Vice President of Student Life

Job Description

Date: September 23, 2025
Position Available: Vice President of Student Life
Position Reports to: President
Department: Student Life
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., some evenings and weekends and occasional travel, including international, is required

Please apply online: https://franciscan.edu/vice-president-of-student-life/

POSITION SUMMARY
The Vice President of Student Life is responsible for fostering and developing a one-of-a-kind student culture where students thrive and are formed, through lives of faith, charity, and ongoing conversion, to lead and to evangelize each other and the world. Serving as the chief student-personnel officer and a member of the President's leadership team, the Vice President of Student Life provides overall direction and leadership of the Student Life programs at Franciscan University of Steubenville, including residence life, student conduct, athletics, wellness and counseling, student activities and programming, dining service, international student services, orientation, and campus events. The Vice President also champions the effective use of technology, data, and innovation to strengthen Student Life operations, compliance, and the student experience. Reporting to the Vice President of Student Life are the Dean of Students, Assistant Vice President of Student Life Services and Events, Director of Athletics, and an Administrative Assistant.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Mission Integration: Take specific steps to ensure the University's mission, vision, and core values of Encounter, Conversion and Community are highly visible and integrated into all Student Life activities and operations. Champion the Catholic and Franciscan identity across Student Life and ensure households, residence life, activities, and athletics form students in virtue, discipleship, and responsible community life.

2. Strategic Direction, Assessment & Continuous Improvement: Provide strategic direction for all Student Life areas, setting and achieving long-term and short-term goals animated by the Spirit of God and aligned with the University's priorities. Translate institutional priorities into an annual Student Life plan with clear outcomes and measures. Use surveys, dashboards, and program assessments to inform decisions, allocate resources, and report progress.

3. Division Leadership, People & Operations: Build and lead a cohesive Student Life team grounded in Franciscan values. Oversee organizational design, hiring, staff development and succession planning. Manage budgets, auxiliary services and systems with fiscal discipline, facilitating effective operations, planning, and goal achievement.

4. Student Engagement, Presence and Feedback: Be a visible and accessible leader in the life of students. Foster encounter through structured and informal engagement. Maintain regular and direct communication with students and student leaders, including Student Government. Continually assess student interests through listening sessions, survey, and campus involvement. Ensure feedback is used with staff to guide priorities and continuous improvement.

5. Student Activities, Leadership & Events: Direct student leadership programs, orientation, and campus-wide events that promote belonging, formation, and evangelization. Ensure that student organizations, events, and speaker policies align with the mission and Catholic identity of the University.

6. Student Well-Being, Counseling & Belonging: Lead a comprehensive approach to student well-being, integrating counseling, disability resources, health education, and case management. Strengthen belonging and connection so that every student feels supported and able to thrive.

7. Spiritual and Pastoral Collaboration: In close collaboration with the Vice President of Franciscan Life and other pastoral staff, advance efforts to promote ongoing conversion in the lives of all students. Serve as Vice Chair of the Spiritual Life leadership Team and as a University resource for issues related to integrating Catholic moral teaching with general policies and student conduct.

8. Governance, Advocacy & Compliance: Serve as the University's Chief Student Judicial Officer. Enforce and continually evaluate the Code of Student Conduct in the context of Catholic teaching and applicable laws (FERPA, Title IX/VAWA, Clery). Oversee crisis response in collaboration with Campus Safety, Title IX, General Counsel, and Communications. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee, Shared Governance Council, Academic Review Board, and other committees. Serve as staff to the Evangelization/Student Life Committee of the Board of Trustees, advocating for student welfare while balancing institutional values.

9. Cross-Divisional & External Partnerships: Collaborate with Enrollment, Academic Affairs, Athletics, Advancement, Operations, and Marketing & Communications to support student success. Represent student perspectives and priorities in shared governance and external events as the University's Chief Student Affairs Officer.

10. Technology, Data, and Innovation: Support the effective use of technology and data across Student Life. Champion tools such as Jenzabar (J1), Symplicity, and Watermark to strengthen accuracy, compliance, reporting, and student experience. Ensure housing and activities data are reliable and accessible for decision-making and represent Student Life in cross-divisional technology planning efforts.

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Additional duties, expectations, and responsibilities may be added or changed as needed to meet the University's needs.

REQUIREMENTS
Must understand, support, and embrace the mission of Franciscan University of Steubenville and possess the following:

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with student systems, case-management platforms, and assessment tools. Familiarity with student conduct systems and CARE/BIT workflows.
• Proficiency in standard desktop software applications (e-mail, MS Office, etc.)
• CRM software experience/familiarity.

Non-Technical Skills and Competencies

• Mission Leadership: Embraces and advances the University's Catholic and Franciscan mission in all areas of Student Life. Champions households, evangelization, and community culture as distinctive marks of Franciscan University, modeling ongoing conversion and inspiring these values in others.

• Leading Self and Others: Pursues personal growth and ongoing conversion. Uses feedback and self-awareness to strengthen leadership. Coaches, develops, and mentors students and staff, while holding individuals accountable with clarity and charity.

• Strategic Leadership: Anticipates trends in higher education and Catholic culture and translates them into a clear vision for Student Life. Aligns divisional goals with the broader priorities of the University.

• Business Acumen & Drive for Results: Stewards resources responsibly and manages complex budgets. Sets mission-driven goals, monitors progress, and ensures results while balancing pastoral care and operational effectiveness.

• Decision Quality: Integrates Catholic moral teaching, pastoral wisdom, and legal standards into timely, sound decisions. Balances the dignity of each student with the integrity of community life.

• Interpersonal Skills: Builds trust and rapport with students, faculty, staff, parents, and trustees. Uses diplomacy and tact to navigate sensitive or high-tension situations.

• Written and Verbal Communication: Communicates clearly and persuasively with diverse audiences. Provides transparent updates and guidance in ways that are pastoral and professional.

• Teamwork: Encourages collaboration across departments. Values diverse perspectives and ensures Student Life is a trusted and constructive partner in achieving University goals.

Education and Work Experience

• Master's degree in student affairs, higher education, counseling, or related field required. Doctorate preferred.
• 7-10 years of progressive leadership in student affairs (Catholic higher education strongly preferred) with oversight of multiple areas of teams. Demonstrated success in student formation, engagement, crisis leadership, compliance (FERPA, Title IX/VAWA, Clery), and assessment.
• 5 years of supervisory experience, preferably in a college or university setting.

Workplace Factors

• Standard office hours with frequent evenings and weekends. On-call responsibilities for student crises. Occasional travel, including international, to support programs.

Candidates must submit an online application, a resume and a cover letter that demonstrates their fit for the position based on their experience, accomplishments, and skills as well as their desire to advance the mission of Franciscan University.

Please apply online: https://franciscan.edu/vice-president-of-student-life/

For other information and job postings, visit our website at https://www.franciscan.edu

Franciscan University of Steubenville is committed to principles of equal opportunity and is an equal opportunity employer.

About the Employer

Franciscan University is a Catholic and Franciscan liberal arts and professional studies institution located in Steubenville, Ohio.