Associate Director, Programs and Engagement

University of St Thomas•Saint Paul, MN

1d•$67,540 - $82,400

About The Position

The Associate Director of Programs and Engagement plays a key role within the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship team, providing leadership for program-level strategy and execution, and overseeing the design and execution of co-curricular and extra-curricular initiatives. This position serves as the primary integrator of co-curricular activities across the Schulze School, ensuring cohesive student experiences and strategic alignment. Reporting to the senior director, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, the associate director will build and strengthen relationships with various stakeholders, including university students and faculty, alumni, as well as the business community to deliver a diverse array of events and programs that support innovation and entrepreneurship across the entire campus. These activities encompass workshops, venture competitions, speaking events, and internships, fostering dynamic connections and opportunities. Programs include both annual events as well as new programs as determined through strategic outreach with on-campus and off-campus partners. This role will oversee all major co-curricular activities of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, including management of program support staff. This position requires a unique combination of operational effectiveness and attention to detail, paired with strategic thinking and relationship-building capabilities. This role ensures that the Schulze School’s programming portfolio reflects institutional priorities, operational capacity, and high-impact student experiences. “Engagement” in this role refers to fostering participation, visibility, and collaboration across the University of St. Thomas community - including students, faculty, and campus partners — to expand access to entrepreneurship programming and cultivate an innovative culture aligned with the university’s strategic priority to empower the entrepreneurial mindset across campus. Some local travel is required (5-10% annually).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, education, or a related field
5+ years of professional experience providing leadership for large-scale programs, events, or initiatives, including responsibility for execution, evaluation, and continuous improvement
Demonstrated success in designing, implementing, and enhancing high-impact educational or experiential programs
Proven ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholder groups - such as faculty, staff, students, and external partners - to shape and deliver programming aligned with strategic goals
Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to use data to inform decision-making and guide program-level strategy
A Valid Driver’s License
A DMV background check is required
Ability to work some nights and weekends is required

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in business, education, or a related field
Experience supervising or leading staff, including mentoring, goal setting, and fostering a collaborative, results-driven culture
Experience working within or alongside donor-funded or philanthropically supported programs, including providing program impact updates or stewardship support
Demonstrated ability to innovate within program portfolios, incorporating emerging technologies, trends, or pedagogical approaches
Experience in higher education, entrepreneurship, innovation programming, or experiential learning environments

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction and oversight for all student co-curricular programming, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and educational mission
Use data and performance analytics to evaluate the impact, value, and alignment of all co-curricular programs.
Provide recommendations to the Executive Director on program continuation, enhancement, or sunsetting, ensuring that programming aligns with strategic priorities, student demand, and budget parameters.
Manage, support, and develop program staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture
Ensure continuity, quality, and consistency across all co-curricular offerings, including workshops, competitions, mentorship programs, and experiential learning opportunities
Serve as the primary lead for all Fowler programming and competitions (including both the Fowler Business Concept Challenge and the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge); the Business Plan Competition, and other signature events such as the Freshman Innovation Immersion; Women Entrepreneur Week events; ENTR Welcome Back Lunch; ENTR Graduation Celebration; and alumni engagement events.
Collaborate with partner institutions (i.e. University of San Diego) to lead the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge every other year (during host years), and provide support to USD during non-host years
Support the e-Fest competition in collaboration with the e-Fest program manager
Provide critical program impact data and high-quality event execution that contribute to effective donor stewardship, ensuring that donor-funded initiatives deliver visible, measurable value
Collaborate with faculty, administrators, and internal partners to integrate co-curricular experiences with academic learning and career development
Create and manage new co-curricular programs to engage students across campus, fostering interdisciplinary engagement in innovation and entrepreneurship
Manage partner programs across campus, e.g. School of Engineering E- Week programs, clubs and organizations within the Opus College of Business, Luann Dummer Center for Women, new programs TBD
Manage Schulze School of Entrepreneurship student interns and/or ambassadors in support of promotion of the undergraduate entrepreneurship major & minor and co-curricular opportunities, scholarships, etc.; coordination of Innovate MN Idea Jams with student clubs and on-campus organizations
Create robust marketing and communications strategy in conjunction with the OCB MIC team to maximize promotion and storytelling of co-curricular events; develop marketing and social media plans; create assets for promotional efforts; and engage with University PR staff on promotion and follow-up storytelling for St. Thomas publications
Represent the Schulze School as a key spokesperson at both on- and off- campus events to build and maintain strong relationships with potential partners, volunteers, and mentors
Stay informed on industry trends and best practices by attending innovation and entrepreneurship-focused events and conferences and actively engaging with students, alumni, and other relevant networks
Collaborate with the Executive Director to support alumni engagement efforts and programs that connect alumni to Schulze School events, mentorship opportunities, and signature initiatives
Oversee and optimize co-curricular program operations by streamlining workflows, clarifying roles, and ensuring accountability through effective use of project management tools
Lead planning, budgeting, and reporting processes, including budget creation, expense tracking, and timely processing of payments
Evaluate program effectiveness through attendance tracking, satisfaction surveys, and maintaining high levels of satisfaction and return engagement
Drive continuous improvement and efficiency. Utilize project management tools and technologies to streamline workflows and create clarity for roles & responsibilities; track progress and ensure accountability; drive efficiency in program execution.
Lead planning, budgeting, and reporting processes for co-curricular programs; create budgets for each program; track expenditures; ensure timely payment of invoices, stipends, prizes, etc.
Conduct program evaluation measures to ensure effectiveness of initiatives; administer post-event satisfaction surveys; track attendance for annual reporting; achieve net promoter scores of 70 or above for all programs