Assistant director - cultural

Assistant Director - La Casa Cultural Latina

Student Success, Inclusion & Belonging

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of the La Casa Cultural Latina, assist the director in advancing student success, intercultural engagement, inclusion and belonging efforts on campus. Focusing primarily on creating a vibrant and welcoming physical space, a broader sense of belonging and addressing issues which impact Latina/o/x and Hispanic students' success at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Duties & Responsibilities

Cultural Programming

• Develop and promote educationally transformative experiences that result student success, intercultural engagement, positive identity development, and builds appreciation for Latina/o/x and Hispanic students’ experiences locally and globally.
• Develop and deliver new and traditional programs and activities that highlight the diverse Latina/o/x and Hispanic cultures across the diaspora and support Latina/o/x and Hispanic students’ success at Illinois.
• Collaborate with other units and campus-community partners to develop programs that encompass intercultural learning, civic responsibility and engagement with diverse stakeholders across intersecting perspectives and identities.
• Assist the director in leading efforts to enhance student success and belonging initiatives for Latina/o/x and Hispanic students that contribute to increased retention and graduation rates.
• Assist the director in obtaining funding support through co-sponsorships, grants, gifts, and through effective collaborations with SSIB leadership and the Student Affairs Advancement team.
• Remain abreast of current trends impacting Latina/o/x and Hispanic student success in higher education.
• Assist with the preservation and curation of La Casa’s historical documents, archives, and cultural artifacts to ensure intergenerational learning and institutional memory.
• Ability to work nights and weekends occasionally.

Advising and Engagement

• Collaborate with other student affairs units, academic departments, students/ student organizations, alumni, and community stakeholders on activities, programming, and events that increase all students’ global awareness, engagement, and learning about Latinidad and the rich cultural histories which contribute the Latina/o/x and Hispanic diaspora.
• Assist the director in providing leadership development, advising, and support services for students and student organizations served by La Casa.
• Assist in providing information, referrals, resources and advocacy for La Casa’s students and constituents.
• Serve on campus-wide committees, task forces, and work groups on campus and in the broader Urbana- Champaign community to enhance Latina/o/x and Hispanic students’ experience on campus.
• Assist the director in coordinating mentorship and engagement efforts.
• Assist the director in supporting positive alumni relations.

Administration

• Coordinate the recruitment, hiring, training, teaching, supervision, and evaluation of student staff and volunteers.
• Provide professional learning experiences that enable student employees and to develop the personal and professional skills needed to thrive in a diverse society.
• Maintain compliance with all state, local, and university policies, protocol, and administrative expectations.
• Assist the director and associate director in maintaining La Casa’s communications efforts (i.e., web content, social media platform, etc.).
• Assist with the day to day management of La Casa to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all students and stakeholders.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Assessment & Evaluation

• Assist the director in implementing culturally informed assessment and evaluation strategy which contribute continual programmatic improvement.
• Institute an outcomes-driven method to develop, deliver, and assess educational programs.
• Maintain programming files and advising records which contribute to La Casa assessment efforts.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in higher education administration, college student personnel, counseling, or related field.

Experience:

• A total of two (2) years (24 months) in education, training and/or work experience in student advising, programming, and/or support services in a higher education environment.
• Demonstrated experience working with Latina/o/x or Hispanic students, first-generation students, and/or on initiatives related to their experiences.
  • (Note: Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience.)

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in higher education administration, college student personnel. counseling, or related field.

Experience:

• Professional experience creating, delivering culturally responsive programming, retention, and/ or student success services for Latina/o/x and Hispanic students at a large, public university.
• Professional experience advising, retaining, and creating leadership development and/ or student success opportunities for Latina/o/x and Hispanic students and/or student organizations.
• Knowledge of theoretical frameworks under-girding student identity development, social justice education, and sense of belonging
• Experience recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating student staff.
• Ability to demonstrate empathy, problem solving, professional boundaries, and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience in formative and summative evaluation.
• Experience with marketing, communications, and associated production technologies.
• Ability to speak Spanish and/or Portuguese fluently.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• High levels of professionalism and emotional maturity.
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to gather, sort and convey the most essential and relevant information regarding emerging situations.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative/collaborative working relationships with a diverse community of student, staff, and stakeholders.
• Supervisory skills.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5002 - Program Coordinator position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 1/5/2026. The budgeted salary range for the position is $55,000 to $60,000.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.


For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please make sure to upload a cover letter, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references when applying. Additionally, if you have your transcripts please upload those as well. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Keri Collins at [email protected]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected].

Requisition ID : 1032071

Job Category : Professional and Administrative

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