Assistant Director, Queer and Trans Student Success and Engagement

The Assistant Director, Queer and Trans Student Success and Engagement is assigned primarily to the Queer and Trans Resource and Advocacy Center (QTRAC) and reports to the Director of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The role coordinates student support, academic coaching, mentoring, student leadership development, LGBTQIA+ education, and community-building programs for students.

The Assistant Director serves all students including queer, trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, questioning, asexual, and intersex students, as well as allied students. The role uses an intersectional approach to strengthen access, belonging, retention, persistence, well-being, leadership, and full participation in university life.

The Assistant Director supports prospective, pre-college, and enrolled students and contributes to selected alumni-engagement activities. Responsibilities include academic coaching, mentoring, student organization advising, peer mentoring, programming, training, assessment, communications, and campus partnerships. The role provides education, student support, and resource navigation related to gender identity, sexual orientation, chosen-name and pronoun processes, facilities, housing, and other student-facing systems. The Assistant Director works in coordination with the supervisor and the university offices responsible for policy, compliance, housing, facilities, and student records. The role also supports broader Division of Equity and Inclusion priorities focused on a thriving campus community.

Student Support, Engagement, and Resource Navigation

• Provide academic coaching, mentoring, referral, and follow-up for students including queer, trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, questioning, asexual, intersex, and allied students, with particular attention to first-generation students and the ways intersectionality shapes queer and trans student experiences.
• Support student access, retention, persistence, belonging, identity development, leadership, and full participation in university life.
• Assist students with resource navigation through established university processes, referrals, and partnerships with responsible offices related to wellness, family concerns, bias experiences, academic success, and campus participation.
• Partner with advising, tutoring, counseling, Residence Life and Housing, accessibility, health services, Title IX, student conduct, public safety, career education, financial aid, faculty, admissions, and other offices to reduce barriers and coordinate student support.
• Track student contacts, referrals, support themes, climate concerns, and student success trends for review with the supervisor and relevant partners.
• Support prospective, pre-college, and enrolled students through programs and short-term projects tied to access, persistence, retention, and success, and contribute to selected alumni-engagement activities.

QTRAC Programs, Services, and Events

• Develop, maintain, implement, and evaluate QTRAC services, programs, events, workshops, and student engagement initiatives.
• Coordinate LGBTQIA+ programs grounded in queer and trans identity development, wellness, leadership, belonging, community building, and joy.
• Coordinate signature programs and visibility events such as Lavender Graduation, Coming Out Day, Trans Week of Remembrance, Trans Day of Visibility, Pride Week, queer and trans wellness programs, and community-building events.
• Create measurable program goals, learning outcomes, timelines, logistics plans, assessment tools, and post-program reports.
• Use student feedback and participation data to recommend improvements to QTRAC programs and services.

Training, Education, and Campus Partnerships

• Develop and deliver education on gender identity, sexual orientation, allyship, pronouns, chosen names, facilities, queer and trans student support, and student-facing systems using approved university information and practices.
• Provide education and resource guidance to campus partners, in collaboration with the supervisor and responsible university offices, to support queer and trans student engagement and success.
• Refer questions involving policy interpretation, compliance, student records, housing, facilities, or institutional procedures to the responsible university office.
• Track training registration, attendance, learning outcomes, feedback, curriculum updates, and follow-up needs.
• Identify and share approved practices related to queer and trans student support with campus partners and Division leadership.

Student Organizations, Leadership Development, and Campus Partnerships

• Advise assigned recognized student organizations and student leaders connected to QTRAC, including LGBTQIA+, queer and trans, gender justice, and allied student organizations (e.g., SAGA, Feminists United, and the Kinship Collaborative).
• Maintain regular engagement with assigned student organizations and student leaders through meetings with organization presidents, executive boards, resident assistants, area coordinators, and relevant campus partners. Attend selected evening and weekend events as needed.
• Provide mentorship, continuity, conflict navigation, and leadership coaching for student organization presidents, executive boards, resident assistants, peer leaders, and emerging student leaders.
• Support student leaders with program planning, budget management, university policies, risk management, and organizational sustainability.
• Assist student groups with funding processes, room reservations, purchasing, event preparation, administrative steps, and campus liaison work.
• Partner with Residence Life and Housing to support approved residential communities through student-leader development, education, programming, community meetings, and referrals. Residence Life and Housing retains responsibility for eligibility, selection, placement, and housing policy.

