Non-Represented, Director for Student Engagement

About The College

Whatcom Community College (WCC) is a public associate and applied baccalaureate degree granting institution with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 7,604 students annually on its beautiful 72-acre campus in Bellingham, Washington.

Whatcom offers transfer degrees, applied baccalaureate degrees, professional and technical training programs, basic education, job skills, and community and continuing education classes. Programs and courses are offered through in-person, hybrid, and online modalities to promote access for a diverse student population.

The College is committed to equal opportunity and believes diversity of experiences and cultures enrich our campus community. The College is accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. For more information about WCC, please visit www.whatcom.edu

About Our Community

Whatcoms campus is located in Bellingham (population 95,960). Bellingham showcases a strong commitment to education and is regularly rated on "best of the Northwest" lists. Bellingham is midway between Seattle, WA and Vancouver, B.C. Canada.

The city is surrounded by the rural landscape of Whatcom County (population 226,850), which is home to a thriving network of farms and scenic wilderness. As you explore our community, youll discover historic neighborhoods, waterfront cities, farmlands and mountain towns all within a few dozen miles of each other. Bellingham and Whatcom County are known for their outdoor activities. Whether your idea of fun is visiting galleries, watching live theater, kayaking, hiking, snowboarding, or unwinding with a good book, youll love Bellingham and Whatcom County. To learn more about Bellingham, please visit: http://www.bellingham.org

General Description of Work

Position Title: Director for Student Engagement

Classification: Non-Represented

FTE: 1.0 FTE

Schedule: This is a full-time, salaried position customarily requiring approximately 40 hours per week. As an exempt professional role under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the position requires flexibility in work hours, and additional time beyond a standard workweek may be necessary to meet business needs and fulfill job responsibilities.

FLSA Status: Overtime Exempt

Job Summary

The Director for Student Engagement provides strategic leadership and oversight for a comprehensive portfolio that includes student life and development, intercultural services, student leadership programs, co-curricular engagement, and equity-centered programming. The Director leads the Simpson Intercultural Center and Student Life and Development, ensuring leadership development, holistic student support, and equity, diversity, and inclusion are integrated into all programs, services, and activities.

In collaboration with campus and community partners, the Director develops and implements culturally responsive and strengths-based programs that support student success, belonging, identity development, and leadership for WCCs diverse student population. This position promotes meaningful engagement between students, faculty, and staff and builds an inclusive, welcoming campus culture aligned with WCCs mission and strategic priorities.

Reporting Structure/Supervisory Relationship

• The Director for Student Engagement reports to the Dean for Enrollment Management.
• The position provides direct leadership and supervision to Associate Director for the Simpson Intercultural Center and the Associate Director of Student Life and Development and other staff as assigned.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Leadership & Administration

• Provides vision, strategic direction, and operational oversight for Student Life and Development, the Simpson Intercultural Center, Student Government, and Student Clubs, Associations, and Unions.

• Leads, hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates departmental staff, ensuring high-quality, equity-minded programming and services.

• Develops and monitors departmental budgets.

• Provides guidance and advice to student leaders in the development of the Student & Activities (S&A) budget and student assessed fees budgets as appropriate. Advises and trains students on allocation processes.

• Establishes annual departmental goals aligned with college strategic plans, utilizing assessment, student feedback, data, and best practices.

• Student Development, Leadership, and Belonging

• Oversees the development and delivery of culturally responsive student leadership training, workshops, and co-curricular programming supporting student identity development, civic engagement, multicultural education, and social justice.

• Mentors students across diverse backgrounds, including students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.

• Supports conflict resolution, crisis response, and student conduct processes in partnership with Student Services colleagues.

• Collaborates with faculty and staff to implement student leadership strategies and integrate peer mentorship, advising, and to support new student orientation.

• Provides strategic oversight for co-curricular activities, student events, student orientation, and campus traditions. Collaborates with campus partners to enhance student belonging and campus climate.

• Intercultural Center Leadership & Equity Programming

• Provides guidance and general oversite to the operations, staffing, programming, and services of the Simpson Intercultural Center.

• Serves as an advisor (or designates advisors) for student identity-based clubs and organizations.

• Contributes to institutional equity initiatives and serves on committees such as the Diversity Committee, Social Justice Committee, and other relevant groups.

• Campus Collaboration and External Partnerships

• Develops strong working relationships across Academic and Student Affairs, Administrative Services, Advancement, and the Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) to coordinate programs that support student entry, progression, and completion.

• Builds and maintains partnerships with regional higher education institutions, underserved communities, local schools, and community organizations.

• Represents WCC in statewide and professional organizations, including the Multicultural Student Services Directors Council and the Council of Unions and Student Programs.

