Program Coordinator - Multicultural Student Services (Interfaith Engagement)

The University of Virginia's mission to develop engaged citizen-leaders is the foundation of the Division of Student Affairs' work, which is guided by six core values - academic rigor, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, honor, public service, and student self-governance. The Division of Student Affairs consists of over 300 employeeswithin five units - the Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer and theDean of Students,Student Health and Wellness,University Career Center,Office of African-American Affairs, andHousing & Residence Lifeand several units reporting to the Dean of Students - all working together, for and alongside students, to create the distinctive student experience for which UVA is known. We are seeking applicants for the position of Program Coordinator, Multicultural Student Services.

Multicultural Student Services (MSS), a unit reporting to the Dean of Students, supports the success and well-being of historically marginalized students and provides educational and engagement opportunities for all students. Our goal is to foster inclusion, belonging, and success for historically marginalized students, while also helping all UVA students develop the skills to navigate a diverse and ideologically complex world.MSS enriches the undergraduate experience with culturally relevant services, such as community-building programs, individual and student organization support, identity-based peer mentoring and leadership development programs, student success and academic support initiatives, and community advocacy. Additionally, MSS engages the broader student body through social justice and intercultural development opportunities. Much of this support is delivered through our five student centers - the Multicultural Student Center, LGBTQ Center, Latinx Student Center, Interfaith Student Center, and Asian American Student Center.

The Program Coordinator in Multicultural Student Services plays a vital role in advancing interfaith experiences as a strategic priority within Student Affairs, supporting the spiritual and religious needs of a diverse student body. This position is central to enhancing student development through experiences that embrace a variety of belief systems and worldviews. A key focus of the position is fostering understanding, collaboration, and respect among students of different religious and spiritual backgrounds.Responsibilities include designing and evaluating engagement opportunities, building relationships with faith communities, and overseeing student interns, while also managing the Interfaith Student Center as a dedicated space for prayer and reflection. The Program Coordinator also works closely with religious student organizations, facilitates dialogue that promotes understanding and connection among different faiths, and works with the Multicultural Student Services team to ensure both cultural and spiritual aspects of students' identities are acknowledged and integrated into university life.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the operations of the Interfaith Student Center, including direction of programs and services, and supervision of student interns in the development of interfaith dialogue, social, community-building, and faculty engagement programs.
• Establish the Interfaith Student Center as a venue for religious clergy to engage with students, fostering mentorship and spiritual support.
• Facilitate interfaith dialogue and deliver educational programming that promotes spiritual wellness, incorporating diverse formats such as social media and in-person events.
• Promote spiritual identity and diversity through celebratory events and programs that enhance campus-wide understanding of various religious communities, including their cultures, histories, and current issues.
• Build networks with local community and university-based (students, staff, and faculty) stakeholders in meaningful partnership. Key collaborators outside of the department and division include United Ministries at UVA, an interfaith group of clerical and other religious leaders working in religious life with students and the University community.
• Provide support and guidance to the Virginia Interfaith Coalition, a collective of religious student organizations serving students of diverse faiths.
• Directly advise the Muslim Institute for Leadership and Empowerment, a student-led, office-sponsored, leadership development program.
• Lead the re-establishment of Sustained Dialogue, serving as an adviser to this student organization that brings together groups of students for ongoing discussions about social identities, critical inclusion and equity issues, and current events.
• Be a visible and recognizable presence in the Interfaith Student Center and other MSS student centers, as well as on grounds by attending events sponsored by student organizations.
• Support under-served religious communities by providing leadership development, educational guidance, and community engagement efforts. Collaborate with university partners to advocate for and ensure religious accommodations that meet the diverse needs of students.
• Assist with incident management and support in the wake of student incidents, crises, or other matters pertaining to students' sense of belonging.
• Contribute to the collection, monitoring and tracking of data as defined by the unit's strategic plan initiatives.
• Complete MSS special projects and administrative assignments as needed (ex. welcome events, graduation planning, university-wide committees, etc.)
• Participate in and support general university initiatives and departmental, divisional, and institutional goal setting, committees, and special projects. Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree or equivalent in Counseling, Higher Education, Student Affairs Administration, or another related field preferred.
• Two or more years of relevant work experience, experience as an undergraduate or graduate student will be considered.

Candidates must have the following required knowledge areas, skills, and abilities:

• Ability to promote religious inclusivity and spiritual wellbeing strategically and intentionally.
• Knowledge of different religious traditions, including various beliefs and practices within major global religious, spiritual, and worldview traditions.
• Demonstrated experience in engagement and cooperation across differences of religion, spirituality, and worldview identities.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, equity, and belonging.
• Demonstrated experience in advising, counseling, group facilitation, supervision, program development, multicultural education, and social justice concepts.
• Understanding of student development, identity development, intersections, and complexity of social identities.
• Strong oral, digital, written, and interpersonal skills; ability to work in a multicultural, social justice-oriented community of individuals and groups with a wide array of backgrounds, identities, life experiences and communication styles.
• Student-centered attitude with ability to supervise and work alongside students in a highly student self -governed environment.
• Strong planning, coordination, and evaluation skills, as well as program and/or workshop facilitation skills.
• Experience with assessment and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong commitment to the Division's core values of academic rigor, honor, student self-governance, public service, diversity and equity, and health and wellness.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to develop mutually beneficial relationships with various University partners (e.g.,faculty, staff, school deans).
• Demonstrated mastery of providing outstanding student advising and support, attention to detail, and excelling in a fast-paced work environment with multiple competing priorities.

Details and Application Process

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $45,000.00 to $60,000.00 and is commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is an exempt-level position with UVabenefits. Employees' benefits package highlights include:

• 22 days of paid time off, increasing with service; 13+ paid holidays each year, in addition to paid time off
• Parental and Community Service Leave
• Health plan with options to meet healthcare and financial needs available immediately
• Competitive retirement benefits
• Tuition and professional development benefits after six months
• Employee wellness program featuring activities to earn up to $500/year.

The position is open until filled, but to assure full consideration, applicants are encouraged to submit materials by November 6, 2024.Please apply through the UVA Job Board. Requested application materials include a letter of interest or cover letter; resume or curriculum vitae; and the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three professional references. All applications, nominations, and inquiries will remain confidential. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration. The selected candidate will pass a background check. This position will not sponsor applications for work visas. References will be completed via UVA's standardized process SkillSurvey. For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Michele Jarman, Academic Recruiter.

Located in central Virginia, the University of Virginia is a highly selective public research institution with a major commitment to undergraduate education. The student experience is grounded in the institutional core values of academic rigor, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, honor, public service, and student self-governance. For more information about the University of Virginia and the Office of the Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer visit: http://www.virginia.edu.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician's Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, and family medical or genetic information.