Division Support, Campus Partnerships, and In-Person and Virtual Yield Events

• Support the work of the Division of Equity and Inclusion, including assigned projects that advance broader divisional priorities.
• Attend regular one-on-one supervisory meetings with the Director, Center meetings, Division meetings, and other assigned campus meetings.
• Serve as an active participant on assigned committees, working groups, and campus partnerships related to queer and trans student access, persistence, retention, belonging, safety, well-being, and success.
• Participate in admissions and yield events, new student orientation, welcome and move-in programs, open houses, admitted-student events, pre-college programs, alumni events, and outreach activities on and off campus.
• Partner with alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community partners on short-term projects that support queer and trans student access, persistence, retention, and success.

Assessment, Data, Communications, and Reporting

• Collect and report appropriate program, participation, referral, and outcome information consistent with FERPA, university privacy and data-governance requirements, and principles of data minimization. Sensitive student information will be collected only when necessary, maintained with appropriate access controls, and reported in aggregate or deidentified form when feasible.
• Maintain accurate records related to student contacts, referrals, programs, trainings, spending, attendance, assessment results, student support trends, and annual reporting.
• Track referrals, follow-up needs, participation, program outcomes, training outcomes, and student support themes for review with the supervisor and relevant partners.
• Prepare concise reports, summaries, and recommendations based on program outcomes, student feedback, assessment findings, and student support trends.
• Use appropriate program, participation, referral, and outcome information to identify barriers, assess effectiveness, document impact, and improve QTRAC programs and services.
• Assist with social media, website updates, newsletters, marketing materials, and other web-based communications for QTRAC and the Division.

Operations, Budget, Safety, and Administration

• Help manage daily QTRAC operations, including space use, student-facing resources, supplies, equipment, scheduling, calendars, files, and general office workflow.
• Assist in the supervision and development of undergraduate and graduate student staff and volunteers.
• Track and report assigned spending in alignment with university policies and purchasing requirements.
• Report concerns related to safety, facilities, maintenance, accessibility, technology, and operations.
• Support a welcoming, organized, accessible, and student-centered QTRAC environment.
• Participate in required training and ongoing professional development.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree.
• A minimum of 2 to 3 years relevant experience with academic coaching, mentoring, student support, education, or program development, including experience gained through professional roles, graduate assistantships, internships, student leadership, peer education, residence life and housing, new student orientation, admissions, student activities, resource navigation, or related work.
• Relevant experience includes, but is not limited to, supporting access, belonging, retention, persistence, and success for queer, trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, questioning, asexual, intersex, and allied students, including first-generation students and students whose experiences are shaped by intersectionality.
• Experience developing, implementing, or facilitating programs, events, workshops, trainings, or student engagement initiatives related to gender identity, sexual orientation, allyship, student support, inclusive practice, social justice education, or queer and trans student engagement.
• Strong written and oral communication skills across various audiences.
• Experience using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and related tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, education, counseling, social work, sociology, social justice, ethnic studies, gender and sexuality studies, multicultural education, public health, communications, business, or a related field.
• Professional experience in a higher education, nonprofit, education, community-based, or student support setting related to LGBTQIA+ student services, queer and trans student support, gender and sexuality programs, student engagement, inclusive practice, or queer and trans community building.
• Experience supporting queer and trans student initiatives, such as Safe Zone education, Lavender Graduation, queer and trans peer mentoring, trans student support, referrals and partnerships with responsible offices, resource navigation through established university processes, or LGBTQIA+ student organizations.
• Experience designing, facilitating, and assessing recurring education or training programs for students, faculty, staff, or campus partners.
• Knowledge in one or more of the following areas: student development theory, queer and trans identity development, sexual orientation and gender identity development, intersectionality, trauma-informed practice, and campus policies and practices affecting LGBTQIA+ students, including Title IX, student conduct, bias response, privacy, and campus safety.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting data to assess student needs, program participation, learning outcomes, student engagement, or program effectiveness.
• Experience supervising undergraduate students, graduate students, interns, peer educators, or volunteers.
• Experience with website maintenance, social media, digital communications, marketing, or outreach.

At the University's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be accepted where the candidate can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the University, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Additional Information:

Roger Williams University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse workforce. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable state and federal law. For information on our Non-discrimination policy, visit here.

RWU prohibits all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex in its education programs and activities and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulations not to discriminate in such a manner. Complaints of Title IX sexual harassment should be reported to the Title IX Coordinator at the contact information listed below. Details regarding the formal complaint process can be found here: Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and responded to promptly. TITLE IX COORDINATOR: Dr. Jen Stanley, 1 Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI 02809 / Phone Number: (401) 254-3123 /Email Address: jstanley@rwu.edu