Description

Position Overview

The Student Engagement Center at the University of Kansas serves as a hub for student involvement, leadership development, impact programs and resources, and community programs. Through the Student Engagement Center, KU students deepen their connection to each other and KU by exploring communities and opportunities to thrive during their Jayhawk experience. Students will engage through registered student organizations, leadership experiences, and professional development workshops. The Center will impact students by providing for direct needs in the Campus Cupboard, Pregnant and Parenting Pantry, clothing closets, and the Emergency Aid Network. Jayhawks will build community as they connect with peers and engage in student support programs. The Student Engagement Center enhances existing programs by providing greater resources and deeper connections across Student Affairs.

The Student Program Coordinator for Leadership Programs is responsible for strengthening the KU student experience through leadership development opportunities and personal development workshops. The Student Program Coordinator for Leadership Programs will supervise graduate and undergraduate student staff to implement a dynamic student leadership development experience. The Student Program Coordinator for Leadership Programs engages with students, staff, faculty, student organization advisors, and the community to extend the reach of the Student Engagement Center.

The Student Program Coordinator reports to the Associate Director of Leadership Programs in the Student Engagement Center. Student Affairs at the University of Kansas makes learning possible through programs and services designed to support students across their KU experience as they achieve their academic and personal goals. Student Affairs serves as an advocate for students across the University community.

Job Description

40% - Programming

• Co-development of a comprehensive leadership development curriculum for KU students and student organization officers. Collaborate with university, regional, and national partners to offer a multi-phased leadership development model designed to enhance students' leadership skills and experiences across their KU career.
• Develop and implement student leadership programs including, but not limited to leadership speaker series, fall and spring semester student retreats, and bi-weekly student leader roundtable conversations.
• Co-assist with the management of the Leadership Council, a cohort model for first-year and transfer students seeking leadership development opportunities.
• Implement LeadKU, a social media campaign that highlights student leaders and their personal stories across campus through a nomination process.
• Create and implement student leadership benchmarks and associated programs to foster students' personal and professional development.
• Assist with the implementation of the Student Leadership Awards Ceremony recognizing individual students and student organizations.
• Manage program budgets associated with student leadership programs and educational workshops in collaboration with the Associate Director.

35% - Education

• Develop and implement workshops for KU students on topics including, but not limited to collaborative leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving, vision and goal-setting, teambuilding and motivation.
• Implement personal assessments such as StrengthsQuest for students and host follow-up consultation meetings to create a plan to further individual development
• Collaborate with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Department of Leadership Studies on co-curricular opportunities for students pursuing the KU Leadership Engagement Certificate.

10% - Assessment and Administration

• Develop, monitor, and evaluate program learning outcomes. Ensure all leadership programs advance departmental, Student Affairs, and university learning outcomes; this includes the submission of monthly data points and identifying trends over time and projections for future needs.
• Serve as a student engagement support specialist; attending recruitment fairs, pipeline programming and other marketing events to further SEC's outreach efforts.
• Host weekly office hours for student intake meetings.

10% - Supervision

• Supervise and provide leadership, direction, training and support to one graduate assistant and/or undergraduate student staff.

5% - Other Duties as Assigned

• Serve on the Student Engagement Center, Student Affairs, and university-wide committees as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

• This position is required to work on-site.
• This position requires some evening and weekend work.

Required Qualifications

1. Master's degree in higher education, college student personnel, educational leadership, counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field.
2. One year of full-time experience working with college students through programs and services. Two years working as a Graduate Assistant will count towards one year of professional work.
3. Experience developing and implementing educational materials, programs, and workshops.
4. Applied knowledge of best practices and national trends impacting student involvement, engagement, and leadership development as demonstrated through work history.
5. Experience that required collaborative work with a wide range of students, staff, faculty, administrators, and other members of the community as evidenced by application materials.
6. Strong written communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
7. Experience creating marketing materials and using social media in a professional setting.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

Additional Candidate Instruction

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume
• List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins Monday, February 16th, 2026 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.