Associate Director of Class and Access Resource Center

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the Associate Director of Class and Access Resource Center. The Associate Director of Class and Access Resource Center position is a full-time, year-round position. The expected range for this position is $72,000-79,000 per year.

The salary offered will vary based on a number of factors, including but not limited to relevant education, training, and experience, tenure status, and other nondiscriminatory business considerations. Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Click here for Benefits Information.

Amherst College invites applications for the position of Associate Director, Class and Access Resource Center (CARC), to further the center’s mission to provide education, support, and advocacy to and on behalf of first-generation, low-income, transfer, and military veteran students. Through programmatic initiatives, resources, and services, the CARC aims to foster personal, social, and academic success for the student populations at Amherst College, which is welcoming to all. It provides space for students to explore social class identities with an intersectional lens. The Class and Access Resource Center is part of the Student Engagement and Equity unit within the Student Affairs division.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Identity and Cultural Engagement, the Associate Director will be a content expert on the Center's salient identities, supervise student staff, manage day-to-day operations, advance student-led programming, and also oversee critical center communications platforms. The Associate Director will work in collaboration with the Senior Director to develop, implement, and assess signature programs and initiatives. The Associate Director of CARC will work collaboratively on shared projects and initiatives with the Office of Identity and Cultural Resources— composed of Amherst’s six identity-based resource centers, including: the Center for International Student Engagement, Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, Multicultural Resource Center, Queer Resource Center, and the Women’s & Gender Center. The Associate Director will collaborate with various campus partners and stakeholders to fulfill the Center’s mission through educational, social, and cultural programming that centers on and affirms the diverse communities the Center serves.

This is an in-person position with hybrid work offered during the academic breaks. Occasional nights and weekends are required. Attend and support signature Student Affairs and campus-wide programs, including Orientation, Mammoth Welcome Week, Family Weekend, Campus Parties, Homecoming, Spring Concert, Commencement, and Reunion.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities

Management, Operations, and Supervision:

● Management of the day-to-day operations of the Class and Access Resource Center

● Serve as a core leader within the Office of Identity and Cultural Resources Team and a liaison to the senior administration of the College.

● Serves as a content expert on the salient communities the Center engages, providing insight and guidance to ensure programs, resources, and initiatives are responsive to their needs and experiences.

● Leads strategic planning and comprehensive assessment of CARC operations, resources, and programming to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and emerging best practices.

● Oversees budget planning and tracks expenditures to ensure resources are used effectively and responsibly.

● Recruits, hires, trains, and supervises a team of 4–6 student staff, fostering their professional growth and development in both skill and content expertise.

● Works with staff to collect and assess program data, sharing annual reports that celebrate impact and inform ongoing development and areas for growth.

● Responsible for identifying and supporting students experiencing acute or chronic stress; completing reports in a timely manner, and maintaining communication with the Senior Director to inform CARE Team processes and ensure appropriate support.

● Serve on College-wide and divisional task forces, committees, working groups, and search committees.

● Attends 1:1s, weekly team meetings, monthly division meetings, and college-wide meetings.

Program Development, Facilitation, and Assessment:

● Develops and coordinates academic programming within the Centers, partnering with faculty and academic departments to promote interdisciplinary learning and foster intellectual engagement.

● As a member of the OICR Team, co-create, develop, and implement programs, trainings, and workshops that examine the intersections of historically and presently marginalized identities and their communities.

● Stays informed about local, national, and global issues that impact the student communities served by the Center, ensuring responsive and relevant programming.

● Develop educational and social programs that enhance critical understanding of class, socio-economic status, and access to the Amherst College community.

● Builds meaningful partnerships with parents and families, alumni, and campus community members to create and sustain impactful programs and resources that enrich the student experience.

● Assist in the planning, implementation, and assessment of New Student Transfer Orientation and other signature programs.

● Collaborate at the divisional and institutional level to develop and facilitate campus programs, workshops, trainings, and other opportunities that support the mission of CARC

Student Support and Development:

● Serves as a key liaison to Student Care, CCMH, Class Deans, and other campus partners to coordinate timely support and interventions for students experiencing acute or crisis situations.

● Collaborates with campus partners to develop and implement policies that directly influence and support the Center’s mission, programs, and communities.

Content Development and Communications:

● Oversee all of CARC's communications: newsletters, advertisements, social media, etc.

● Develops, manages, and evaluates the Center’s social media presence in collaboration with student staff, ensuring engaging, strategic, and mission-aligned content.

● Manage the creation of educational and promotional materials for both print and online platforms. ● Maintain the website to ensure it is up to date and includes dynamic resources for students

Qualifications

Required

• Master’s Degree in Student Affairs/Personnel, Higher Education, Social Justice Education, or an adjacent degree in critical area studies and/or related fields.

• 2-4 years of progressive experience working with first-generation, low-income, veteran, transfer, and/or other students.

• Demonstrated commitment to a student-centered approach in practice, especially with building relationships with underrepresented students.

• Content expertise in contemporary challenges and issues of historically and presently marginalized students

• At least 1 full year of demonstrated experience with student supervision and development

• Effective and clear communication, both verbal and written.

• Program development, implementation, and assessment experience

• Experience with content management on multiple mediums and platforms, i.e. poster design, social media account management, website editing, email marketing programs, etc.

• Strong interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills

• Proficiency with Google Suite for Education, Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Demonstrated efficacy working with diverse teams.

• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and collaboratively.

• Successful completion of required background and reference checks

Preferred

• Training, workshop, intergroup dialogue, and/or circle facilitation, design, and delivery experience

• Knowledge of student development theory and demonstrative incorporation of said theory into practice

• Familiarity, basic competence, or more with Adobe Design Suite software, and/or Canva

Design Platform

• Knowledge of and/or proficiency in non-English language(s)

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs. Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Amherst College is committed to an inclusive hiring process and will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates throughout the application and interview process upon request.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.