• Performs other related work of a similar nature and level.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of culturally responsive practices, intercultural communication, and strategies that advance equity and reduce opportunity gaps in higher education.
• Ability to conceptualize, implement, and evaluate programs that support student leadership, identity development, belonging, and co-curricular engagement.
• Ability to respond effectively to student needs, mediate conflicts, support crisis intervention, and address sensitive issues with cultural awareness and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated skill in designing and facilitating programs, workshops, and co-curricular experiences that promote belonging, leadership, identity development, and student engagement for a wide variety of learners.
• Demonstrated skill in leading teams, managing complex programs, supervising staff, and advancing organizational goals in dynamic, student-centered environments.
• Ability to oversee, allocate, and monitor student fee budgets in ways that promote transparency, student learning, and shared governance. Including the capacity to mentor student leaders in financial decision-making, support equitable funding practices, and ensure compliance with college policies and state regulations.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build strong, collaborative relationships across diverse groups of students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
• The ability to actively contribute to a work and learning environment that treats everyone with respect and dignity, while engaging diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences to enhance the Colleges mission, vision, and promise.

Lead Work/Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for assigned departments, including supervision and evaluation of managers and professional staff; support hiring, staff development, performance management, workload coordination, and corrective action as appropriate.
• Contribute to budget planning and resource allocation for departments; monitor expenditures and support grant-funded or externally supported initiatives to ensure effective and equitable use of resources aligned with institutional and student success priorities.

Working Conditions/Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in an office setting with extensive time spent at a computer workstation either sitting or standing. Works in an environment with frequent interruptions. Some travel to professional meetings and student engagement events, trainings, and conferences required. Must be willing and able to complete and maintain all applicable and required van driver training; provides van transportation to faculty, staff and students as assigned in support of student engagement activities.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Masters degree from an accredited institution.
• At least two years of experience in higher education student services functions, such as student life and development, intercultural services, student leadership education, or related student support areas.
• At least two years of demonstrated leadership experience with a track record of communicating and collaborating effectively with diverse stakeholders including faculty, staff, students, administrators, and external partners.
• Experience providing collaborative leadership or coordination across multiple functional areas within student services, including shared decision-making and cross-unit collaboration.

OR

• Equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient for the person to perform the duties.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Multilingual or proficiency in a language other than English, with the ability to communicate effectively with students and families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Demonstrated leadership in student development, student engagement, equity and inclusion programming, or other student success initiatives within a community college or similar higher-education setting.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and effectively engage students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently while collaborating effectively in a team environment.
• Commitment to excellent customer service and continuous improvement, with a focus on creating positive student experiences.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Licensure, Certification & Other Necessary Requirements:

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check and sexual misconduct review.
• Must have a valid U.S. drivers license and proof of liability insurance.
• Occasional travel to meetings, conferences and training sessions may be required.

Salary

Salary:

• This is a 12-month, full-time, non-represented position with an annual salary of $95,000.00.

Benefits:

• Benefits include comprehensive health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance;
• Participation in a Washington State retirement plan;
• Paid sick leave and vacation leave;
• Eleven paid holidays annually.

Additionally, as a Washington State, public higher education institution, WCC offers the following:

• Whatcom Community College is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). If you work for the College full time, have had Direct Loans and are on an eligible repayment plan, you are eligible to apply.
• Full-time employees are eligible to apply and participate in the Whatcom Community College Employee Tuition Program, which provides a tuition waiver for available and eligible WCC courses.
• Full-time employees may qualify for Washington State Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) benefit.

Start Date:

• As soon as can be arranged with the successful candidate.

Application Due Date:

• For guaranteed consideration, applications should be received by Friday, May 29th, 2026 at 5:00pm. Position open until filled.

How To Apply

A completed application consists of an online application and:

• Cover letter detailing relevant experience and how the applicant is prepared to meet the duties of the position.
• Current resume.
• Values statement that responds to the following prompt:

Short Reflection (1 page max): One of the core values of this institution is building an inclusive and supportive campus. This core value is reflected in our strategic plan, goals and in the work that we do every day. Please describe your experience in building an inclusive environment that supports a sense of belonging.

• Official transcripts of any degrees listed as part of the minimum requirements will be required upon hire, but not as part of the application process.

Mission, Vision & Promise

Mission: Whatcom Community College contributes to the vitality of its communities by providing quality education in academic transfer, professional-technical, and lifelong learning, preparing students for active citizenship in a global society.

Vision: Whatcom is a supportive community, empowering lives through education.

Promise: We transform lives through education. We accomplish this by supporting student growth, respecting student investment, embracing diversity, promoting excellence and creating opportunities.

EEO Statement

Whatcom Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender presentation, ancestry, ethnicity, family status, immigration status, citizenship, socioeconomic status, genetic information or age in its programs and activities.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Executive Director for Human Resources, by phone: 360.383.3400 or email: hr@whatcom.edu , 237 W. Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.

For Title IX compliance: Title IX Coordinator, by phone: 360.383.3400 or email: titleIX@whatcom.edu , 237 W. Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.

WCC publications are available in alternate formats upon request by contacting the Access & Disability Services office by phone: 360.383.3139, email: ADS@whatcom.edu, or Washington Relay: 711