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Position at UTK: Pride Center Coordinator, Student Life

The Division of Student Life at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) invites applications and nominations for the position of Coordinator of the Pride Center. This is an exempt, 12 month, full-time, non-tenure track staff position.

The University: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is the state’s flagship research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates, and a premier graduate institution. Enrolling 27,000 students, the campus is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and beautiful East Tennessee. As a land-grant university, it is committed to excellence in learning, scholarship, and engagement. In all its activities, the university aims to advance the frontiers of human knowledge and enrich and elevate society. The university values intellectual curiosity, pursuit of knowledge, and academic freedom and integrity.

The Division: The Division of Student Life is comprised of over 400 staff members who serve our students through 20 departments and functions. The staff is actively engaged in the lives of our students, living and learning with them in our residence halls, student union, and other campus environments. The Division seeks candidates willing to engage, challenge, and support our students through intentional programs and services. In addition, we seek colleagues who are committed to teamwork and have a palpable passion for working with and serving all students.

The Pride Center: The Pride Center works to provide a safe and welcoming environment for UTK’s diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBT+) communities. As a physical symbol of UTK’s commitment to diversity, the Pride Center provides support, resources, and a community space for UTK’s LGBT+ and ally students, faculty, and staff, as well as anyone who seeks to learn about sexual orientation or gender identity. The Pride Center achieves this by sponsoring programs and events that raise awareness, increase visibility, and engage in advocacy regarding LGBT+ issues.

The Position: The Coordinator of the Pride Center is a full-time professional staff member that is responsible for the direction and daily operations of the Pride Center, including the management and oversight of services, budgets, educational programs, internal/external advocacy initiatives, community development, and ongoing development and supervision of graduate and undergraduate student staff. The purpose of this position to champion and lead a centralized effort to provide support and advocacy services, education, training, and social and educational programming for the LGBT+ community. The Coordinator will serve as a key member of the Division of Student Life and reports directly to the Associate Dean of Students.

Responsibilities: The Coordinator/Director of the Pride Center is responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

  • Serve as the primary staff member responsible for the management and oversight of the Pride Center facility, programs, and services;
  • Provide leadership on identifying and helping to address the academic, social, and cultural needs of LGBT+ students, as well as those of other student communities;
  • Provide leadership for LGBT+ students in fostering a strong sense of self and community, and to build coalitions between communities;
  • Provide resources and individual support to LGBT+ students regarding personal and interpersonal growth, development, and learning;
  • Provide planning and visioning for the Pride Center to ensure the Center is responsive to the changing needs of LGBT+ students and campus communities;
  • Recruit, hire, supervise, coach, and evaluate a team of graduate and undergraduate student staff;
  • Serve as a liaison to the Pride Ambassadorsa student organization for LGBT+ and ally students;
  • Foster and maintain relationships with various LGBT+ student, faculty, and staff organizations and develop and grow partnerships with local community organizations;
  • Develop private philanthropic support of the Pride Center in conjunction with the Development Office to cultivate, engage, and steward donors and alumni;
  • Provide visibility on issues affecting LGBT+ students and offer expertise on the evolving needs of this community;
  • Coordinate and oversee the Center library of books, DVDs, and other resources;
  • Oversee, manage, and update the Pride Center website and social media regularly;
  • Design and deliver educational programs that aim to educate faculty, staff, students, and community members about the LGBT+ community. Some annual events include but are not limited to: Welcome Week Open House, Ice Cream Social, Pride Week, FriendsGiving Dinner, Pride Center Birthday Celebration, Ally Week, Day of Silence, and Lavender Graduation;
  • Assess LGBT+ community and training needs through focus groups, unit consultations, national benchmarking, and other assessment tools;
  • Make recommendations regarding the needs of the LGBT+ campus community and coordinate campus-wide efforts to address those needs;
  • Provide administrative support and leadership for the campus-wide Safe Zone Program;
  • Coordinate requests for in-class presentations, panels, discussion groups, and other community workshops in the Pride Center and on-campus;
  • Teach a First Year Seminar for LGBT+ and ally first-year students;
  • Collaborate on related training programs and events that address broader aspects of diversity and social justice;
  • Work with colleagues to review University policies, procedures and materials and advocate for change, if needed, to ensure that the campus is safe and welcoming for LGBT+ students, staff, and faculty;
  • Collaborate and serve with colleagues on the Bias and Education Response Team (BERT) regarding procedures for reporting and responding to incidents of bias related to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression;
  • Represent the Pride Center in campus, local community, regional, and national settings;
  • Lead and serve on various committees and attend programs or gatherings that directly affect the LGBT+ community or the Division of Student Life; and,
  • Perform other related duties based on divisional and departmental needs.
Education and Experience: A master’s degree is required in Student Affairs, Higher Education, Counseling, or other related field. A minimum of one year of professional experience in higher education required, with experience working specifically with LGBT+ programs or related areas strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

  • Strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Strong interpersonal, communication and listening skills;
  • Ability to make sound decisions;
  • Strong work ethic and personal initiative;
  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice and diversity education;
  • Demonstrated knowledge regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and the issues of concern for the LGBT+ community, including an understanding of intersectional identities;
  • Experience working with diverse constituencies and student groups;
  • Ability to create and lead presentations, organizational meetings and event and retreat planning;
  • Strong staff supervision and management;
  • Experience advising student organizations and group facilitation;
  • Experience with budget management;
  • Experience with online outreach (i.e., social networking sites, blogs, etc.);
  • Knowledge of assessment practices including the development of learning outcomes and producing reports;
  • Ability to recognize and protect confidential information, and exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy in handling sensitive information and situations;
  • Ability to work and collaborate with internal and external constituents; foster positive and productive relationships and build strong rapport to further enhance the Pride Center vision and mission;
  • Solid foundation in student development, LGBT+ identity development, intersections of identity, and student learning theory, and their application to professional practice in higher education and student affairs;
  • Must be abreast of specific trends and issues affecting LGBT+ communities;
  • Strong student advocacy skills of community building, relationships, and rapport with students and campus constituents.
  • Ability to work some evenings and weekends for programming and events.

    Preferred Qualifications:

  • Three or more years of professional experience;
  • Graduate or professional experience advising an LGBT+ organization or working in an LGBT+ Center.

    Salary: The salary for this position is commensurate with experience and other qualifications and is accompanied by a standard university benefits package.

    Application Process: The position will continue to be posted until it is filled. For full consideration, applicants must electronically submit a letter of interest, resume, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of five references. All materials for the position should be submitted through the University of Tennessee Human Resources application system.

    All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admissions without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

    Eligibility and other terms and conditions of employment benefits at The University of Tennessee are governed by laws and regulations of the State of Tennessee, and this non-discrimination statement is intended to be consistent with those laws and regulations.

    In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University.

    Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone (865) 974-2498. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.
Internal Number: 17000000Y4

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