at UAA. This position serves as the lead for the Indigenous & Rural Student Center (IRSC) at UAA, focusing on fostering a sense of belonging and supporting the retention and success of Indigenous, Alaska Native, and rural students. Responsibilities include overseeing programs, events, and initiatives, managing staff and budgets, building campus and community partnerships, and driving cultural celebrations. You will mentor staff, assess program impact, and collaborate with campus partners to enhance student engagement and success. This role offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on student experiences and outcomes.

To thrive in this role, candidates should have experience in student leadership development, community building, and advising, particularly with Alaska Native, Indigenous, and rural students. Strong skills in creating culturally responsive programs, supervising staff, managing budgets, and using assessment tools are essential. The ideal candidate will also be adept at building relationships with diverse stakeholders and skilled in communication, social media, and marketing platforms. A collaborative, student-centered approach focused on retention and success is key.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in related field and four years progressively responsible relevant experience and one year management experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in higher education administration, student personnel services, counseling, psychology, social work, ethnic studies, public health, education, or other closely related discipline from an accredited institution of higher education; and four years progressively responsible relevant experience and one year management experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Relevant experience demonstrating experience working with Alaska Native, Indigenous and rural communities focusing on community building, program planning, and student leadership development. Demonstrated experience working in roles with significant student contact. Work experience including comprehensive student staff supervision, strategic planning, and demonstrated support for the student experience.

Master's degree preferred.

Position Details:

This is a full-time, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 81, based on education and experience.

Applications will be accepted for review on 05/15/2025, to ensure consideration, please apply by 11:55 PM, Alaska Standard Time on 05/14/2025.

📃To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.

☎️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Michele Yatchmeneff, at myatchmeneff@alaska.edu.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

The University of Alaska (www.alaska.edu) is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and Educational Institution.  The University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination (www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination) against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing uas.clery@alaska.edu.