Assistant Director of Wellness

Department: Dean of Students

Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaW), a unit of the Dean of Students office, envisions a campus community in which all students can thrive. Using an ecological approach and guided by the Eight Dimensions of Wellness framework, we strive to create and support a health-promoting campus through collective impact, advocacy, education, outreach, programs, and services . Learn more about HPaW here: https://www.northwestern.edu/wellness

About Student Affairs: By pursuing justice, equity, and belonging, Student Affairs cultivates student programs, services, and skills; disrupts barriers; and partners across Northwestern and neighboring communities to create an inclusive culture in which all students can thrive. Learn more about the Division of Student Affairs here: https://www.northwestern.edu/studentaffairs/about/strategic-plan/objectives.html

Job Summary

The Assistant Director supports the mission of Health Promotion and Wellness and the Division of Student Affairs. The Assistant Director provides strategic vision, development, implementation, and evaluation for campaigns, programs, and services designed to support and improve students’ overall health and well-being. The Assistant Director assists with the planning, implementation and/or evaluation of high-quality college health promotion strategies, programs, and services on intersecting topics including, but not limited to: sleep, stress management, hazing, resilience, nutrition, physical fitness, disease prevention, and overall wellness.

Please note: Some evening and weekend hours are required.

Pay: The salary range for this Assistant Director position is $65,000-68,500 annually, depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Principal Accountabilities

Administration 25%

• Manages the Wellness Coaching program carrying a caseload of up to 12 students at a time.
• Manages the ResilientNU program and its associated student organization.
• Assists with facilitation of hazing prevention education led by the Senior Associate Dean of Students.
• Develops non-substance related addiction support in conjunction with the Associate Director of HPaW and key stakeholders.
• Develops and advises a holistic wellness peer health program.
• Analyzes data, recommends, and implements changes and improvement to better ensure attainment of mission.
• Advises related student organizations outside of the department.
• Oversees and ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective.
• Operationalizes goals and objectives; ensures that resources are created or obtained.
  
  

Communication, Outreach, Recruitment 15%

• Supports program/project marketing/branding efforts.
• Supports department in outreach efforts to increase office visibility and resource awareness during Wildcat Welcome, wellness fairs, and other department and university events and initiatives.
• Identifies and implements short- and long-term strategies and plans to meet program/project goals.
• Engages in outreach/field relations serving several goals, including recruitment, participation, sponsorship, relationship building, etc. to support continued program/project development and improvement.
• Interacts with internal/external resources and organizations to identify new markets and opportunities.
• Builds relationships with program/project alumni to develop and cultivate professional networks, financial resources, and sense of community among alumni.
  
  

Program Development 15%

• Develops, manages, and facilitates Wellness related programs, projects, and initiatives.
• Manages goals, objectives, outcome measurements and metrics, financial feasibility, marketing strategies and collaboration opportunities with other internal and external organizations.
• Manages the ongoing development and refinement of the program's/project's current and future curriculum and course offerings in consultation with subject matter experts.
• Provides leadership for planning, scheduling, delivering and maintaining program(s)/project(s) to sustain quality educational activity.
• Manages for consistently high-quality standards across all partner programs/projects.
  
  

Evaluation 10%

• Oversees development and implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative and qualitative measurements that ensure that program/project benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Collaborates with internal/external resources to develop meaningful outcome measurements and methods of program/project evaluation that will lead to enhancement.
  
  

Regulatory Compliance 5%

• Assists with development and implementation of processes and procedures for safety, security and compliance programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and NU laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Oversees creation and/or implementation of associated training.
  
  

Events 5%

• Develops a comprehensive program of events such as trainings, lectures, symposia, speaker series, workshops, conferences, cultural events etc. in collaboration with internal and external resources.
• Supports the Associate Director and Director in planning annual budget.
  
  

Budgets and Financial 5%

• Ensures that programs/projects meet associated revenue and expense goals.
• Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes and increasing program/project revenues and margins.
  
  

Strategic Planning 5%

• Contributes to a coordinated program of activities designed to increase program/project objectives.
• Creates department strategy for structure, process, and staff support of students.
  
  

Student Support 5%

• Oversees recruitment, application evaluation, interview, selection and notification of students or participants.
  
  

Supervision 5%

• Supervises the University of Chicago School of Social Work Intern
  
  

Other duties as assigned 5%

Minimum Qualifications

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years program/project administration or other relevant experience.
  
  

Minimum Competencies

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) as well as general interpersonal skills.
• Awareness of personal boundaries and ability to provide self-care.
• Demonstrated oral /written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or advanced degree in health promotion, public health, social work, or closely related field.
• 3-5 years of professional experience beyond graduate school directly related to duties/responsibilities of this position.
• CHES/MCHES certified.
• Extensive knowledge of current/emerging college wellness issues, intervention methods, health behavior change theories, ecological framework and evidence-based/evidence-informed practice.
• Training and experience in Motivational Interviewing.
• Experience with student peer education group coordination, advising, and/or leadership.
• Demonstrated ability in core areas of assessment, program planning, and evaluation.
• Desire and ability to lead other initiatives on priority wellness issues as research and need dictate.
• Excellent computer skills; MS Office Suite proficient.
  
  

Preferred Competencies

• Experience in website and social media content creation and management.
  
  

Benefits: At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness: Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare, and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth and Development: Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.