Job Summary
The Associate Director, Special Programs leads the special programs for undergraduate students at the Leeds School of Business. The special programs provide a blend of extracurricular programming and credit-bearing coursework for several cohorts of students. The Associate Director provides oversight of the programs, student-centric advising, systematic growth where appropriate, and hands-on involvement in the programs and student experience. The Associate Director is a key member of the Leeds Undergraduate staff and serves as a resource to the Senior Director, Career Development and Experiential Learning, for information about the achievements and challenges of students in the special programs.
The Associate Director supervises two Assistant Directors who manage the day-to-day operations of the special programs. Existing Leeds special programs have clear identities:
The Associate Director, Special Programs leads the special programs for undergraduate students at the Leeds School of Business. The special programs provide a blend of extracurricular programming and credit-bearing coursework for several cohorts of students. The Associate Director provides oversight of the programs, student-centric advising, systematic growth where appropriate, and hands-on involvement in the programs and student experience. The Associate Director is a key member of the Leeds Undergraduate staff and serves as a resource to the Senior Director, Career Development and Experiential Learning, for information about the achievements and challenges of students in the special programs.
The Associate Director supervises two Assistant Directors who manage the day-to-day operations of the special programs. Existing Leeds special programs have clear identities:
- Leeds Scholars is the most selective, most intensive program for students who excel in academics and leadership at Leeds
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
At Leeds, we have an outstanding vantage point, and while we’re located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, we’re not talking about the scenery. Set in the heart of Boulder, Colorado—one of the nation’s most vibrant business communities—Leeds offers unparalleled access to world-changing entrepreneurs, national research institutions and award-winning faculty!
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Strategic Leadership and Program Oversight
This position is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic direction of the programs in partnership with the Sr. Director. This includes defining the student profile for each program, creating learning and program objectives aligned with larger Leeds’ initiatives, managing relationships with relevant faculty and campus partners, and continuously improving each program over time. The Associate Director will:
- Act as a visible leader within the programs to reinforce trust, continuity, and credibility.
- Participate and be responsible for key program events, workshops, and discussions as a facilitator or thought partner.
- Support the culture of each program by modeling empathy, warmth, and student-centered leadership.
- Assess on a regular basis current programmatic strengths and areas for improvement by obtaining data, student outcomes, and partner feedback.
- Use data to demonstrate creative problem-solving skills to meet challenges in all aspects – financial, logistics, recruiting, program development, and student experience. Based on the assessment, create and implement a strategic plan for the special programs focusing on addressing the needs and enhancing the strengths.
- Accountable for ensuring all goals within special programs are met.
- Serve as a leader in specialized programs by identifying and integrating standard methodologies, emerging trends, and innovative approaches into programming and advising models.
- Providing student access to a highly experienced, trusted advisor.
- Reinforcing a personalized, connection-focused student experience.
- Strengthening advising quality while modeling standard methodologies in empathetic leadership.
This position is not only a supervisory position, but also a team member who helps deliver programming and builds relationships with students in the programs. The Associate Director will:
- Hold regular office hours for one-on-one and small-group student meetings.
- Provide career and professional guidance informed by substantial industry and leadership experience.
- Offer values-based mentorship focused on leadership development, ethical decision-making, and personal growth.
- Serve as a trusted, approachable resource for students navigating academic, professional, or personal challenges.
This position will serve as a key collaborator and strategic partner across the Leeds School of Business and the broader University of Colorado community.
- Work closely with members of the Undergraduate Programs Leadership Team to align program goals, enhance the student experience, and support college-wide priorities.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with a broad group of partners, influence without direct authority, and effectively navigate complex organizational structures.
- Partner extensively with Academic Advising, Leeds First-Year Experience, Recruitment and Scholarships, Advancement, Career Development, Experiential Learning, Mentoring Programs, Engineering, Student Organizations, and Leeds Student Government to ensure coordinated delivery of programs and services. Collaboration includes jointly developing initiatives, sharing student success data and insights, coordinating communications and events, addressing student needs, and finding opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Engage with faculty, staff, campus partners, alumni, employers, and external partners to strengthen program outcomes, foster student engagement, and advance the strategic objectives of the Leeds School of Business.
This position will involve teaching and/or co-teaching courses (Designing Your Leeds and First-Year Global Experience).
- Support the learning objectives of the programs through teaching.
- Supervise and advise on curriculum associated with the special programs that are taught by colleagues.
- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports and team meetings to ensure cohesion and alignment.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team, including performance management, professional development, and succession planning.
- Foster a high-performing, inclusive team culture grounded in accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Establish clear performance expectations, monitor outcomes, and address performance concerns in a timely, constructive, and equitable manner.
- Model strong leadership practices by promoting transparency, collaboration, sound decision-making, and effective communication across the team.
- Oversee staff workload management, prioritization, and resource allocation to support operational effectiveness.
- Create and sustain a culture of feedback, recognition, and continuous learning that supports employee engagement, retention, and professional growth.
- Ensure adherence to university policies, ethical standards, and standard methodologies in advising, supervision, and student support services.
- Support organizational change initiatives by guiding staff through organizational, technological, and procedural transitions with clarity and accountability.
- Accountable for the budget of the special programs.
- Create and finalize the budget, in partnership with the Assistant Directors and Sr. Director, to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with institutional policies and goals.
- Ensure accurate management of the budgets to guarantee that the annual budgets will come in as agreed.
- Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8am – 5pm
- Work modality: Hybrid with 3 days per week in the office and 2 days per week of remote work
- Some evening and weekend hours will be required (5-10 evenings/weekend days per semester)
- Occasional travel required (approximately 2-3 times per year, including international travel)
The annual hiring range for this position is $80,000-$90,000. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
Be ambitious. Be inspired. Be Boulder.
What We Require
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- 3+ years of relevant professional experience such as program management, student engagement, or industry partnership development
- Supervisory experience
- Experience with fiscal responsibility
- Experience liaising with corporate or industry partners.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a reputation for approachability and thoughtful guidance.
- Alignment with special program values of excellence, integrity, and care for students.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor students and emerging professionals with warmth, credibility, and emotional intelligence.
- Strong critical thinking and program leadership skills.
- Ability to build structure and systems to support complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
- Ability to influence and collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
- High level of organization and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Experience using data to inform decisions and improve program outcomes.
- Understanding of student development and experiential learning standard methodologies.
- Commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with time-sensitive tasks.
- Proven success and passion for growing and developing employees.
- Proven success creating and managing budgets.
- Promotes creating an inclusive and supportive environment to reflect our values and vision at Leeds.
- 5+ years of professional experience in industry, leadership, or executive roles.
- Experience advising or coaching in higher education, corporate settings, nonprofit, and leadership development contexts preferred.
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by September 6, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources
Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu