Program Director, Parent and Family Relations

The Director of Parent and Family Relations provides strategic leadership for university-wide parent and family engagement initiatives, overseeing communications, programs, orientation partnerships, and outreach efforts that enhance the student and family experience. This role leads departmental strategy, staff and budget management, cross-functional collaboration, and the development of innovative engagement opportunities that support student success, family involvement, and successful transitions into and throughout the university experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Parent and Family Engagement Strategy: Direct the university’s parent and family relations efforts, including communications, outreach, volunteer engagement, and signature programs that strengthen connections between families and the institution.
• Oversee Family Communications and Programming: Manage family-facing communication channels, social media, and engagement platforms while leading the planning and execution of major events and experiences such as Family Day, Family Tailgate, Legacy Dinner, Student Remembrance Ceremony, and other university-wide programs.
• Provide Leadership for Student Life Orientation Programs: Chair the Student Life Orientation Committee and collaborate with campus partners to develop and deliver orientation programs, presentations, and transition resources for new, transfer, campus change, international, and graduate/professional students and their families.
• Manage Department Operations and Staff: Oversee departmental budgets, supervise and develop professional and student staff, establish strategic priorities and assessment plans, and ensure effective execution of departmental goals and initiatives.
• Build Campus Partnerships and Represent the Department: Foster collaboration across university departments, support volunteer advisory groups such as the Family Roundtable, provide crisis and constituent support when needed, and represent Parent and Family Relations on university committees, work groups, workshops, and conferences.

Qualifications:

Required: Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience; 7 years of relevant experience. 6-8 years of leadership experience in administration, project management, program planning and execution; experience overseeing communications strategy and designing engagement plans.

Desired: Master's degree in higher education or related field; experience supervising professional and student staff; 12 or more years of experience in project management, program planning, and execution.