Community & Belonging Specialist - Programming

Salary/Position Classification

• $50,000 - $55,000 annual, Dependent on Experience, Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• This position will work onsite at UND Grand Forks, ND campus

Purpose of Position

The Community & Belonging Specialist develops and coordinates events and services that address culture, climate, belonging, and healthy identity development within The Hilyard Center, the Indigenous Student Center, the Pride Center, and the Office of Community & Belonging for students, faculty, and staff. The Community & Belonging Specialist supports and, in some instances, cultivates partnerships with a range of university departments/organizations to develop and market intra-cultural and cross-cultural programming. The Community & Belonging Specialist is knowledgeable of populations with varied lived experiences and will contribute to creating culturally responsive engagement and outreach initiatives that foster resilience, well-being, inclusion, and achievement for all members of the university community.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Analyzing local, national, and international cultural trends to gain a better understanding of the issues pertinent to the UND community.
  • Understand analyzed trends and utilize best practices as a means of creating responsive programming. - Identify and meeting with campus and local community groups, when necessary, to identify issues and concerns that impact program development
  • Develop culturally sensitive programs based on research, knowledge, understanding, and experiences. - Develop and foster inclusive spaces for programming and events.
  • Engage in program development that aligns with the Equity and Affinity pillars found within UND LEADS (strategic plan).
• Assessment - creating outcome goals with a continued analysis of effectiveness of programs connected to understanding cultural sensitivity
  • Develop culturally sensitive assessment measures.
  • Develop programmatic goals and outcomes to assess and evaluate the continued effectiveness of programs. 
• Planning and implementing programs and events for The Hilyard Center, the Office of Community & Belonging, the Indigenous Student Center, and the Pride Center.
  • Review and prepare artist contracts to ensure university safety and financial compliance
  • Plan programs and services that engage and support members of the university community
  • Lead the planning and coordinating of large-scale cultural, art, and community engagement programs such as Martin Luther, King Jr. Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Empowered by Our Past, National Coming Out Day, and others
  • Plan and coordinate programs, activities, and events for cultural heritage months
  • Lead the planning and coordinating of the Multicultural Conference and the LGBTQ+ Day Long Institute
  • Plan and carryout culturally sensitive programming that focuses on faculty, staff, and student engagement, belongingness, and community
  • Design new and innovative programming focused on community and belonging. 
• Market and advertise programs and events.
  • Create content to market events and programs
  • Work with Marketing and/or appropriate departments to create content to market events and programs
  • Capture and share event highlights through appropriate sources (i.e. social media, UND Today, email, listserv, etc.) 
• Collaborate with other departments across campus to support programming and events. 
  • Work closely with campus departments to support The Hilyard Center, the Office of Community & Belonging, Pride Center, and Indigenous Student Center programming efforts (i.e. Marketing and Communications, Teaching, Transformation and Development Academy, etc.)
  • Work closely with campus departments to support their programming efforts 
  • Create and maintain relationships with identity related student and faculty/staff organizations to support collaborative, strategic programming efforts 
• Collaborate with The Hilyard Center, the Office of Community & Belonging, the Indigenous Student Center, and the Pride Center staff and students in support of their departmental efforts.
  • Assist with departmental pop-up programs
  • Assist with other duties, events, experiences as needed 
•  Management of graduate service assistantship recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision
  • Manage the recruitment of the graduate service assistantship
  • Develop and carryout training and professional development for the graduate student in this position 
  • Provide management and guidance of the overall duties and responsibilities of graduate service assistant
  • Evaluate the abilities of the graduate service assistant in carrying out tasks and duties associated with position 

Required Competencies

• Demonstrate a commitment to understanding and supporting populations with varied lived experiences
• Demonstrate interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills including public speaking
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across multiple offices/areas
• Demonstrate experience with managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 3 years experience working with populations with varied lived experiences
• 3 years experience developing, coordinating, managing, and evaluating cultural programs, events, and activities
• 3 years experience working in higher education
• 3 years experience leading or collaboratively leading programs to include: large scale events, work with vendors/guests/artists, preparing contracts/guest speaker agreements, event set-up
• 3 years experience collaborating and working with outside departments/vendors such as IT, Marketing, Communication, Catering, etc.
• Experience working with digital tools such as Canva and Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and OneDrive)
• Experience capturing and sharing event highlights through appropriate sources (i.e. social media, email, listserv, etc.)
• Valid Driver License
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years experience working in higher education
• Bachelor's degree in education, marketing, hospitality and events, or other related fields