Assistant Director of First-Generation Programs

Job no: 493043
Position type: Staff Full Time - Full Year
Location: Lewiston, ME
Division/Equivalent: VP of Equity and Inclusion
School/Unit: Student Center for Belonging and Community
Categories: Equity & Inclusion

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Title: Assistant Director of First-Generation Programs

Position Purpose:

Within the Student Center for Belonging and Community (SCBC), the First-Generation Programs include the Bobcat First and Kessler Scholars Program. Bobcat First (B1st) is the institutional effort to support the success of and build community among first-generation-to-college students and graduates at Bates through co-curricular engagement. The Kessler Scholars Program connects Bates to a nationwide collaborative dedicated to the success of first-generation and limited income students across higher education, and facilitates a cohort-based model of high-impact support. 

The Assistant Director supports the operational and student-facing components of First-Generation Programs, with a primary focus on the management of the Bobcat First initiative. This role provides supervision for student staff, supports cross-campus collaboration, and ensures that programming and services meet the evolving needs of first-generation students. The Assistant Director also serves as a thought partner to the Director in implementing strategic initiatives and is the operational anchor for day-to-day program delivery.

*Review of applications will begin on September 12th*

Job Duties:

  • Lead the planning, logistics, and internal execution of Bobcat First programming, including peer mentor initiatives, collaborative workshops, and community-building events.
  • Serve as a Student Support Advisor to first-generation students and maintain ongoing advising relationships.
  • Supervise and train all First-Gen Programs student staff, including Kessler Peer Mentors, ensuring alignment with program goals and inclusive practices.
  • Manage communications and branding for the Bobcat First program (newsletters, email campaigns, web content).
  • Collaborate with the Program Coordinator to collect and analyze data on Kessler Scholars participation and program outcomes.
  • Serve as a point of contact for one-on-one collaboration with campus offices; represent First-Gen Programs in institutional partnerships.
  • Participate in the strategic planning process with the Director, with attention to operational feasibility and systems development.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

  • Bachelor’s degree in Education, Counseling, Social Work, or relevant field required.
  • Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

  • At least 3 years of experience in education, counseling, social work, and/or related fields required.
  • 5+ years of experience in related fields preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience in project management and coordination.
  • Experience with supervision of student workers, volunteers, or staff.

Skills and Knowledge

  • Commitment to serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.
  • Experience working with students of color, LGBTQ+, first-generation, and/or limited-income students.
  • Experience working with college student families and campus support structures to support their academic, co-curricular, and personal success and development.
  • Ability to provide holistic support and referrals as a support advisor to students, navigating potentially sensitive situations or topics.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Supervision and team management skills.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and student privacy as appropriate.
  • Effective interpersonal, communication and organizational skills and the ability to coordinate resources and staff within the college community.
  • Solid understanding of the academic and social challenges experienced by marginalized students in a college environment. 
  • Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment.
  • Ability to work flexible hours, including weekend and evening hours.
  • Proficiency in basic data management systems, computer applications, and social media platforms.
  • Fluency in additional languages to English is preferred.

   
 

Benefits:  

Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits (health, dental, sick leave, 24 days of vacation, 2 personal days, 13 paid holidays, dependent care subsidy, free parking, access to library and athletic facilities & more), and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug and smoke-free workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Bates College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and providing an educational and work environment free from discrimination. The college prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status and other legally protected statuses in the recruitment and admission of its students, in the administration of its education policies and programs, or in the recruitment of its faculty and staff.  Bates College adheres to all applicable state and federal equal opportunity laws and regulations.  All college faculty, staff, students, contractors, visitors, and volunteers are responsible for understanding and complying with the Non-Discrimination Policy.

Inquiries concerning the college’s policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/Section 504), and complaints may be directed to Gwen Lexow, Title IX Officer, 207-786-6445 or via email at glexow@bates.edu.

About Bates:

Bates is internationally recognized as a leading liberal arts college, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world.

Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. Committed to opportunity and excellence, Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race, religion, or national origin.

Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Bates prepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal for responsible stewardship of the wider world. Bates engages the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology — that are transforming higher education and the world into which our students graduate.

Bates has highly competitive admissions, graduates over 90 percent of its entering students, and more than half of its alumni earn graduate degrees. Bates employs 200 faculty members and 550 staff.

The college is proud of deep roots in the Lewiston/Auburn community, Maine’s second-largest urban area with a population of approximately 65,000. Bates is located on a beautiful, 133-acre, traditional New England campus in Lewiston, an emerging city with an entrepreneurial climate, a lively arts scene, and a dynamic business community. Bates is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 miles north of Boston, and 350 miles north of New York City.

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