Center Senior Specialist, Experiential Learning

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at recruiting-u@smith.edu.

Department

Jandon Center for Community Engagement

Job Description

Our Ideal Candidate:

We are looking for a team player, who can also work independently and autonomously to complete projects and meet timelines. If you have worked in a Coordinator capacity in the field of Experiential Learning or Community Based Learning, you may be a match for this role. We are looking for an independent thinker, with strong initiative that can meet the responsibilities of this role, while also contributing to the future trajectory of Jandon Center.

Job Summary

Connect on-campus learning with off-campus experiences - preparing students for local and national community engagements that deepen and enrich their education while bolstering Smith's strategic partnerships and role as a regional good neighbor. Support faculty and staff to connect student engagement experiences directly to the curriculum across all content areas (STEM, Arts/Humanities, Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary studies). Develop curricular and research connections and opportunities across Jandon programs. Liaise across college divisions, departments and centers to evolve and sustain strategic external partnerships for the reciprocal benefit of Smith and partner organizations and communities. Initiate evidence-based approaches to learning at the nexus of curricular and co-curricular work. Collaborate with faculty to support and assess reflective public scholarship. Develop accessible learning tools that support students in exploring experiential learning directly connected to their interests, academic work, and potential career trajectories.

Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Essential Functions

Faculty Support for Community Engaged Learning (30%):

• With participation and input from interested Smith centers and concentrations, develop and oversee a curricular support model for faculty engagement in community engaged learning (also known as community based learning - CBL). Develop and evolve a portfolio of experiential learning initiatives and share data across centers and concentrations.
• Expand a portfolio of CBL resources for faculty, including seeking grant funding and connecting faculty to community engagement opportunities.
• Recruit and support faculty for Jandon sponsored work with community partners.
• Support faculty to connect research and teaching priorities to the goals of community - based partners.
• Develop and oversee delivery of resources for faculty, including workshops, course development and linking existing courses to community-based initiatives.
• Liaise with Jandon team, community organizations and campus partners (E.g. Sherrerd Center for Teaching and Learning, Smith centers and concentrations)

Jandon Team (30%):

• Liaise with college-wide offices (E.g. Director of Communications and External Engagement, Smith centers) on maintaining and evolving a collaborative network of sustainable strategic organizational partnerships for Smith across the region.
• Design, deliver and evaluate programs to respond to the experiential learning needs of diverse CBL students and faculty.
• Align programs and methods with Jandon Center goals, the Smith strategic plan, and essential capacities for Smith students.
• Deploy content knowledge and experience in training and facilitation to actively support and evolve Jandon Center goals and methods.
• Manage assigned Jandon community partnerships.
• Collaborate actively with Jandon team colleagues and promote the Center's work.
• Act as a resource to fellow team members and the Director.

Student Support (30%):

• Coordinate integrative learning events and activities related to student community engagement for staff and faculty across interested centers and concentrations.
• Advise students on and link them to experiential learning opportunities.
• Connect on-campus curricular and co-curricular learning with off-campus experiences.
• Support the Jandon Center Director and team to evolve - develop, sustain, evaluate- the Jandon portfolio of local and national community engagements that enrich students' education.
• Develop, sustain and manage a network of mentoring relationships for students through alums, faculty, staff and community partners.
• Provide orientation and training to students on the ethics and core practices of community engagement.
• Liaise across Smith centers, especially the Lazarus Center for Career Development, to support students to connect engaged learning and scholarship with unfolding life and career pathways.
• Incubate and support student initiated research and social change projects.
• Advise and connect students with campus, community and alum resources in support of their Jandon related work.

General (10%):

• Oversee integrated Jandon communications and data analysis.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director or the Director's designee.

All employees are expected to participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

MINIMUM REQUIRED Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 8 years of independent project management experience or an equivalent combination of education/experience; experience with college students preferred.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Background in developing course syllabi (ideally at undergraduate level); teaching experience designing and delivering workshops / training / mini-courses for faculty and students focused on public scholarship, CBL, equity and human rights (and related challenges of poverty and inequality); expertise in facilitation methods (E.g. Appreciative Inquiry; Future Search; Asset Based Organizing or similar); experience leading and initiating collaborative projects across multiple disciplines; explicitly linking and integrating research, course-work and experiential learning with students and faculty; demonstrated planning and program development skills.
• Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Experience:

• Extensive experience working in or with community based nonprofits; demonstrated excellence as a team player; experience coordinating multiple constituents on collaborative projects; self starter; demonstrated experience balancing accountability for the priorities of this role with support for colleagues and the Jandon team as a whole.

Skills:

• Ability to listen closely, synthesize ideas from multiple constituencies and design, develop and implement responsive experiential education programs; experience with and understanding of challenges facing contemporary students; demonstrated understanding of systemic inequality and ability to integrate theory and practice; excellent and innovative facilitation and presentation skills; ability to initiate web-based instruction; demonstrated ability to initiate and maintain a complex set of excellent relationships with colleagues, students, faculty and community partners; excellent team and related abilities; excellence in office suite; google docs, social media and web-based instructional platforms.

Compensation

In addition to a competitive benefits package, annualized pay for this role is typically between $86,593.05 - $117,155.30 covering the middle half of market compensation. Actual compensation will vary based on individual qualifications and work schedule if less than full-time.

Position Type

Regular

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application.

You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.

Review of applications will begin

September 24, 2026

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women's colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting-u@smith.edu.

As set forth in our mission and values, Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty. The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.